It is autumn in New York, gold, crimson, sea breezes that blow right through my warm coat. When I go back to Raleigh for Thanksgiving, I will get my extra-warm coat, the black and white one I bought from the crazy lady on Tate Street who I understand has closed up shop since I left town.

I am keeping so many secrets from you. Here is one now: I ( Read more... )

I spent twelve hours in Barcelona a month ago, between a train from San Sebastian and a plane to Rome.  I couldn't see what the big deal was.  I went to the Sagrada Familia, an amazing cathedral that is going to take one hundred years to finish, features a black Jesus, and is partly made out of Coke cans and recycled aluminum foil.  Otherwise, I ( Read more... )

Thursday, while at the Reina Sofia art museum, there was a giant explosion across the plaza (I am beginning to catch on to the spanish "th" for the "z"...it no longer sounds like lisping). The Reina Sofia, which played the Velvet Underground through the Dali exhibit, is in a very big part of the city and is the main cultural district. People ( Read more... )

I had this dream last night where I was seeing Greensboro for the first time. It is a city I have dreamed of before, an amalgam of Paris and Charleston and my own dear home; a city on the sea, with cobblestone streets and restored Victorian houses. I recognize the eggplant-colored hotel. Even though it is day, close to twilight, the streets are ( Read more... )

Outdoor napping was probably not invented in Austin, but it may have been perfected here. Perhaps it was appropriate that here, in this Mexican-flavored, pueblo-inspired town, I found out that I had been accepted to a writing program that would have me spending the whole month of July in Madrid. My brief sojourn in Austin has made me hungry for ( Read more... )

Talking with Jeff last night (the Elm Street Poetry Project rocks my socks, incidentally, and it's about time the collaborative had more fire in it) I had a revelation about the kind of man I want: the perfect traveling companion ( Read more... )

Many of the people I know who wanted to be writers when we were in high school have since gone on to major in journalism, decide to be teachers, do all kinds of related and unrelated professions. Some of them are genuinely happy and feel a calling toward their field. Some, however, are afraid of being writers, afraid of the uncertainty and the ( Read more... )

In the past two days ( Read more... )

Reading Jake's livejournal a week or so ago about his dislike of Greensboro has inspired me to discovery. I may be starving for cityscapes and yet something about this town warms me, makes me love it. This past week, even little everyday things like getting a pastry at Ganache or just sitting on the couch looking out the window suddenly have a ( Read more... )

The scene: I'm having dollar-a-plate sushi on Franklin Street with an almost-like-a-sister friend from high school, my ex-boyfriend who I want to pounce on every time I see him (damn you for causing so much drama! damn you for being so hot!), and a YWW student who is now allowed to be my buddy. We talked about the fine art of using chopsticks and ( Read more... )