Friendly Encounters
are what I love about New York City. Sure there are plenty of un-friendly encounters like this one, but I do enjoy that on any given day you could meet anybody and I don't mean just celebrities, which can happen too but just anybody. It makes life interesting.

Much to my friends constant worry and warnings when it comes to me talking to strangers, I still do it. I'm not saying I'd go up to someone sketch and say top of the morning, I just mean speaking innocently to people around you if the situation is right. For example you both witness something bizarre it's fun to say to something snarky to the person next to you or hear their comment.

Today as I was running a bit late to work and strolling to the subway. I felt someone next to me on my right, so I moved to the left to let them pass, but I could still sense the person hovering. I look up and over and there's this guy looking at me. Not in a creepy way but it was still weird that he walking in stride with me. He smiled and said something but Cyndi Lauper was playing in my ear, so I popped out my earphones and eloquently said "What?" and the scene unfolds...

Stranger in a polo shirt: "Just wanted to say you're lovely, that's it."

Tara caught off guard: "Oh, um, thanks?"

Stranger laughs and declares: "We live on the same street."

Tara a bit suspicious: "We do? Which street is that?"

Stranger acting a bit cocky but still smiling and walking in time with Tara. "On ---."

Tara impressed but still cautious: "Then I guess we do, howdy neighbor."

Stranger holds out hand and says, "Hi my name is Otto."

Tara spots that the light is flashing do not walk and that she has to cross the street despite Otto leading her straight and cutting off her path. "I'm Tara, sorry gotta catch that light, have a good one."

Otto calls out: "You too." I assume he keeps walking, since I didn't look back. End scene.

The encounter reminded me of the Sesame Street song that my cousin Selena used to play in the car when she was younger, "These are the people in your neighborhood, the people that you meet each day."

Generally I do pass some of the same people on my route to the subway, like the french guy that always has his daughter on his shoulders or his back, a guy who looks like Cedric the Entertainer and a large American Indian homeless man who my mom swears is the actor from One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest who may have fallen on hard times. She keeps saying she's going to go ask him and I wonder how that conversation will play out and what his crew of street sleepers would say. I looked it up though and the actor, Will Sampson, passed away in 87, but the homeless guy does resemble him in sheer size.

Also a movie called I Think I Love My Wife with Chris Rock was filming on my (and Otto's) street yesterday, but I only saw the production aftermath.

Just read: Match Me If You Can

Currently reading: Why Do Men Have Nipples?

Cafe Nervosa
There's a Starbucks located at the base of my office building, temptingly enticing me as I walk by each day. Sadly that same place stopped serving the Cinnamon Dolce Latte. I'm not sure if it's a widespread Starbucks thing or not. I hope that's not the case, because those are my favorite, since they are very un-coffee tasting and more like a hot vanilla cream but with cinnamon. I guess I'm back to the Tazo teas.

On a positive note it's great to finally be able to walk outside for quick errands and leave the jacket behind.

UPDATE from Starbucks:

Dear Tara,

Thank you for contacting Starbucks Coffee Company.

Unfortunately, the Cinnamon Dolce Latte has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

We will share your desire for this item to be reintroduced into our retail locations with the appropriate individuals within our company.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at info@starbucks.com or call (800) 23-LATTE to speak with a customer relations representative.

Sincerely,

Gerard L.
Customer Relations Representative
Starbucks Coffee Company

Toronto Travels
I spent a lovely holiday weekend in Toronto (my third visit there) in order to see my pseudo little (6'2) brother graduate from Upper Canadian College. He just received the honor of being dubbed the #1 high school drummer in the whole country (Canada). As a result, paired with his many academic achievements too, he's received several scholarships. Everyone was very proud.

