Shake It Like A Mermaid

Last Saturday was not only the summer solstice, but also the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade! You may remember the glory of last year, when my coworkers and I got all gussied up and shook our pom-poms for an adoring crowd. This year I returned to the seaside with Momo to shake it again, this time in red. Are you surprised?

Luckily, Dustin ended up coming out to take photos of the behind-the-scenes action but ended up walking with us as sort of our personal paparazzi; ergo, most of these pictures are courtesy of him. If you are uncomfortable with the sight of me wearing very little (yet still technically clothed), then by all means, skip this post.

Everybody came out to Coney.



Momo and I were dressed to the nines, or maybe to the -9s. I say, the more glitter the better!




Momo had some glorious details; notice the hairpiece and goldfish!


Soon enough the photogs were all over us.


All the freaks were out and dressed like sea creatures.





This little girl was kind of disturbing with big fake boobs.




There were many interpretations of mermaids. These were, like, sirenas de fiestas.


Mer-baby!


This contraption was intense! It took about 10 people to haul this space octopus around.


I LOVED these jellyfish.




With the 85-degrees-and-humid weather, I could understand this mermaid's exhaustion.




We saw many creatures both strange and beautiful, and some frightening, at this gathering.








Before we knew it it was time to walk our walk and shake the shake.

I shouted my usual "Let's hear it for the mermaids!" and "Shake it like a mermaid!" which usually gets the crowd excited.




We ran into Sandra and her crew, with whom we walked last year. This li'l lady below, wearing the black veil, said that my costume last year had inspired her to wear - gasp! - a bikini top instead of full shirt. Haha - I'm glad to encourage partial nuditity.


Clearly.




This mermaid had a double set of boobs. Kind of scary.


The Department of Sanitation couldn't resist the urge to boogie.


This is the halfway point of the walk, where you're away from the crowd and just waiting to get to the other side (the walk is a big U). So while we're all waiting, some people dance and some people get a little antsy.








Here we had rounded the corner into the last half of the parade, where my energy soared and my gold heels started to destroy me. But I'm not one to let a pair of shoes slow me down.








For some reason, I really like to mess with cops in fun situations like these. I did it last year, I did it in the Halloween Parade, and I did it during our Pengabear photo shoot last year. I don't know, there's just something about going crazy in front of someone who's supposed to be holding it together and being strict that I just love.

And so...

This was not a happy mergirl.

But these chiquitas bananas had a whole dance routine.

And I think these folks must have been sweating their fringe off.

Merbaby!!

There WERE some people who were dressed more skimpily than I.

And the harassment continues...

Momo was merely amused by my antics.

I finally got one to dance with me!! NYC's Finest.

Sigh. And finally it was over.

And the moment it was, I threw away those evil, evil shoes. I literally smiled and danced out of the parade and ripped off my shoes. My feet are still recovering.

I was not alone in my mermaid exhaustion. Momo even had to stretch her glutes.

And off to the hot dog stands for the traditional post-parade chowdown. This is where all of the mermaids hang out on the boardwalk and down on the beach, replenishing their fine selves with hot dogs and corn on the cob.

Lord knows I needed it. I worked hard!

Afterward, Dustin and I stopped by a barbecue thrown by a high school friend of his. Don't worry, I put on a shirt.

... then we just maxed/relaxed.

mmmmm pork

And on the way home, we walked past a restaurant that was all-too-appropriate for this glorious day.



Thank you, Coney Island, for another beautiful summer celebration.

love,

*jenna*

He Must Have Been An Awesome Grandpa.

Do you know whom I absolutely love? Carl Sagan. Right now I'm watching a "Cosmos" marathon on the Science Channel (Internet AND cable in a bedroom! Wow!). I have always been a little entranced by Sagan, watching this very same marathon many Saturdays of my college years while working Pledge for Channel 8, and even now I find his lulling charm to be fascinating. His corduroy jacket and '70s slacks as neat as his combed hair as he walks around "The Parthenon" (or a green screen version of it) or strolling slowly along a cliff beside the ocean; his overactive, messy eyebrows nearly synchronized with his slowly gesturing hands, clasping and unclasping as he explains the confluence of the universe from its greatest expanses to its smallest atoms and beyond. His voice and words (I've always been amused by the way he pronounces "humans" and "billions" - "BILLyuns...and...BILLyuns...of yumans...") comfortingly rhythmic and knowledgeable, a verbal lullabye as beautiful as the books he wrote.

Movin' On Over... To The West Side

Last weekend was my much-anticipated glorious moving weekend. On Saturday I got a real bed! Queen-sized! It's the first bed I've owned since high school. I absolutely love it and, after living in a room where only a twin-sized bed (and not much else) would fit and being used to doing everything on the bed - reading, watching DVDs, writing, staring at the walls - I am now determined to use this bed ONLY for sleeping. Now I finally have enough room to do all kinds of things: painting, Pilates, random dancing, hand stands.

