With each trip to New York I feel like I have to accomplish at least one touristy task (Museum of Natural History, eat a slice, etc.) and I noticed from a map in a walking guide that I so cleverly photographed with my phone (cheapskate) that I could accomplish TWO touristy tasks in a single day by visiting Chinatown and then walking back home across the Brooklyn Bridge.

I had to start the trek with food, so I headed to Joe’s Shanghai to try their soup dumplings. I knew it was kind of weird going to dim sum solo–you’re supposed to eat a lot of many different things, not a lot of only one thing. But I enjoy eating a lot of one thing, so I went anyway.

I was seated at a table with 5 other people (two separate groups) and was immediately adopted by three of them–a group of cousins from Toronto and Sydney. I had no choice but to be force fed by them for the next hour and a half, and only began to worry when the male of the group joked about us getting married and then picked up the tab. Oh no! At what cost, this meal?

Umbrellas in Chinatown.

Windblown on the B.Bridge

Well, I’m back from NY and slowly adjusting to normal life. I almost got used to the super weird schedule I was on there…up at 10, train/walk with Y to the rehearsal space, sit at Milk Bar until the rain/tornado let up, ride the train to either visit with friends or wander the city for 10 hours, meet Y around 11, hang until 3-4, sleep and repeat! Hanging til 4 sounds crazy except that I never adjusted to the time difference, so I felt like I was going to bed at 1. But the rest of you–all those without jet lag that I hung out with until 4–I have no idea how you are leading normal productive lives. You need more rest.

One of my favorite days was with Caroline and her daughter Jubilee. They are staying in a (really beautiful!) house in Ditmas Park while Caroline works on the costumes for the tour and James (her husband) rehearses. I got to be a fit model for the first time in my life and I have to say, it’s a rather therapeutic experience having someone quietly pin things to you for a few hours. I don’t know what fit models have to complain about. Afterward Jubilee and I had a little craft time while Caroline made lunch and then we all walked together through Prospect Park. The weather was weird–hot and windy and overcast, tornado warning-style, like being inside a steam dryer. I kind of enjoyed it. At the park we discovered that ginko berries should never be picked up and smooshed in your hands (that smell!) and that you should carry something to sit on at all times while in NY.

The beginning of Caroline’s space age costumes. See the finished product at a theater near you!

Me and J.

Here are the results from project bass case. You can see in the first picture that the case wasn’t flight friendly–there was no support for the neck and the bass moved freely inside the case when carried. I refashioned the neck rest with spare pieces of styrofoam and created a nice comfy pillow for the bass to rest its head. Yuuki landed safely in NY last night and reports that the bass made it safely, too. You can also see the finished product here.

Before.

My supplies: upholstery foam, a sharpie, clear ruler, vintage fabric and some very sharp shears. These are patterning shears–not for cutting foam. But you gotta do what you gotta do.

I traced the headstock and cut the foam for a snug fit.

I wrapped the foam like a package, using craft glue to secure the fabric into the crevices.

The finished product!

Strange way to break the silence, but it had to be broken in some way! Last night while celebrating our friend Krispijn‘s birthday our friend Matt introduced us to Cats Wearing Clothes by Noah Sheldon. Pretty fantastic, don’t you think?

I’m a little concerned that this, combined with a few other cat pop culture moments I’ve witnessed recently (the giant cat head floating behind Chelsea Handler during the VMAs), confirms that cats are trending. And if cats are trending that means one day cats/cat ownership will be out of fashion. Not acceptable!

In store news, I’ve taken a little bit of a break during the month of September to help get Yuuki out the door (he’ll be gone for two months!), one aspect of which has been modifying his guitar case to be more flight-friendly using vintage fabric from Japan. Expect pics soon, and more items in the store in the next few weeks. That’s all for now!

Less is more edition! These and more new in the store tonight!