I think it's going to be a White Christmas!!!

It snowed a few feet in only a few hours last Saturday night, and here is the snow on Sunday on the way to work! (this is just a few steps from our home)

So a few weeks back Mike was out of town and I decided to have a girls night, or rather a girly night to myself.

The photo says it all: I had steak which we never have bc Mike is not a red meat eater, I bought gorgonzola cheese from Murry's Cheese shop in Grand Central (yum!), I rented a chick flick, and bought myself flowers..I love the life they bring into a room! And I had a tinie tiny glass of wine (I don't really drink but yea why not it was my night!).

Every woman has to spoil herself once and a while.

An Average Day

So I thought I would give family and friends afar a taste in the life of Misha. Here is an average few days:


Tuesday a few weeks back: I wake up at 5:55 am (ahh so not a morning person, this is the worst part of my day) take the train a few stops then to save time grab a cab! (so worth the 7 bucks!) And I go to work at a a hip Upper West Side Cafe, which was ranked top 10 in the nation, Joe , finally make it to one degree of separation for those of you who know the game 6 degrees of separation to Kevin Bacon-well I recently arrived and only regret that I didn't high five him and say yea I made it!) Well anyhow then head down to Soho to a coffee lab where I sat with a few Brooklyn Hipster Coworkers taking a coffee test-really a coffee test, I mean I work in coffee but I rarely drink it!


Then I head home for a special traditional birthday dinner for Umu who just turned 20, who I mentored with the IRC for two years (Mike prepared the meal that night, earning over a million points in my love bank or is it love tank--we just read a book that talks about love tanks-thanks Dynamic Marriage!). Then the next morning I wake up and go meet the Timsina family's parents, who have just arrived from living in a refugee camp in Nepal for 20 years-after being forced from their home in Bhutan by the ruling party. On the way up to the Bronx, we all sat together on the train and to our delight enjoyed a performance by four young men that proceeded to do back flips and hip hop moves for 5 minutes while in transit, all without so much as even brisking a passengers hair.



Impressive, and to give perspective, I can't even stand on the train without holding something and to think they beboped their way around so gracefully!


Then we arrive at their new home. Surrounded by my adopted Bhutanese family the Timsina's, drinking the afternoon's tea and eating a huge helping of Batsmati rice and curried vegtables, I am on a grand adventure, yet at home. Then I race downtown where I meet Mike and head to our Dynamic Marriage class, where we of course, talk and talk with friends after. Then we grab unlimited toppings at Pink Berry, which always include strawberries and gummy bears, then head home and fall asleep to the empire state building twinkling in my window.


And when I look back on this 48 hour breath in time, I just love how random and yet not random God is...to think I am meeting stars, hanging out with hipsters- me the lone Christian-then to share life with people from around the world, Africa and Bhutan, all while enjoying the sights of this great city and sharing this with the love of my life! Ahh...New York I love you!

New hobby!

Finally here I write...I am sorry readers, if there are any of you left. I have been working hard on my photography blog and well my life blog has just been thrown aside. And while I often have many things I want to share, for lack of downloading photos, I don't get around to it.

So here is a little post about a new hobby, embroidery!! It is relaxing and fun and gets my creative juices flowing in a simple way...so these a gifts I made for friends...enjoy!

Here's lookin' at you kid!

To my best friend Barbie on her birthday!! Remember the times? :) She was the girl the kept everyone together and having fun!

ahhh...when we were younger! All of our good friends took one last group pic before we dispersed to college, and began new lives a part! And after all these years married and living thousands of miles a part me and Barb are still close as ever!

Love you girl

My Documentary

From Exile to Refuge: link here

My Photodocumentary

http://blog.theirc.org/

www.blog.theirc.org

Bye Michael, we wil miss you!

So, I went to the Michael Jackson memorial service in Harlem watching the live televised memorial with one thousand others.

It was special to share that moment in history with others, cheering "Michael, Michael," dancing to old tunes, laughing and even tearing up, knowing that millions of others around the world were doing the same. It's interesting how strangers lives are intertwined by the life of another stranger.

I am glad that I was able to have that experience with so many fans in such a significant place.

(Another reason I love New York, is how strangers come together. Its amazing how fast things happen in this city, Michael Jackson died and that same night fans gathered together at the Apollo singing and dancing in his honor, and merchants quickly filled blocks and blocks of 125th street with merchandise...of course I had to buy a few tin buttons for old times sake.)

So here are photos of the event. *side note it was fun to see the publication in magazines/newspapers the next day bc a lot of the people I photographed were featured.

SHOCKED, SADDEND....

MICHAEL JACKSON DIED!!!

too much for words...really.

We, grew up with him, he was the birth of Mtv...thriller, billie jean...I loved his music, and him. As a child he was one of the first artists that I liked, at age 5 I wore his buttons, little tin buttons with his photos on them, on my sweaters around Boston.

I know he is a wierd o, but truly I felt sad for him and intriged by him.

I loved the way he danced, to think into his 50's he had those moves!

And I loved his passion for performance and music...

His life was tragic, marked by bad choices but he was the "King of Pop."

He was a major icon of our time...without him is like saying "hey by the way there are no more hamburgers anywhere in america...the hamburger is gone!" Now there is something from our time, that played a huge part in our culture that at one time most of us adored be it 20 years ago, gone...wow. You know how people love Elvis, and James Dean...but we weren't around during there high time, while they were alive, but we see there impact...but for Michael we were around, and now he is gone.

Wow...I pray that the Lord managed to break into his heart and transform is soul at his last breath.

Things I Love

note:Mike took this pic when I first got my camera, so its impromptu!

