we're not in kansas anymore. or san francisco for that matter.

hello glorious world! i just voted. didn't know sucha thing would wierd me out. the voting booth was pretty much a teleport replica? i dunno bout the rest of the country...but i've only voted in san francisco and there we do it scantron style. pen and paper. oh yes. oh yes we do. we also have things called propositions. loads and loads of them. voting takes a while. and we all stand next to each other with lil black plastic partitions and vote. and when we're done we are rewarded with little oval stickers that proclaim 'i voted' and we walk around the city all day being proud of ourselves and our leaps into democracy.

today i walked into a junior high gymnasium. showed my voter card. went into aforementioned teleport replica and had to move a large red lever from left to right. then i had approximately 5 or so offices to vote for. that's it?! no booklets of literature to mull over? not arm and arm with strangers as we vote together? i mean, i knew this is how it would go down. there's been no propaganda on the streets and no 'vote yes on x/y/z' on the streets. i knew that the only thing anyone in nyc would care about today is this: vote for president. more specifically. barack the vote.

my choice was easy. i clicked my lil gunmetal grey buttons and saw the X next to Barack Obama's name. I voted for a few other candidates for senate and judge. and then i moved the enormous (yes, resembling something in a fun park) lever back to the left which then cleared my x's (i mean, counted my vote) and i was out. the whole thing took approximately 7 minutes. no sticker. no high-five's. well...i did call navani the second i got out to confirm that this indeed is how voting has always been in nyc. that was a good enough hi-five for me...and that was that. off to starbucks. yes i just said starbucks. they are giving out free coffee today. what the? yes my heart has just warmed to starbucks. but just a lil but. so everybody just calm down. san francisco i miss you. everyone there who is voting today, wear your stickers proud.

i'm not all nerves today. i know that the choices and the changes that are on approach have long been coming. this is speaking worldly, nationally and personally. i am one who adores change. pursues it. chases it. asks for it and snuggles with it. i know today we will receive it. however that may be. but it's coming. heck it's here. now if you'll excuse me. i must be off to obsess over electoral votes and decide where i'll be watching election night coverage with the gang tonight. watch out world. here we go.

xokg.

PS
a side note:
in other news? the new shiny toy guns record 'season of poison' is out today. log on to itunes, amazon or bust your butt over to best buy or your local music store and BUY IT. buy 5. buy 10. buy 100. just buy it. there is no acceptable excuse for anyone not to have this record in their possession today.

things that make me so unbelievably happy...it should...

...really it should just be illegal:

bacon, egg and cheese on a roll - um hi heaven

ABN - adult beverage night

coming home at 3am and causing a scene

reunion time with christian and alex and meridith and doc holiday's WOOOT [I have a photo of Christian in the market at like 230am and it’s kinda priceless coming soon!]

head automatica - for saving my life today. after 3 hours of sleep the past 2 nights i thought it quite possible i just might involuntarily teleport outta my body this morning on the subway. yes that means i was feeling pretty delerious. solution? blast head automatic on my ipod and unabashedly DANCE on the subway (yes in public). not only am i now awake but i'm giggling still and singing lines from 'laghing at you' 'at the speed of a yellow bullet' and 'lying through your teeth'

oh joy
oh me
oh my

oh yeah! and speaking of reunions. some random i met like um eight months ago resurfaced outta nowhere last night. love it.

and my phone is bursting now with all the new friends that are in it.


and
and
and

michael if you're reading this you better get yer skinny ass up to nyc next weekend before we send a squadron of angry mobsters to pick you up and deliver you to us.

shannon's here in 3 days ummm kinda the best thing EVER

jess will be here too ummm herro

and oh yeah don't forget kill hannah.
dance party anyone?

the end.


ps
if you need to
a) wake up
b) laugh and smile and feel happy to be alive
c) i'm tired, just watch this:

editors. [why live music should change your life.]

