I'm getting inked again! NEXT MONTH! ...or whenever funds will allow me...

So I need opinions as to where I should have it done. I know what I'm going to get. I'm getting this:

Bonus friendly points if you can guess where this is from. :)

Now the question is, where should I get it done? My two options are:

I'm inclined to go with my shoulder but the only thing stopping me is I have another tattoo idea I was planning on putting there. What do you guys think?

If Marla hadn't told me about this, I would have missed it so a big BIG thank you to Marla for giving me the heads up!

I was alone in my fangirlness and hiked all the way up to Columbia University just to catch a glimpse of my literary rockgod. I must have been high this morning because it didn't occur to me to switch my 50mm lens to my 18-200mm for better close up photos nor did it occur to me to bring my own copy of one of his books for him to sign. I was that much of a nervous wreck.

I thought I'd be very late and I wouldn't get a good seat but luckily, I had time to get purchase a pre-signed copy of Stories and manage to find a good center seat, even if it was waaaay at the back of the auditorium. Amanda Palmer walked in with a couple of people and she sneaked in through the back when no one was looking and I just happened to turn my head around just as she walked in. She looks exactly as she does in photos.

When the writers walked in, and NG trailing behind them, I tried hard to contain the squeal that was trying to escape from the back of my throat. I had a hard time wiping the silly grin off my face.

When the event ended, I tried to stall and linger by trying to look for the restrooms. When I couldn't find it, I slipped back into the venue and found Mr.G swarmed with fans trying to get photos or autographs. His publicist (or whoever she was) was trying to extricate Mr.G from the swarm of people. I decided to stand back and not join the crowd and tried to see where the publicist would pass when she escorted him out. I stood by the exit aisle and tried my very best to look like I belonged there and they both exited the auditorium, I swooped in and approached Mr. G and asked if I could get a photo. He quickly responded "Sure, but you'll have to take it as you're walking with me." My hands shaking, and armed with only my camera phone (i didn't have time to fumble with my DSLR which was inconveniently kept in my bag), I leaned in and he put his arms around me and I pressed my face to his head (the man has such soft hair) I took the photo just as a few other people (who noticed my sneaky move) decided to swoop in and walked with us. I walked out and detangled myself from the crowd and stood there staring at the lousy photo I took with my lousy phone cam. I was so happy I wanted to cry. I was shaking walking out to the subway station. Friends who know me KNOW that I have never or will never ever approach famous people and ask for photos. I've always been the type who would stand back and pretend you're not someone famous and keep my cool.

Tonight, I broke my cool and acted like a total geek.

I have no regrets.

Woke up and despite Caitlin being in Albany for the weekend and Mica being in Queens, I still got dressed and walked out to Cheryl's for brunch. I sat at the bar and ordered the buttermilk pancakes with mixed berries and chantilly cream. Good lawd they were awesome!

Midway through my meal, I get a call from Lily saying I can take the day off since we had no reservations and she thinks it won't be busy anyway. I suddenly find myself with another Saturday off and nowhere to go. I contemplate going back to Coney Island for another nap on the sand but I took too much time dilly dallying when I got back to the apartment that I had little time to enjoy the sun after that.

I walked over to the Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza to find more fresh produce available now that weather has been better (for growing veggies, NOT for suffering through sweaty nights). It's been so hot now that I'm getting an air conditioner on Monday because I seriously cannot stand the heat anymore. I have TWO fans in my teensy room, one by the window and one by the bed and still I feel like I'm sleeping in a toaster oven. In my 26 years living in tropical, humid Manila, I never had the need to use an AC but I am surrendering to the heat now.

I bought a plant and scored 3 comic books at a stoop sale for $5. I was never into either of the two graphic novels below (Watchmen and Batman) but they were there so I got them.
I ended up visiting Mike at work in Superdry for a bit then spent too much time shopping at the Gap that I missed Benny's show which I originally intended to watch. Instead I bought a skirt and a "boyfriend" shirt at the Gap. I left the teal green floral maxi dress but I fully intend on going back for it as soon as I get paid. Money's a bit tight right now since I just paid bills. With that in mind, I still ended up spending the money I could have shelled out for the dress because I bought this:

David Chang's Momofuku Cookbook

I keep googling the recipes from the restaurant that I figured getting the book is a good investment because I know I will use the book a lot. And to prove just that, as soon as I walked out of Strands Bookstore, I walked straight to Whole Foods and bought shiitake mushrooms so I can make the pickled shiitakes I was going to pair to my usual ginger scallion noodle for dinner.

I also picked up Vegan Butter (huwaaat?!?!) because I was challenged to make my choco peanut butter cookies for Michael. I was curious if they would still taste the same. The real test would be if I fed them to Paul (at the restaurant) and see if he would notice. But actually, Paul would eat anything and everything so I'm not sure if he would be the best judge either.