On Sunday, Rohanna and Benedicto, my now-former roommates, were kind enough to help me move my stuff from one apartment to the other. Having lived in 7 homes before I left for college, there are rituals I'm used to for moving day. For example, one must eat donuts for breakfast in the early morning light. Also, after moving all day and getting sweaty and disgusting, it is pertinent to rejoice in a job well done by taking a good long shower and eating pizza with your loved ones on your new living room floor whilst surveying the multitude of boxes around you.

For this move, however, such rituals were not necessary, as the whole ordeal only took about 3 hours. I did, however, psychically summon my mother and her moral support by blasting ABBA's "Gold" album while getting my things together in the morning. Before I knew it I was revelling in my new space. If you've ever been to the other apartment, where I spent the last four years, you would know that this is massive.


... and about triple the size. (with 2 closets! and a ceiling fan! and windows that let in actual light!!)


I will continue to update the blog as I get settled and decorated. I'm planning a Moroccan theme. In the meantime, I was so happy with my move that I was enthralled even by the sunlight in my new subway station.






And this is my block.


Gorgeous! Wonderful! Happiness!

Next time: Mermaid Parade 2008!

love,
*jenna*

Hot As Hades!

Good God, it has been hot out here. I know y'all in AZ are probably rolling your eyes the way I used to do when anybody not in 113-degree heat complains, but seriously... 100 degrees and humid is enough!

Most of last weekend's activities are going unblogged, as much of it was spent packing, working at the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Store, or going to 826NYC's volunteer BBQ and I didn't want to be the dork with the camera. So, here is an idyllic summer scene from Brooklyn:


I feel like I've only been going to repeats of the same four concerts for the last few years: Of Montreal, The Black Keys, Peaches, and Jamie Lidell. Gotta change it up sometime, but Sunday wasn't the day for it. That night, Momo and I went to the latter's show at Bowery Ballroom.


We caught a glimpse of him as he waited in the wings.


This show, to promote his new album, was quite unlike the others of his that I've been to, in that he actually had a backup band with him. Luckily he kept things shiny and fun.




Especially with a dude wearing a bathrobe and playing the sax...


... and a tambourine man making the rounds among the crowd...


... and a leisure-suited guitarist.




They got low, as all musicians should.




Although he was accompanied by a lively backup band, Lidell still fit in some of his trademark record-and-layer musicianship, courtesy of a Mac laptop and genius music skillz.






And from then on it was a rotation of the two styles.








There were two camera folks making their way around the stage & crowd area; I can only assume they're making a concert video.


This guy was on fire! He kept the energy high and the vibes good.


... which helped this young fellow get into the groove. He was so hilarious, dancing around and singing along - I thought he belonged at a Mika concert.












For the encore, Lidell reemerged wearing... well, a TV on his head.


And let everyone sing along to "Multiply."


(demon faced man, but look how close we were! I touched his hand. It was awesome.)




All in all, a highly satisfying show from one Jamie Lidell.




love,
*jenna*

Estrogenous Clichè Overload!

I've lately been missing my home... I don't really like Arizona itself, but I've been longing for my family, freeway driving, and my cross-country-moving friend Kerri. So, when I was invited to college friends Jeff & Jackie's wedding last weekend, I decided to head out, support the lovers, and get my family time in while I could.

Saturday began with one of my favorite home-y activities: making blueberry pancakes.


I'm not sure how Tom got that shot - it must have involved a ladder. Look at these beauties! Perfect! That's how my mama taught me.


Tom contributed by making likewise perfect eggs.


It was warm out, but not inordinately hot, so we had breakfast out on the new patio.


Yum!


Mom and I then spent the day shopping (without buying) for my new apartment, just to get some ideas. She's the best at this sort of thing - she has a very honed aesthetic. I'm thinking I'm going to go with a Morroccan theme for my room.






I filled my memory card with dozens of photos of things I must remember to maybe buy.






Afterward we got some Coldstone ice cream, courtesy of a gift card my mom got for retirement.


Again, yum. She dropped me off at my grandma's house, where I spent a good while filling G-ma in on all the new developments of my current life. Kerri picked me up from there, and we had a grand old time making dinner together, dressing up (accidentally matching) and going to see the "Sex and the City" movie, and making breakfast and shopping for wedding gifts the next day. Unfortunately, none of it can be properly blogged because I left my camera at Grandma's house.

Thus, we now join our regularly scheduled weekend with a lot of driving around and some Paradise Bakery.