now and then again you see a show that more than entertains. it more than surprises. it offers a gift and moments of peace. wonder that holds space for the self. the editors last night at terminal 5 was one of these. it ranks right up there with muse at popscene, radiohead at the santa barbara bowl and pj harvey solo at beacon theatre. never have i seen a band been so musically entertaining and solid while remaining engaged in soul-baring intimacy. i was already in love with the songs from listening to their two albums...to have the live show so far surpass what is already a brilliant collection of songs was just utterly amazing.

from the first song, bones, it was hard to look at anything other than tom, the lead singer/guitarist. he came on stage with the power to define and direct the heart in an instant. humble and engaged, explosive and sincere, all in a moment. every movement an impulse, an extension of sound, the songs being limbs, pieces of this band, the sounds of their life.

tom was always scanning the crowd with wide eyes and outstretched hands, often jumping onto the piano and then swapping guitar for keys mid-song. his energy was an invitation. the band moved in support of him, remaining in the shadows, creating the sound-scapes for sound and space, singer and song to play in.

the surprise song of the night was a b-side i'd never heard which was stunning. it's called you are fading and you should get into it and go get it for yourself. right now. go on...'i'll loose this i always have, i always let you down...you are fading, slowly drifting off to sleep'

i must mention lights...i've never truly seen a lighting design that was of any real import at a show. the editors...well they nailed it. the mood was uplifted and dramatized with every change...bringing the choruses to life visually and audibly...most perfectly executed on 'escape from the nest'. it was freakin brilliant. bring it on lighting designer, you rule!


it appears these guys have been on the stage together for a very long time. wide smiles and thumbs up to the crowd after each song [is this a british thing?] there was not one move out of place. not one moment lacking emotion. i was never tempted to look away. i was never left alone. all of this beauty...and even though my two absolute favorite songs off the album were not even played [well worn hand and put your head towards the air]...i thank you. for bringing life to rock and for the engaged intimacy that is so often lacking from live shows these days. refreshing doesn't even begin to cover it. don't miss this band. travel however far you must to see them. it's all that you need...a moment. a gift.

xokg.

ps. it's worth mentioning that hot hot heat rules at life. i love these kids. i remember the first time i heard them. i saw the video for bandages on mtv at some obscene hour in the morning. i pretty much thought it was the worst song i had ever heard. the guy just kept repeating 'bandages, bandages, bandages' and he was all wrapped up in, yeah...bandages. wtf? for some strange reason i ended up getting some of their music. yes it was because that song i thought i hated was stuck in my head and wouldn't get out and i wanted redemption that perhaps they had some other songs i would like. hell yeah. talk to me, dance with me RULES [you are my only girl but you're not my owner girl!]. but also let's discuss bandages because pretty much...the verses of that song are just bloody brilliant: 'i've been poking a voodoo doll that you do not know i made, of you, for you, let's see what needles do...i've been thinking i've been drinking too many drinks all by myself...' i mean, come on. so yeah, they rule and seeing them open last night ruled too. once again, much ruling in nyc going on. thanks guys.

why i have the best life ever.

seriously. life fucking rules. i can laugh harder than i ever have in a LONG time and cry all in the same day and it still rules. i am surrounded by the most beautiful supportive fabulous friends a girl could ever ask for. i am going to do my best to summarize this weekend. brace yourself.

friday night was team kim break-out. meridith and danny came to my rescue. we packed up everything i own in about 20 minutes, convincing the apartment building tenents that we were ransacking the apartment i'm sure. totally funny to throw your own stuff into bags like a burglar. turns out i'm pretty smart cause i was living with a borderline psychopath and just found out phew. go me. go life. woot woot.

being picked up in a black escalade and escorted uptown RULES. showing up and expecting to carry all the goods up three flights cause the elevator's broken... yeah....well....the nice men servicing the building at that hour [seriously who works at 7pm on a friday?], well they moved all my stuff for me. and i got to ride in a pitch black elevator with a man i didn't know and no door watching the red paint soaked walls that looked like blood. pretty much a scene out of a scary movie except it's really my life and it's actually quite funny instead.