Since I've been to visit the very clean city before, I didn't do the usual tourist stuff that I did before like go see a show at Second City or ride up the CN Tower and visit the Blue Jays stadium, but rather I was hanging out like a real Torontonian (Yeah, I made that term up). I even went disco bowling and scored a 113, which is high for me since I haven't played in at least several years. I did some bragging as a result, yup I'm that girl. Being an observer of the city once again, I couldn't help but be reminded of some unique things that make the city in fact in another country like the large English, French and Asian cultural presence, the fact that bathrooms are labeled "washrooms," and that there aren't just liquor stores but large beer stores, which are operated by the government. Another highlight that I noticed the last time and again this time was the fun sidewalk art that's throughout the city. I don't mean art that is on display on the sidewalk, like Central Park/China Town style, but actual chalk pictures drawn on the sidewalk a la Mary Poppins. It's all very charming, although I can't say the same for the many punk looking white kids walking around with spiked colored hair and numerous piercings, who just looked like they stepped out of an 80s video instead of menacing or displaying angst as I'm assuming is their intent. Also during the graduation ceremony I was able to actually hear the words to their national anthem beyond the repetition of "Oh Canada," but it obviously didn't pack the same punch for me being a "foreigner."

The bad news though is that I missed Fleet Week in New York City. Ah well, maybe that was a blessing in disguise...lead us not into temptation ;)

Here are some photos from the trip:

A dress named Tara
I just came across a very expensive dress online from Ralph Lauren that has my name, Pintucked Cotton Tara Dress. It's very pretty but there's no way--even on sale--that I would pay that much, no matter how obsessed I am with my own name! Too bad though *sigh*.

Oh and I've been meaning to mention that I walked by Paul Rudd on 8th Avenue just below 14th street on Sunday and my friend saw him the day before on the Subway. He was dressed in jeans and a jean jacket. It had just started raining again and he unfortunately didn't have an umbrella. I'm not sure if it was my stare, the rain or both, but he was booking it. I was heading in the opposite direction to my apartment, otherwise I would have shared my umbrella. Rudd is currently on Broadway in Three Days of Rain, but I'll still think of him has "Mr. Crap Bag," Phoebe's husband on friends.

Currently in: Toronto, for a friends graduation. Be back after the holiday weekend!

My DVD Review: Rumor Has It

Drinks and the Fortune Teller

After sharing a bottle of Cabernet Sauvingon and then sipping down another glass over dinner, my friend Stef and I giddily decided to go get our palms read on Saturday night.

There's a place on the corner of my street that I've passed for the last two years but had never gone in. I often look at the people inside, the many little kids that the palm reader always seems to be watching, plus at the cute black cat that stares at me as I walk by. The woman & co. obviously live behind/above the store front which has a tacky neon palm sign on its window.

Anyway as I sat down on the leather chair, she took my hand and told me in a soft voice that I am good at making friends with lots of types of people. She also said that I have a long life line and have many past lives (I've often been told by spiritual friends that I'm an old soul, so that wasn't new to hear) and saw me previously as a lawyer, photographer and a teacher (all professions that I've been interested in). Meanwhile she didn't mention to my friend her past lives during her reading that followed. She also said that I'm a creative person and that she sees a lot of paperwork in my future for the month of June (great!). She then asked if I had a creative job and I said yes, I work in PR and write a lot. She then said, still holding my palm that she sees that I'm at peace with the choices I've been making lately and that my aura is very light and lavender right now. Also out of the blue she says that she sees the West Coast as a positive place for me and that someone with an M in their name will be a good influence career wise out there. No bells rang on that, but the idea of moving has been on my mind. She also said the years 2000 and 2003 were difficult years for me--the first year yes the latter no.

My friends' reading had a very opposite take and focused more on relationships, but was also pretty accurate on some points especially over the fact that she'll be making a career change and that the guy that she has been sort of seeing isn't her soul mate. I swear I would have paid the woman to have said that to her, thankfully I didn't have to ;) She also focused more on her energy but didn't mention the colors. I just thought it was interesting, true or not, the different and eerily relevant readings she gave for us.