New York City

[geoviki]

You may have noticed I suddenly posted from NYC a few days ago. What that was all about was that the incomparable fabularasa and the irrepressibleravurian invited me on the spur of the moment to join them for Adventures in New York 1.0, and who was I to turn down something like that? But I'd also planned a short family ski vacation to Keystone Resort during the first part of that week, so it was a bit crazy there. Worth it, though.

Fab was there on business and had a large and deluxely fancy room in Times Square that she shared with us. When she wasn't doing the things she was supposed to be doing, she played tour guide. Instead of the typical touristy things, we went to places like Nat Sherman's Tobacco Shop on Fifth Avenue, the Jewish Museum, the JP Morgan Library, and various neighborhoods I'd never been to. One of my favorite things was simply sitting in our hotel and listening to both Fab and Rav read aloud their awesome stories and thinking the whole time, "Oh, they'll never believe me in the (future) nursing home when I tell all the other old ladies I did this."

I met up with kattiya too at Wizard Rock night at some bar in the East Village, but the opening band (which will remain unnamed) was less than stellar, it was hot as blazes inside, and she had somewhere else she needed to be, so we cut that short. She, by the way, is traveling to Mount Everest in a week with a film crew; OMG, how cool is that!

We did meet up Sunday with more fans at the brunch I mentioned in the last post (which turned out to be lunch in the end). The three of us were joined by amelia_eve, kattiya, titti, loony_moony, midnitemaraud_r and bethbethbeth. These people are some of the most dynamic and fun people in fandom, and we certainly covered the range of nationalities - English, Italian, Israeli, Thai, and some Americans. We then proceeded to a comic book store and a Japanese book store in search of yaoi. I found an original Japanese version of a chapter of "Please" by Miyamoto Kano, for the two of you who know what that is. Oh, and I picked up the first book of "From Eroica With Love" (Shezan will squee at that).

Fab had to go home then, leaving me in the clutches of Ravurian, who made good on his threat promise to take me shopping for new clothes (the word 'burkha' had been used earlier in the weekend, sadly, to describe one of my outfits.) We certainly kept two Macy's salesgals entertained, but I absolutely refused his suggestion to go to the foundation department for a bra fitting. There are some things simply too painful to contemplate---ladies, am I right?

So I am now back home, poorer in the pocketbook but much, much richer in experience. Thanks to everyone for making the trip so wonderful!

Comments

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

Where are photos? :)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Still in my camera, of course! And sadly I haven't come to terms with my new digital camera, so I took my analog one and I have to finish the roll. But we're gutting and rebuilding our bathroom tnext week, so there are a lot of opportunities to take pictures. And then I shall post, oh yes I will!

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

You are rebuilding your bathroom again?

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

This is a different bathroom. It has a shower to gut and redo, but we're paying someone else to do the brunt of the work, so that'll help.

[moonflower-rose.livejournal.com]

how fun!

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

It was! Beats your weekend of getting plagiarized...like someone wasn't going to notice that. Looks like your doppleganger has been killed off, though.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

I think bra fitting is best done by yourself rather than in company, but ZOMG a great bra is a wonderful thing. I have no memory of your boobly dimensions though. They clearly don't stick out in my memory...

(er, boom, boom...)

You have a great figure, you know. Showcasing is good.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I unfortunately have the typical American female view of my own body, which is that it's wholly unacceptable and hopelessly flawed. R. has tried to break me of this, but I've been convinced of the opposite ever since I was 12, so it'll take time.

[cordelia_v]

I was so very, very sorry to have missed you, Viki! I mean, I hardly ever travel and the one time you're in NYC . . . Damn.

I wish I could have gone shopping with you, too. Because actually, Ravurian is right about the difference that a good bra can make. And that's something that needs to be fitted. You'd be surprised.

[ravurian]

I know, right? I think Viki thought I meant to hoik them up to her chin, much as I tried to explain otherwise. You should've seen the sheer panic!

Mind you, I wouldn't really know where to take her in New York; we would've stayed at Macys, I suppose. Here we'd be over to Rigby & Peller's like a shot - good enough for my mum and the Queen, good enough for anyone. Still, it begs the question: is a male internet friend really the person to take you to get your tits assayed? (Not that I would ever have put it quite like that in person, you understand.) Answers on a postcard.

It's a shame you were out of town. Maybe next time?

[cordelia_v]

Oh, next time for sure; I'd be very pleased to get together the next time you're in the city. And if Viki's there . . . well, perhaps I can persuade her to be fitted. It gives you a whole new profile, and her waist is slender enough that it could set that off nicely.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know, I was so sad when Fab said you'd be gone. You should have just skipped your sister's wedding. I'm sure she wouldn't have minded, right?

I promised I'd go get fitted here. One of these days. Yes, I will.

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

It does make a huge difference. I live near one of the local meccas of bra fitting, The Town Shop, and I go there every few years to get redone. Sometimes I get lucky, too. For years, the best bra for me turned out to be a certain style of Bali that I could get from the catalogue for $20. The current "best" style is something Canadian that costs about $60, so I only have a couple of the "good" ones. It's like anything else, raw size is not the whole story -- you have to try different brands and styles to get the one that really does it, but what a difference. Bring a plain, solid color top when you go and see how the final candidates look under it, since that is how most people will be seeing you. You'll be able to really see the comparisons. And you want to go to the place with the most possible variety. Macy's would be OK, but Nordstrom would probably be better. (Victoria's Secret would be pointless, and you'd have an allergy attack from all their weird scented products.)

