Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

May 21st

Tonight I went to visit my friend and neighbor Deb. We ate pizza, consumed the better portion of two bottles of red wine, made fun of people we used to work with, and I showed her how to use her new Cannon SD 1100 (which is almost exactly like mine). In exchange for the breif photo lesson and some tips on where to go in her upcoming trip to Paris, she let me create an Avatar for her new Wii system.

I'm incredibly excited to have a friend around the corner with one of these loony systems. I've never been one for video games, but this spring I've become something of a Wii addict.

This is Deb and Miss Banana hanging out in avatar land. Even if she and I never play an actual game, I think we will find hours of enjoyment creating avatars of several cantankerous nasty ugly former co-workers.

Local Memorial

May 20th

I walk past this 9-11 memorial every day. For some reason, it never struck me to capture it until now. When I pass sometimes I feel immense sadness and other times pride in my country. But either way, I always wonder who created and maintains this tree. I'd like to meet them and hear their story.

No Life Lately

May 19th

This room (and the work it represents in my near future) is why I'm so dang cranky lately.

Pig On Parade

May 18th

I'm taking my own lack of photo as an opportunity to post the most recent shots of The Piglet. I can't believe how big she's gotten over the course of this blog! It's a reminder that I'm creeping ever closer to the dreaded 31 and the conclusion of this project. I'm still not sure in what capacity I'll carry on blogging next year, but rest assured (all 10 of you), I plan on sticking around the interwebs indefinitely.

Her very own mother labeled the above photo Nick Nolte's Mug Shot! Hilarious! (Note the pig t-shirt.)

Since posting the photos of her naked tushy and playtime bath photos didn't seem quite right (they were totally adorable), I chose to add this one where Juliana is having a slightly better hair day!

Red Dress and Ham

May 17th

This weekend I was pretty much laid out with a cold and general exhaustion from installation hell at work. Since photos of my fat arse on the couch are not interesting, I thought you all would enjoy this photo of the Bacon Scented Tuxedo. "Each Tuxedo is tailored from chemically treated latex print fabric in one of four different sizes. Best of all, it smells just like bacon sizzling in the pan." Think this is too good to be true? Order yours here.

Banchan III

May 16th

Tonight Filner and I went out for Korean BBQ, as is tradition when he's in town. I wasn't too happy to when he decided to stretch out my specks with his giant noggin. But... I still love him.

Movie Madness

May 15th

Today was a nutty day with a movie shoot (Julie and Julia) taking place in the museum. In exciting news, I got to see Meryl Streep shooting and meet Stanley Tucci, who is incredibly handsome in person. The crew was really careful and respectful with our building but they took over everything including the sidewalk.

To relax after my taxing day, I stopped by the summer kickball league for way too many beverages with the kids from the fall. I should have known seeing those nutters would translate into a late night ride home as the only patron of the G train!

Making Jesus Famous

May 14th

When I pointed out that this sign read "Making Jesus Famous", Martin made the good point that he was pretty sure he already was...

This photo is for my girls Mary and Bonnie... who put the M and B in BAM.

The Incident Of The Flying Rat

May 13th

I talk a lot on this blog about how much I love living in New York City. But today I'm going to tell you a little story about how living here can sometimes be totally disgusting...

(This is my fabulous MS Paint rendering of "The Incident Of The Flying Rat". )

Picture this...a crowded rush hour platform one car length from the end of the train. Screaming comes from 20- 30 people deep. In my post work haze I blow it off as stupid teenage fighting and resume reading my nerdy book. Three seconds later, more screaming and scuffling as everyone stares at their feet. I now KNOW what is coming down that platform...

A giant nasty NYC subway rat.

I see it fly past about a foot from my open toe sandals. I turn to watch it run away and breath a sigh of relief that I escaped unscathed. But then...

Ten feet down the platform the rat encounters a really angry man in a brown business suit who then proceeds TO PUNT THE RAT AT MY FACE! (This the part where you gasp and freak out. )

I duck back and with less than a fraction of an inch to spare, the flying rat collides with the purse of the woman standing next to me! I proceed to run screaming and pushing up the stairs towards safety.

To add insult to injury, some nasty lady yells at me to "save it for the terrorists" and "not push into her over a mouse". For the first time since moving to the Big Rat Apple, I spoke back to someone. I told that bitch straightaway, "Fuck off. You'd run too if a rat came flying at YOUR face!"

In any case, if you didn't have a rat fly at your head on your commute home this week, feel better about wherever you choose to live, as this is certainly a grass is greener scenario.

I dedicate this post to my good friend Kristen, who hates rats more than anyone I know, and was the first person I called when I got off the train.

Coming Wednesday

May 12th

"Coming Wednesday" the new holiday in May.

A Day At The Zoo

May 11th

I've lived around the corner from the Prospect Park Zoo for just over four years and had never set foot inside, even though for me it's free! With the nice spring weather guaranteeing animals out and about in abundance, I finally made a visit.

