Oh wow…. such a long time since i wrote the last time.

Yeah, a lot of stuff happened and on the other side really nothing happened. The time with Verena and Loretta over here was great, we did a lot of stuff and I think they had a great time. I went to my first ever real Hip Hop Concert (N.E.R.D and Common) and enjoyed it a lot. Now I’m looking forward to have Stefan here and afterwards Biggi is visiting. And than that was it – no more visitors for this year, but who knows, right?

The last weeks I went to so many museums…. twice to the Met, twice to the Moma and last Friday for the first time ever to the Guggenheim. In general Friday was not a good day. I was freezing all day, the weather was weird and on the way to the Museum something strange happened: I’m a shy person. period. I’m always friendly, quiet, for myself. That’s just how I am. Friday I was waiting on 53rd/Lexington to get on an uptown 6 train. It was just 5.20 and rush hour couldn’t have been more horrible. The train doors opened and it was soooo packed. I went over to another door and it was packed too. No way of getting on the train. So I looked inside and what do I see? LOOOOOTS OF SPAAAAACE in the middle of the train. Without a second of hesitation (!) I jelled as loud as I could (in a friendly way) “Could you PLEAAASE move into the train! I see a looot of space!” and immidiatly I felt those horrible looks. People were staring at me and It hit me like a arrow… “what have I done?” I hate, hate, hate people staring at me. Well, but guess what? People moved in and suddenly there was space for like 5 more people. Still… at least for 20 minutes I felt weird. You, New Yorker, do that probably all the time but I’m a chicken from the country side and I try not to stick out. Does that mean I am a New Yorker now?

Och, by the way, my visit to the Guggenheim wasn’t great. I was very excited to see photographs of Catherine Opie, but Friday the special exhibitions were closed. I should have checked online ahead, my fault. They still had a suggested admission of $10 but I just payed $1. While purchasing the ticket i was told that that night only the “spiral” would be open. well, that’s fine….  But guess what? There was no single piece of art in the Spiral. nada.. nothing…  We than were told there would be a “performance” at 6.30 and people handed out headbands with little lights on them. So we were waiting for the performance to start but all they did was turning off the lights. I have to admit, It looked pretty cool for a while, like a starry night. So we were wandering around with the little lights on our head till I got tired off it after an hour. Immidiatly I was asked by the staff why I wouldn’t wear my light any more (in kind of a stupid tone) so I said: “Well, i got a headache from it and that lady said: “give it back to me than!” ) BIATCH!! We left.

Tonight I’ll go to the New School Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra with Bobby Sanabria – that will cheer me up

I’m very excited because my friend Verena is coming tomorrow……!!!

I cleaned all week, I bought stuff, I wrote like 3000 To-do Lists and I have planed so much things to do, we might not be able to do it all.

Very excited!

Yesterday I had a lovely evening in the City. At 4.30 pm I saw something about Michael Blaine hanging up site down in Central Park so I met up with Sean to see it. I live already over 2 years here but I am still excited if I see something on TV and I am actually able to go THERE. So we were watching that crazy guy for like 10 Minutes hanging in the cold and took some pictures

Afterwards we went with Roman to Faces and Names, that little Bar on 54th Street and had a Drink. After like 10 minutes sitting there our friend Jim called telling us that the incredible cool Band “TV on the Radio” would play outsite the Letterman Studio. Ahhhh… we were just 3 blocks away so we payed and went over there just in time to see them perform. I really liked it and I think Roman, Sean and me were the only people dancing crazy

Back at Faces and Names we had some Food and enjoyed the view down on the Street from the big open windows. It was really not cold at all anymore. Around 10 o’clock I felt the need to ask one of the Traffic Police Ladies why 7th Ave was closed all evening and she said something about a concert but didn’t know what kind of event was going on at Times Square. So we walked down towards 42nd and saw that they broadcastet the Met’s Opening Night on all Screens around Times Square. The Streets were closed, they had seats available and we were just sitting there enjoying Rene Flemming’s performance. It was an incredible view we had there… in the middle of the lights…. and so quiet. Times Square is always loud, loud, loud… but last night it was magical  no picture could capture the moment. it was really, really nice!!!

this was on my to do list since forever and finally I made it there. I feel like this event belongs to me. I enjoyed it so much…. great mix out of people, great music and arty athmosphere. I think I should call it mine now…. It’s my ”Warm up!” And on top it’s kind of in my neighborhood.  It’s one of the cool things you would expect to happen in Brooklyn, but noooo…… IT’s IN QUEENS!!! Every Saturday during the summer: the “Warm up” at PS1.

3 weeks ago I subscriped the Time Out Magazine. They have an offer… something like 8 weeks for free and after that you get the whole year for $30. Since than I feel pressure. There are just too many events in the city I am missing. It’s not just the concerts…. I read about so many exhibitions, documentaries and events I am interested in. I guess I am complaining constantly about beeing at home and not doing enough but often I am too tired after work to go out again.
And If I think about it…. we did quite some stuff this year:
I went with my mom to Ellis Island’s Immigration Museum, which I always wanned to do but always feared the lines with Tourists going to Statue of Liberty. Well, on the coldest day of the Year in January the line was quite short.

This year I went to Brooklyn several times: We visited Greenpoint and Williamsburg, I even went to Red Hook, which is kind of amazing for somebody who has to take the G-Train to get to Brooklyn I found out how nice it can be to take the Bus in NYC. With the M60 we went on late night walks through Harlem, the Q69 brought us to Jackson Heights for Indian Food and the Q101 right into Manhattan. But my very favorite Bus is the B69 (I think) which starts @ Queensboro Plaza and drops you off in Greenpoint 10 Min later. We went for great Food shopping to Flushing and had pretty good Ice Cream at the Lemon Ice King of Corona. Every night when they show “Kinf of Queens” I have to say: “I went there!”

Yes, Art Galleries are open for the public. I love the Art Galleries in Chelsea. A perfect day would start with Brunch at a nice little Restaurant in the Village and End with a visit in a Art Gallerie.  \

One of that places I always wanned to go just because everybody seems to be there was “230 Fifth” the Rooftop Bar wich offers spectacular views over Midtown. Yes… It was nice… with much less excitement I will say: ”Yes, I was there!” the next time they show it on TV.

I learned so much about Harlem when I went on a Tour with a Big Apple Greeter. I used to work for them when I first came to the US and now 4 years later I actually took a Tour with them. So often I went to Harlem but had no Idea about the Places there. Definetly something I recommand: Big Apple Greeter!

Last week we went to see Alvin Ailey. I remember seeing a documentary about them years and years ago in Germany and the excitment came right back to me when I saw something on Channel 13 about them the last month. I like Dance (who doesn’t?) but wouldn’t have considered myself as a Fan but last week we went to see them perform. IT WAS AWESOME MAN!!!!

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Company:

Oh my god.. .and than there was the Music: I went to the NY Philharmonics Concert in Central Park, which is a great event every year. I went to listen to Bobby Sanabria at the New School as well as at the Manhattan School of Music, which was amazing. I saw Bill Withers, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. We discovered the 55 Bar where we met Iris Ornig. and many, many other great musicians.

Will she survive? Will she make it to work? Check back soon for part 2!