Kerri and I realized that we're both aching for a road trip. She concluded that driving from Peoria to Gilbert is road trip enough. If we ever take one together, I'm sure it would involve a lot of moments like this, when we found that Kerri can't eat and drive simultaneously.


So then it was time for the wedding. We had spent so much time shopping that we had barely 20 minutes to get ready at my parents' house (which was about 15 minutes from the country club we were going to). But, no worries. We're fast gussiers.


At the cocktail hour before the ceremony, we spent most of our time perusing the name cards...


And posing in the ladies' room.


But soon enough it was time for the big moment. We were herded outside and seated in the 4pm sun, which was lovely for pictures but bad for the boys in black suits.

Jeff looked very nervous. We'd never seen him this fidgety. He actually began to tear up as he saw Jackie coming down the aisle - something we will NEVER let him forget.


But what groom wouldn't, with this bride coming toward you?


Twenty minutes and 105 degrees later, the happy couple had exchanged a number of vows, both Catholic and Jewish in nature, and finally the priest said, "I now pronounce you man and wife." Jeff went to kiss Jackie, but she started hitting him on the chest and saying, "No, no, not yet!" I think she really wanted to hear him say, "You may kiss the bride." Then they got to kissin'.


Afterward, Kerri and I hung around with our old Channel 8 friends, twins Trina and Alethea, while the bridal party did their photo thang.




It was great to see the girls, mostly because Kerri and I were afraid we'd be the only people we knew there, and also because the twins haven't changed their trademark under-the-breath sarcasm one bit. The four of us had a fabulous time drinking dirty martinis and making wry remarks all night.




Then it was your usual wedding fare. The first dance...


...the family toasts...


...the dancing...


... and the usual rounds the couple must make to every table and barely talk to anyone. I felt like I was trying to get a picture of a celebrity. But really, weren't they always the Brangelina of Channel 8?


We did get to talk to them a little bit before the meal (which was delicious!!) and get our goofy pictures in.


Being a half Jewish wedding, they performed the traditional.... something dance, where everyone spins around in a circle holding hands. There was not, however, any Jackie-on-a-chair shenanigans (to our disappointment).




When it came time to catch the bouquet, Kerri and I begrudgingly went out to the dance floor. I remarked upon the fact that I've caught the bouquet at three weddings in the last few years, and look how far it's gotten me. Kerri reminded me that we were only up there to show the men that we were single. Jackie threw the bouquet, and it landed square between Kerri's and my feet. We just kind of looked down at it, looked at each other, and looked at it again. A full five seconds passed before some other chick dove for it like a maniac and then cheered for herself like she'd actually caught it. Kerri and I just laughed.


Then, of course, the whole garter thing. Jeff somehow behaved himself.




The men were a little more restrained.


Here they are, the "catchers" of the night. I hope they're very happy together.


One thing I will say about catching the bouquet, however, is that you automatically get to dance with a guy. After two or three hours at the reception and not one person asking either of us to dance, Kerri and I just took matters into our own hands. This may be why, after the reception, we were talking to the one guy I thought was cute and he asked us (after a full ten minutes of conversation), whether Kerri and I were (hand gesture) "together." I'm still slapping my forehead over that one.


As the reception wore down, Kerri and I started chatting with both Jackie and Jeff's respective younger brothers, both of whom work (or have worked) at Channel 8. It sounds from them like absolutely nothing has changed over there, as we were all able to make the same jokes about the same people and everyone could relate. Here we are with Jackie's brother Scott (I think), who read a very sweet poem he had written as his speech.


And of course, us with Jeff. I know, I know, enough with the pictures of ourselves. But that's what you do at weddings. It was a fabulous time.


Ah, girliness. Ah, jennaness.

The next day Mom and I continued our search for bedroom dècor at Ikea. I was soon full of ideas.


Like this... I've always wanted one of these things. Yeah, I'm totally a four-year-old girl inside, so sue me.


I finally found one in the color I loved.


Oh Ikea. You're like Bed, Bath and Beyond on crack.


I think that Ikea in Chandler is roughly the size of Manhattan. Mom and I walked around there for like, four hours and fifteen miles. We were exhausted at the end of it and reached what my mom calls "The Ikea Wall," where at some point you reach your limit and MUST GET OUT as soon as possible. But then you have to go through the warehouse, and the line, etc etc and soon you find yourself twitching and sweating as you run out to your car.

On the way home, we did a quick nostalgia tour of Gilbert and passed through our old neighborhood, and old house where we lived during my early teen years.


And finally, Tommy took us ladies out to dinner that night, to Carraba's. Ain't they cute?


All in all, it was a lovely weekend, and between shopping with my mom, hanging with Grandma, seeing the "Sex and the City" movie, and going to a wedding, my chick-ness quotient is full.

love,
*jenna*