I love to READ...I love BOOKS...and I love displaying our books in our bookcase and the color and memories that fill the room with them.

My mom has always loved to read and has filled her home with books. My Dad, Michael, loves to read; I remember, as a kid, trying to keep his books organized, they were everywhere! :) Growing up I was surrounded by books...and they fill my heart with joy! With adventure, and wisdom, curiosity and knowledge with education and laughter, and even tears, and learning!

My all time favorites are: My hiding place, corrie ten boom and Dave Eggers What is the What...both so insightful and hope-filled while in the darkest of places..both such inspirations...and what is the what soo well written! -just in case anyone wants book ideas, I know I ALWAYS Do..oh and per a few friends suggestions...Severe Mercy was amazing!

June Gloom

Are you guys experiencing crazy summer weather too?

Ok, so enough is enough. I have been in jeans and a jacket or sweater from last October till now, JUNE!!! That is officially 8.5 months!!!!

People this is rough..I remember last June was amazing, a little hot, but gorgeous we were outside with family, in the park, at the beach, I got tan...it was a blast...not another rainy day...I know our earth needs water, but please Lord we here in New York are yearning for SUN!!! (ok so we did get to feel the sun one week in spring...which out of my three years here spring is one week....and a few scattered days, supposedly when I wasn't here, in June)

Ok now that I have expressed that! On a positive note lightning storms are amazing, we did hear the most amazing thunder the other night!

Friends here is a cute and yet random picture (in lue of more recent photos) of me from a few months ago when mike and I babysat one of our good friend's cute kids! We had a blast!

Ok really this is to remind everyone to keep checking out my photo project

http://blog.theirc.org/

And please pass it along, and write a little note!

Blueberry Pie Refashioned Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Blueberry Pie Refashioned Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Another chance to win a great recreation of a vintage dress...maybe one day I will find my own moomoo to recreate into something cute!

Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

What a fun site I have come across...and an inspiration for sewing!!!

Moby!!!

Oh I forgot I also met Moby the artist...last week...Mike reminded me that if I met him I would say something to him (I told Mike that like 2 years ago and I had a little speech in my mind of what I would say bc truly I have been so inspired by his music and his heart for the world which seems to be reflected in his songs...although they are not really word based but just listen to them you will see)...well anyhow I wasn't confident that it was Moby that we saw...we were in a huge restaurant just our friends and "Moby" and I had to do it (well first I didn't I left the restaurant and then I remembered that I always told myself I would do it so I went back in)...so I went over to him put my hand on his shoulder (I guess I am a physical touch person...I forget that that may not be normal for other ppl anyhow...but I think it is more human to touch ppl) so anyhow I was like "do you just look like Moby" he said "No its me I'm Moby" and I thanked him for creating and music..and then off I went into the rainy streets of NYC, but giddy from meeting Moby...if you don't know his music you should...I love his album 18

April

Me and the Bride...congrats!

My hot husband!

Friends -

So here I am at my computer....

Life has been good...and it is a great joy that the weather around here is turning from snowy to sunny and warm!!!! :) Not that I am in my bikini at the park yet but hopefully tommorrow I will be!!! (note also I was sick for 3 weeks which I think was partly bc of the flip floppy weather it would be 65 then in the 30's and snowy!)

So in celebration of the season finally turning for NYC I had my nails done (like my friend Lara) it is one of my favorite things to do...get my nails done: first it is relaxing, second I love looking at my feminine and pretty hands all day after that (my mom always paints her nails so it reminds me of her too) third its cheap..10 bucks and you even get a little hand and forearm massage and at my place a little shoulder massage at the end! So I wish I had a photo but I am soo into nail color (a friend Rahnie and I are crazy about nail colors often envying each other's choice..I know that sounds so particular but I hate when my nails look completely diff than what I saw in the bottle..anyone relate?) so over time I think I have become an expert color selector and so far this season I have seen people with fun bright pinks...so I dove in and selected the perfect magenta shade "no boundries" by essie...ladies its soo important to remember the polish name! :)

Ok this is all kinda silly but that's me.

So lets see last week I had a ton of special friends in town a few from highschool, college, Africa and one from San Fran...that was super special.

Oh and we hosted our annual Easter Celebration! It was so fun I love celebrating holidays with new and old friends; it is special to have ppl to build traditions with especially since family is so far.

And our good friends Purim and Hoek got married...after a little over a year of dating..yeah!!! so here are some pics from that...and thanks to my sweet friend I am wearing this great dress...really those of you who know me well know that I do not really shop for clothes much but like most of us women I always want to feel great in my clothes...its just that I end up spending my money on travel and adventure and photography, oh and food!! But anyhow sometimes I can get insequere about my clothes...again another shallow thing but so true...but praise God I was blessed to have my very own fun hot dress!!! God even cares about the little tiny desires of our heart-the desire to feel confident and look beautiful (even though HE really cares about our inner beauty he knows that we like to feel beautiful in our outfits too).

Ok so that is that...

Also keep checking out my project

http://blog.theirc.org "From exile to refuge"

Here I am

Hey friends...I know its been a while since my last post...almost three months...ok thats pretty bad...but you know the downloading and uploading pictures thing is a big job...but for now i will include a silly one of me, and of course its taken where the best things happen in this city...the SUBWAY!! Mike was using some new app on his i phone camera and asked me to move so I got up and swung around the subway pole!

Really life is good, so busy but good..I mean in what other city can you be in Africa, China, Nepal and America all in one day....in what other city can you actually say "Hey I know those guys" while watching the Oscars, a few top stars are my customers, in what other city can you have enormous fun doing something so simple as playing on the subway.
I love you New York...

Anyhow so I will update with photos one day but until then here I am!!!