And sexy jeans and hoodies sound like a fun update. You do have a cute figure -- go with it!

[titti]

It was so good to see you. I can't wait for Chicago.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

The brunch was one of the highlights of a weekend that already was pretty stuffed with cool moments. I love my fandom friends. It was cool to visit all those comic book shops together! And this time I got to give you a proper goodbye.

[titti]

I'm so glad I managed to make it. So many times I can't because of family things, but it was wonderful, and yes we got to say goodbye this time.

[ruric.livejournal.com]

the word 'burkha' had been used earlier in the weekend, sadly, to describe one of my outfits

Ah....I see his stunning sense of tact and dimplomacy are still well in place? *G*

Glad to hear you had such a good time - wish I could've been there too!

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

One would expect himself to have said that, but sadly, it was Fab's comment. That's when I really started to sit up and take notice that perhaps I was really sartorially challenged.

R. has a great eye for color, though. I was happy with the things I bought. You're lucky to be able to take advantage of him year round.

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

A small vocabulary note: In New York, any weekend meal consumed before 5 p.m. may properly be called brunch, and it often includes a complimentary mimosa.

It was so much fun to see you and I am so sorry to have missed your shopping trip, but unlike Bloomie's, Macy's really is quite friendly -- was the flower show still on when you were there? Now please tell us all about your new Ravurian-inspired wardrobe, or better yet post photos. (Or, since this is a geoviki production, post a song that represents each outfit...)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! However, I don't have a copy of "I Feel Pretty"!

I got a pair of DKNY jeans that I was convinced were too small before trying them on, and two cotton hooded sweaters - one slate blue and one beige. So nothing too extreme for my first attempts at fashion.

It was so great to see you again at "brunch" then. I was so involved in everyone's conversation that I cannot tell you what I even ordered and (presumably) ate.

[kattiya.livejournal.com]

It was so great meeting you! When I get the chance will send a few yaoi goodies your way - have tons of stuff, but ahhh also need to read what you're into (haven't had a chance to dl anything new in awhile).

Ralph recounted shopping adventures - fun fun fun. Wish I had been there for that. :D

[ravurian]

Hey, hey, speaking of shopping adventures, can you pick me up a copy of the Men's contemporary catalogue from Barneys when you get a chance? I had a look at the one I got and you were totally right: I picked up the wrong one... Typical, LOL.

[kattiya.livejournal.com]

Ah it's good you just reminded me to do that - cause I would have left town and come back and they would all be gone. Will swing by this weekend for sure - I'll even put it in my calendar!

If you can send your mailing address please? So much stuff to ship out on Monday! kattiya at gmail dot com

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

You can put it on your to-do list for when you get back. I can't wait to hear details of your trip, so don't go abandoning your LJ again or you will hear from me!

Meeting you was something I've wanted to do for such a long time, because you always sounded so fun and interesting online. And you were just the same in RL. Why don't you come to Terminus and hang with us again? *bats eyes*

[kattiya.livejournal.com]

Well I have big plans for Monday - if I can get this dumb website I have to do finished then I want to throw up that update. Cause if I want after Everest? Too much? Ahhhhhh....

It was super meeting you too! You are just as warm and viki as I expected. :D Terminus sounds cool (just had to look up the dates I'm so out of it), but not sure where I'll be at. Hmm. I'm supposed to go to Thailand sometime this summer, but thinking that might be July...I'll get back to you. *g*

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Oh, it sounds like such fun! If I hadn't already had tickets to Seattle for the weekend I would have SO BEEN THERE too.

[ravurian]

Probably instead of, LOL. We were the back up plan ;)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I was thinking you'd have been there if you could. For some reason, though, I always envision you in nature (despite Salem and Denver and Boulder) - seeing you in NYC would have been intriguing!

[parlophone.livejournal.com]

"From Eroica with Love"! I read that as a teen, and remember it was one of the first slashy manga that had grown-up men, i.e., not fey, pretty boys :)

Oh, I hope you include me, if you post flocked photos of NYC. I've had three holidays in quick-ish succession myself, and it is habit-forming. I itch to go away again, soon. In the meantime, I need to sort through zillions of pics to bore my flist with :)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I love to travel! And where are your pictures of Spain, my dear?

I saw a bit of "Eroica" on yaoi_daily that someone posted to get us intrigued. And shezan was all excited about it just a month or two ago, so I thought it might be worth reading. Although I don't mind fey and pretty, too, just not young.

[elfscribe5.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great trip to NYC. (And you're listening to Vanilla. Mmmmmm yum)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

And every time I listen, I envision the YouTube version, and it's hard to steer the car. ;-)

[elfscribe5.livejournal.com]

Yep. Totally. Have you seen the translation of the lyrics?

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, and that's part of the problem ;-)

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

A big huzzah for NYC and clothes! and Gackt, hee. :P

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Yay Gackt! Yay Gackt and Yoshiki together!

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

Mmm, Yoshiki. ;p
The glorious, glorious piano-playing and drum-thrashing. :P

My sis got a Xjapan DVD a few years ago when she was super into Jrock.

Good times. ;D