I'm not sick of it yet. I could it this everyday.
Made fresh lemonade to beat the heat.

Time for bed, I promised Lily I won't be late to work (like I am every Sunday, heehee) so I have to be up early. Will be spending the night at Queens on Monday since Tito Ans and Joe are coming to NYC for a night before flying off to Manila for two months. Did I mention my entire family in NYC (and everyone else in other parts of the world) are flying out to Manila for my great grandmother's 100th birthday in July? It's a massive reunion and I cannot join them. *sob*

Okay, enough banter and bedtime for me.

I did say I was going to post photos of my weekend when I was sober but since I haven't had a signle sober night since we had Camilo and Andreas over, I am only sharing them to you now. Most of you might have already seen the weekend's photos over on facebook so those who haven't I'll post some of them here. I haven't been uploading anything on my multiply mostly because I'm lazy to bother uploading them there so people who don't have access to my FB will have to make do with what I share here for now.

This is Mica reading a book while sprawled on the lawn by Chelsea Piers (up) then eventually napping (below) as a soft breeze blew from the Hudson. You can see the New Jersey skyline in the background and a massive Norwegian Cruise Ship.

This was from Billy's Bakery. I bought five cupcakes and stuffed my face with it. They were just too awesome to have just one.

Sunday afternoon was spent in Coney Island, napping under the hot summer sun. I would have taken a quick dip if I wasn't so worried about leaving my stuff while I was out in the water. The next time, I will need company at the beach.

This was taken the second night we decided to have a rooftop drinking party. From left to right we have Camilo (danish-chilean), Mica, Alexander (russian) and Andreas (danish-english).

This was during tequila night where Andreas, Camilo, Benny and I chugged down four pitchers of frozen margarita while Caitlin finished off her bottles of beer in the fridge.

The danish boys' last night before flying back to Denmark was spent drinking cocktails at Bar Seven Five along Wall Street where Caitlin works. I will have to take the Santiagos here because they have really, really good cocktails. Then we hopped on over to Ulysses for late night dinner before heading home for a couple of light drinks before calling it a night. We have a group photo taken of all of us (Caitlin, Mica, Benny, Michael, Camilo and Andreas) but it was from Andreas' camera so I have to wait until he uploads that so I can share it.

The weekend was loads of fun. We have another new couchsurfer over tonight, a guy named Weston from LA who'll be in NYC for about a week. So far he's been getting along really well with Michael and seems cool. Benny says tomorrow we may have another session up on the roof, but this will depend on how tired I am from working tomorrow.

I guess I could have a drink...or two.

I had a long and awesome Saturday even if I never left the city. I was worried I'd be wasting my weekend off by not spending it on an out of town trip somewhere but I surprised myself with such a fun filled day. I was up early and headed over to Ana's to take Santi's second month photos and then we had brunch at The Vanderbilt. I went home, showered and met up with Mica over at 34th st on the Manhattan west side and we made our way down to the west side high way hoping to get beers at Frying Pan on 26th st. Apparently everyone in the city thought of doing the same thing because the boardwalk was packed and we couldn't get tables anywhere. We walked over to Chelsea Piers where we laid on the grass and napped for about an hour enjoying the cool breeze from the Hudson River. Then we walked to Billy's Bakery at 21st st. to get cupcakes then we were off to Chelsea Market on 15th st where I scored a gorgeous dress at Anthropologie on sale for $39.95 marked down from $178.00!! SCORE!!

We kept walking towards 6th ave where we got ourselves a manicure/pedicure at 14th st after which the hunt for sushi began. We walked all the way down to west 4th st looking for good sushi. We scouted and scanned menus at about four sushi spots before we settled on Sushi Mambo on Bleecker and Cornelia st. where we shared a massive Japanese meal. By this time we had already zigzagged down Manhattan for a whopping 30 blocks and 6 avenues. We were full and tired so we took a cab over to the east side where we met up with a couple of people over at the Filipino bar on the East Village where we had a bottle of Red Horse each then cabbed home where we were met with Benny and two of his couchsurfing friends, Camilo and Andrew from Denmark. We were equipped with a bottle of lemon flavored russian vodka and OJ so we hauled our goods, Mica's banig, a blanket and speakers up on the rooftop where we spent the next three hours drinking and laughing. At one point Mica played Empire State of Mind and all five of us got on our feet and started dancing. At 3am, we called it a night and climbed back down and washed our feet from dancing on our filthy roof.

These are the only photos I can post for now since Benny already posted this on Facebook. The first is Mica, me and Andrew sharing the bathtub as we washed our feet. The next is of Camilo on his turn to use the tub with a beer in hand. You will have to give me time to post the rest of today's photos when I'm good and sober.

Tomorrow we plan on doing this all over again with Michael and (hopefully) Caitlin and our other Russian Couchsurfer Alexander. YEY NYC!!