My first stop was the prairie dog burrows on the Discovery Trail. There were tons of these little varmints running amok... including a bubble girl in a green scarf.

This is a picture I took for my old roommate Jacquelyn and her love for lemurs and their "dance".

Like the penguins at the Central Park Zoo, they have feeding times for the sea lions and they are popular with the families and Bananas.

The kids were really fond of getting up close and personal with the baboons.

The reason I was compelled to finally visit was the recent addition of these Russian pallas cats. They are about the size of a house cat and are super fluffy and fat. I sat around waiting for them both to make an appearance but one was rather shy. You can click here and see what compelled me to visit.

Just outside the zoo are some gorgeous nature walks. I never knew there was a beautiful (albeit man made) waterfall in my back yard.

Twinkle Twinkle II

May 10th

Finally, a good night shot including the moon.

LOL

May 9th

Lori and I are SO hot in this photo!

Popular Photos From The Miss Banana Archives

May 8th

Here's an old silly photo from grad school when PJ (who's going to kill me for putting this on the interwebs) and Emily and I were on a "field trip" and playing in a photo booth at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. We were so young an innocent. I love how PJ makes me look ever whiter than I am already!

Shake Shack

May 7th

Today I had my very first burger from the famous Shake Shack in Madison Square Park.

I've read about this place a million times on Gothamist and in the ubiquitous burger round up articles in Time Out etc. I have to say, it was pretty damn good but it's still no In and Out. The shake, because it's made from custard, was a little bizarre, but tasty nonetheless.

I think The Shake Shack is popular because the park itself is lovely.

It's also one of those vibrant areas of the city that's jammed packed with history and the monuments that salute it's past. It has existed as an urban public space since 1686 and was formally opened as a public park in 1847. Named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States, it has nothing to do with Madison Square Garden, which used was located on the north end of the park until it moved to it's present location.

Stop And Smell The Flowers

May 6th

Thanks to a tip by my co-worker Kate and an invitation from Chris, I spent a few hours in the Central Park Conservatory Garden after work.

Absolutely everything was in full perfect bloom.

We couldn't have asked for nicer weather.

The lilacs were smelling wonderful and it made me really miss my Gram Martin. She always used to cut me a big bunch for my bedroom from her bush off the back deck.

This terrible mangy nasty city raccoon was out raiding the garden garbage cans in broad daylight and THAT made me miss my Pop Martin and his stash of rocks for pelting other nasty garden critters!

"God Damn It."

Cinco De Mayo!

May 5th

To honor our impromptu celebration from last year, my friends all got together to consume lots and lots of tequila. Too bad it was a Monday night!

Lazy Sundays Are Back

May 4th

Lazy Sundays in the park are back!

These people are my new heroes. They brought a fooseball table to the park for their lazy Sunday.

Greenwood Cemetery In Spring

May 3rd

Today I attended a birthday party of a friend of a friend at Greenwood Cemetery. Now, celebrating in a place of death might seem really offensive or odd, but it was actually quite respectful and appropriate.

This is the birthday girl and we all celebrated with wine and cake (complete with skull icing) near the tomb of the man who invented carbonated soda water, Joseph Matthews.

His tomb was adorned with all sorts of dramatic gargoyles and frolicking animals. He is only one of several men and women of notoriety buried in the cemetery.

We were given a guided tour and taken into this gorgeous chapel, designed by the same company that did Grand Central Terminal. It is still used today for funeral services, concerts and even the occasional wedding. This was the weekend of the cherry blossom festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, but I feel that I got the most peaceful view of the trees in the borough. Like my last visit, I found this to be a wonderful green open space that wasn't packed with people...at least ones that were alive.

While I enjoyed rambling on our own before, it was really incredible to have a guide take us to some of the more interesting grave sites and tell stories of the families and history of New York City. However, our guide was stumped about why this particular grave had a headless statue and a cross bearing a dollar sign at its crux.

Here loving children planted a tree near their parents and a hundred years later, they live inside its core. Amazing.

(Note to anyone that might read this at my death - please plant me near a rad tree.)

The saddest story was of a 17 year old girl who died on the night of her birthday. Her father accompanied her friend to the door and when a clap of thunder spooked the horses, she was thrown from their carriage. In a twist of irony, she had spent the entire year designing a tomb meant for her maternal aunt that then became her very own final resting place. In a real life Romeo and Juliet moment, her betrothed killed himself upon hearing news of her demise. He is buried as far away as one who was not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground could be.

The saddest part, in my opinion, is that acid rain is melting all the intricate carving and embellishments her tomb (and many others).

The tour ended with the spectacular view from battle hill. The benefit of a tour guide - learning that something I've seen before (statue of Minerva dedicated to the American Revolution) was actually placed here and the woods obscuring her view removed, so she could salute Lady Liberty in perpetuity. You can read the full quote on the base of her monument and see lots of other pretty photos I took here.