the great escape!





i love these men:




dawn rules. bars on the upper east side with smokin hot bartenders rule too. pizza and beer and pj harvey rule. there's a lot of ruling going on. you better get into it.

saturday shannon and kimberly arrive from los angeles. we go shopping. which included gucci and champagne for breakfast. the girls go to duran duran and i attempted to hibernate. this was until i received an s.o.s from downtown. dude. let's just put this out there. if you are mean or dare i say even an asshole to my best friend...please do not think you can still be my friend. please?! ok thanks. shannon and kimberly show up. they are DRUNK. meridith is often my reason for living and saturday was no exception. i like to take her boyfriend and show him off to strangers and feel quite awkward but laugh about it all the same. apparently i also like to hang out with boys from texas that i shouldn't. more on that later. i must say it was really nice to be the least drunk in the group. i didn't even embarrass myself! go team!




danny i'm posting this because your face says it ALL!!





sunday. aweeeeeeeeee sunday.
sunday funday.
how i love thee.

i don't think luke had any idea what he was in for but he took a chance and met up with us. blind tiger. you are the reason i go to the west village. i love you. and your grilled cheese and tomato soup and your bloody beer. and your plentiful taps. universe i love you for bringing heidi to the bar. because it's pretty amazing to have someone i know from los angeles who i haven't seen or talked to much in 6 months just show up at the bar i'm at. cause to have 8 million people in one city but randomly run into one you know...well it's just pretty awesome.

oh yeah dawn rules:



and luke really likes kimberly's iphone:



thank you my new indian man friend who sells me tara incense and makes it tolerable for us to hang out in a bar that smells like dead rat. it's a true testament to how much we all love meridith that we were able to stomach that. it probably has something to do with chocolate cakes shots. i'm just saying.

kinda love her cause she's a sheriff:



danny when you dived under the pool table and came out the other side i thought for sure i would die from laughing. and thanks for trying to dance with me. we are obviously two girls. that didn't work so well. but it was fun trying.



by this point in the night we have divided into team kim and 'the rest of the bar'.

team kim:


there was really no contest. we win. having 10 of your best friends all in a bar on the same night listening to garth brooks and johnny cash RULES. i mean RULES. life rules. friends rule. everything rules. dawn and jeff it was so good to see both of you. luke is now officially in our family and one of my new favorite people. every time you make that deniro face i just bust out laughing. and your red cheeks say it all.






danny. day 3 in nyc and you fit right in. shannon. oh the shannon show. i love my sister. kimberly. i'll say it again. i am only pretty because of you ;) thank you for my haircut. and for dancing with me in your underwear. and for basically being one of the coolest people i know. gerry. oh gerry! you are one of my favorite drinking buddies. you rule at life. texas? i think you know what we think of you. you're out. i like rocks.

the end.

standing 5 feet from 11 humongous speakers

i was 3 feet from the stage and about 5 feet from a wall of speakers. i can't really hear right now. but i sang and danced and jumped with my keys hanging from my pocket [sorry shannon]. banquet. blue light. modern love. i don't know your names but you are one of my favorite bands. bloc party. thank you for madison square garden tonight. thank you for bringing sounds to make me move and forget thought for an hour and a half. you know how much i love you but....you just weren't all there tonight. me thinks you like london. perhaps sitting in your flat writing and drinking and singing and tweaking. the cute lil bass player...i thought he might start yawning. poor guy looked like he wanted nothing more than to be curled up with his wife at home. and emo guitar man? i like how your hair covered all your face but you were more than shy. the only expression you ever betrayed was a 1/2 second wave at the end of the night. now mr drummer man. you were kinda into it. you got us clapping a few times. and handed out your drum sticks and water bottles at the end of the set. i think you were happy to be there. and well thank god for you singer/guitarist/savior of my soul at times. if you hadn't asked us to sing along, let us have a solo during blue light and ran a lap around the entire theatre during the encore i might have forgot this was a rock show. bottom line and truth be told...you were all beautiful. honest. i love you. i didn't feel my soul being ripped out and reassembled as i do when i see matthew, chris and dominic. but not everyone can do that. and well...your cd's are so beautiful that i forgive you for everything. thank you nyc for another amazing evening.
xokg.

