Wig wash

Hi Mom,

So I went from having a laundromat a few blocks away to having a dry cleaner a few blocks down. All my neighbors live in houses now, which presumably have their own washer/dryers. One day I will achieve such greatness.

In the meantime, I'll continue to be confident that my neighborhood dry cleaner can handle most anything I could throw at them, in case I ever had objects that needed such services.

They dry clean suede and leather, and also do wig washes.

Now if I could just find somewhere around here with machines...

Love,
Karen

A clever bag

Hi Mom,

Today I saw the world's classiest diaper bag. It was trendy, it was sleek, and it was totally not obvious.

The guy with the baby looked totally in control of the situation. And confident that nobody would know he was toting pacifiers, elmo diapers, and other baby paraphernalia.

Talk about a multi-purpose bag.

Love,

Karen

Bag o' bass

Hi Mom,

Well, now that I'm on the subway more, you're likely to get more subway adventures. Here's one now--the guy with the bass. I cart a lot of stuff back and forth from Brooklyn these days, but this guy really puts it all in perspective. I saw him come in from the street and drag this nearly effortlessly down the stairs and across the platform.

Guess this is why you wanted me to play violin and not cello. Good call on that one.

Love,

Karen

Best Boots Ever

Hi Mom,

Time once again for the best rain boots ever.

These puppies got me through an entire rainstorm today in Manhattan without a single wet sock.

Again, a very commendable purchase, and a definite fashion statement.

Love,

Karen

A very Brooklyn wedding

Hi Mom,

Tonight my roommate's brother got married. I was there to watch it happen. He's 21, his wife maybe 19. The place was packed with girls in long, black dresses and men in big hats. Apparently it was doubly packed because she was one of the first girls in her class to get married.

There are a couple places--halls, that is--right near each other in Brooklyn that host these kinds of festivities. I've been to a couple, they go like this...

The bride-to-be sits on a giant chair, flanked by the women in her family and otherwise surrounded by women who are there to wish her well. The men dance in the groom, who puts the veil over her face. Then the ceremony happens, with traditional blessings recited by really respected men.

Then more dancing, food and fun. Here's a picture of me at the wedding.

Love,
Karen

New York Trendy

Hi Mom,

Saw this sign while walking through Brooklyn today.

I don't buy it exactly, considering all the restaurants are still full and the rents are still high.

That said, it is easier to get a table at a nice restaurant, and to convince your landlord to bring the rent down a hundred bucks versus sending it skyrocketing, but isn't that really just the way it should have been from the get-go?

Classy times in New York City.

Love,
Karen

New Kicks

Hi Mom,

Check out my new shoes! I went to the Sketchers outlet and got this pair of fabulous orange kicks. They're sneakers but shiny, they come with both white and orange laces...and now they're mine (at a very reasonable price).

The only downside--people don't really wear sneakers in New York unless they're going to the gym. Or unless the sneakers are Converse. I'm not sure if it's an East Coast versus West Coast thing, if it's because people here just like to dress up for no reason at all, but they're very comfortable, so I'll give them a go...

Love,
Karen

Paint by number

Hi Mom,

Went exploring San Francisco today. They have a ton of great street art out here. This is one of my favorites. Times like these make me wish I had a panoramic lens. Though it would make my cell phone harder to fit in my pocket...

Love,

Karen

California Karen

Hi Mom,

Here's me drinking coffee at Isaac's house. It's beautiful out today, and three hours earlier than it is in Michigan.

It's almost time for me to get ready for my friend Michael's wedding, which is, other than the snow back in NYC, one of the main reasons I'm on this trek. I'm going to wear the blue dress with black lace, as it survived travel in the belly of a plane so well!

Love,
Karen

PS One more quick comment on that whole first-class ticket thing--you don't have to pay to check your bag. $25 savings!

Memphis?

Hi Mom,

Today I had the pleasure of the Memphis airport, my stopover en route to California. I took pictures of Elvis, sniffed out some excellent BBQ beans, and made my connection even though the plane was running late.

Added bonus: I traveled in the big seats. I booked using miles, which somehow resulted in my being able to pick a first class ticket. More on that later, but I have to tell you, it's possibly the only way to fly. I know, this presents some problems for future travel (including my coach return ticket), but wow. The food was tasty, the stewardesses were friendly, and nobody was sitting close enough to fall asleep on my shoulder.

Onward to California!

Love,
Karen