bjork. [lullabies for ravers]

madison square garden. last night. bjork. i cried within 30 seconds of her being on stage. [that voice...] unbelievable. it was pretty much a greatest hits concert. she played almost 2 hours and only sang 4 songs from the new album. hyperballad was stunning and then remixed at the end. a full on rave song. i have never heard a love song so amazingly danceable. what a beautiful precious honest soul. my dear sister must thinks me crazy crying the whole show but that's what happens when i hear a voice such as that. thank you atlantic for the tickets. thank you shannon for gettin em gratis last minute for us. made my life, kinda. [sorry i had to miss your show mr. armata]

oh and the unexpected highlight? antony coming out to sing a duet with her. i adore him and have never even really seen a picture of this man. unfortunately his back was too us and he kinda hobbled out all hunched over, sang in the shadows of the stage then stumbled away before i could catch a glimpse. oh but his voice. heaven. thank you.

as for this morning. well. let's just say central park and coldplay [yes insert witty gay comment here, but it was parachutes so is that joke really applicable???] there's a song that i used to curl up to on repeat about 2.5 years ago. it was the most hopeful comforting beautiful song ever. what magic to play it today and stand in front of a sun reflected pond in central park. it was a moment when i stepped outside of myself and let be all the drama that's circling at the moment and just dive in. dive in to emotion and sensations grander than myself. that's the only way to explain it. and today i know i've been let go again. and maybe, just maybe this time, it's me who is ready for it. i sure hope so. if not, i will always have my songs.

pretty pretty. [i'll see you soon...]


So you lost your trust
And you never should have
No,you never should have
But don't break your back
If you ever see this
But don't answer that
In a bullet proof vest
With the windows all closed
I'll be doing my best
I'll see you soon
In a telescope lens
And when all you want is friends
I'll see you soon

So they came for you
They came snapping at your heels
They come snapping at your heels
But don't break your back
If you ever say this
But don't answer that

Ina bullet proof vest
With the windows all closed
I'll be doing my best
And I'll see you soon

In a telescope lens
And when all you want is friends
I'll see you soon


you lost your trust
you lost your trust
don't lose your trust
you lost your trust

::coldplay - i'll see you soon::

wow. that was a night! (julep. doc's. and my new favorite gay)

i'm not sure how to describe last night. so i'll just get to the specifics.

first off. if you haven't eaten at jeollado (sushi on 4th between 1st and 2nd) you are missing out on one of the best things in nyc. amazingly fresh produce. gorgeous sushi. and sake for $1. yep. a buck.

julep. oh how i love thee. not only for your amazingly cheap (dare i say free??) beer. but the basement (guero) is pretty much my 2nd (or is it 3rd or 4th...?) home. playing a show in the dark with a red light on me was pretty awesome. and despite the fact that i had a hoarse voice because i've been out till 4am and up at 8 every morning for the last 9 days you still loved me. liza. genevieve. jeff. wow. you rule.

gerry. you made me something delicious and even included a plastic spoon. i was confused at first about the bag with soy sauce in it. but then i realized you are a far better drunk than me and were merely providing the utensils for the gorgeous yumminess that you created. i know it wasn't apple pie. but i liked calling it that. and i liked eating it even better. having homebaked goods in a bag with my name on it handed to me when i walk into a bar is awesome. i really am homeless....but well provided for...woot!

doc's...meridith. that's pretty much all i have to say. and daniel thanks for coming out. and noel it was good to see you. and most importantly, christian! despite the fact that i was wearing an impossibly short black dress with hot pink underwear and you decided to knock me and my barstool over...you are still my (new) favorite gay. see, usually i am perfectly capable of incurring enough mysterious bruises onto my person in the course of a night. but you my dear...wow. there's nothing like tumbling from that height. in that dress. onto the floor. good thing my ninja skills kicked in and i was able to recoup before anyone knew what happened. it sure was confusing. and you are still my (new) favorite gay. and your brother's hot. awesome.

dawn. you rule. that's pretty much the verdict. popcorn. sex. and the city. we are dangerous alone but trouble together. i love you.

ok kids. that's all for now. stay tuned for pics and more stories. mili's coming this weekend. i hope i don't die.

xokg.

jeff buckley.

it's your day. we lost you. and i love you. forever. for giving the gift of song and voice and presence. for caring. for standing.for movement. and now i am in nyc. and everywhere there are moments of you. tonight at vasmay me and jesse and meridith had a shot of jagermeister for you. and then i found lizzy who had words of you also. the synchronicity has not stopped and i will not either. i love today. all ways. xokg.

warning sign : danger

I should come with a warning sign: danger – do not remove from manhattan. the static comes. the volume goes down. the echoes never end. when I’m not home the spaces in my heart scream so loud it drowns out the color. when I touch back down I am amplified and every possibility and thought of passion takes a hold and charges ahead. comfort brought by simply being. by stepping softly. by running swiftly. worry dissipates. hysteria is vanquished. all that exists is this possibility, this energy that is home. the sheer volume of feet and eyes that have penetrated this city, owned it , built it, created within it, from it, passed through it…all of this is held here. all of this brings warmth and kindles a relationship to the city that no other place can ever hope to touch. new york city I love you. you are my forever love.

dance. dance. dance.

nothing better than walking into a party and the first two songs are tony and the beat then house of jealous lovers. you know you are home and you know you are in good hands. after an okay show at the living room, french onion soup and three yes 3 cups of coffee at the pink pony kimmy kim wanders over to the sutra party on 1st and 1st. uh. yeah. it was almost like being teleported home back to safari sams. paparazzi did not make an appearance tonight, i had to try and fit it mwahahha but next week it'll be on. highlights included a fight where a guy nearly got thrown on top of me, good thing i'm quick, lots of hand clapping, free vodka, excellent dj (dimitri? not sure but i love him) wild and silly dressed peeps, boys with hair in their face and finally a dance off (not to be confused with a dance-fight!) where i got twirled around and around and think i met the only hipster who could out dance me. he was like pulling out some arm spinning ballroom shite how am i supposed to know how to do that?? when in doubt grab on and laugh. exactly.
and oh yeah sleep is sooooo overrated i'm not even tired yet.
train ride home? ready?
hit the f. one stop in guy from club who was dancing next to me all night gets on. make friend. transfer to a. train catches on fire. wait at 59th. see guy from club with fox stole and bindi on. make friends. get on new not on fire train. man throws up. not attractive i KNOW. scary homeless man picking his face on other end of train. kim puts on thou shall always kill and has dance party in her head. laughs about the night. marvels that there are over 10 people in the car and it's nearly 4am. almost die when a lady who has to be at least 70 wearing a head to toe pink jumpsuit and sandals gets on train. whut? where's she possibly going at 4am gramma?? kim arrives at last stop with two sleeping men. walk walk. now i'm home. kim needs to get a knife. kim loves to dance. kim misses her lala girlies and can't wait for mili to come may 24th. love love love. the end.

jameson. friend or foe.

the night started and perhaps ended early. spots are shady in between. some of the best moments are left un-captured but their staying power is strong. a polish diner on 2nd and 7th? heaven. it was like being transported to some eastern european relatives house and being served food by gramma. love it. and the guy sitting next to us who apparently hadn't paid for his food in weeks but was promising to pay them back after this meal? well...that was interesting. no photos. just go. you will love it.

now let's talk about happy hour. first off. we are in nyc. there is a bar every other door around here, especially in the east village/lower east side which is really the only place worth going if you need a drink and a chill night out. 2-4-1, jukeboxes, trying to make up whiskey songs and watching some crazy guy sing at the parkside all in between fake ninja fighting and silliness. the real culprit of the photos that follow is my good friend jameson. now. we all know how much i love him and we all know that violence that's still somewhat hilarious usually ensues. now what needs to be put on the table and remembered for the rest of my life IS: once kim starts drinking the jameson then switches to beer she should not under any circumstance be fed more whiskey. it's like the gremlin rule. under no circumstance no matter how much i act tough or beg or ask or cajole. no. just don't do it. let this be remembered. let this be the new solution. jameson i still love you.



what i love more is being crowned with flowers by merideth who i fell in love with:






now i don't remember the name of the bar but it's on houston and they had hank williams on the jukebox and i even saw elvis:



and this guy? i think i tried to include him in our fun and from the look on his face he was slightly intrigued and also scared to death. figures. i have that effect on men haha. yeah.



brandon is trouble. he tried to chain himself to the bar. drink whisk-wee with his tongue and he even put up with me all night. not sure how he did it but he scores some kinda extra bonus points for that one. xo.







so let's recap. diner. happy hour. happy hour. happy hour. happy hour. photos. yummies. photos. happy hour. the end. almost.





see.. i still had the subway ride home. i got to practice my french and impress the frenchies who were running AMOK on the subway interviewing people and spewing french at them while videotaping. they were pretty stoked when i started speaking to them in my broken french. hi-yah. they are just lucky i didn't try to ninja fight them. here they are:



while waiting for the a-train i had to hide from the metal minions that tried to follow and attack me. i just barely made it, perhaps they were just scared of my shoes?





sigh. that's all the recap for now boys and girls. it's 4pm and i am off to sit in the kitchen and noodle my guitar. abra moore at the living room tonight. coffee at the pink pony. take over the world. yadayadayada.xokg.

just a photo.

i can't sleep. been sitting around since 630. and i went to bed at 3. i miss this. more words coming soon. for now let's just explain last night with perhaps the funniest photo i've taken in a while. taly, brandon, you both are just, class. xokg.

a moment. a sound. some beer. and a bar.

if you were in the lower east side tonight…well…I either kissed you, had a beer with you or took your photo. tonight was a night to be loved. a moment to step into nyc. a face and a name and a bar called iggy’s. chris you are class. jay you rule for the beer the coffee and just watching out for me in general. Brandon? well I thought you were…you know…not into girls so I kissed you. but I guess I shoulda thought about it. cause I did challenge you to a fight off once we discovered we were both the same Amazonian height. the result? you picking me up and twirling me around in one arm. I almost died. even Amanda the bartender was worried. but I managed. I survived. and I kept drinking. and you are still too cute. and we will still end it at ‘to be continued’.


chris rules


aweee jay




I’m not sure we’re ready for the rest of this. a tiki bar turns into karaoke and then into a drag queen joint? too embarrassed for faces, I captured some groin comme feet action:



a moment is priceless. all ways.
i love jessica:


and don’t forget my feet. they are always in motion and always caught by my camera. tomorrow? we will see. but I’m sure I will be surprised. ..



but to end the night let us not forget the beauty joy and just plain ol randomness of street art/graffiti that has been seen throughout the day and displayed below...and of course giraffes. represent!
thank you LES for the day the night the pics and the etc etc etc. xoxokg.

bet you don't see clothing street painting everyday huh???


ain't nothing wrong with tha whisk-weeeee me likey


and nothing better than street art




and here's my kin (thank you piano's):