Delirious Journeys: July 2008

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Star Chart

9/28/08- So, I thought when I was moving away from New York that I wouldnt really see any celebs any more. Amanda Peet was on my flight home and today I saw Andrew Keegan in Venice Beach. Hes from Party of Five and 7th Heaven.

7/29/08- Went to this adidas soccer game thing and MK Olsen was there too!! Also, I swear I saw the girl from Napolean Dynamite on the bus in Brooklyn, but it seems like a weird place to see someone, so who knows... sawe Jim Gaffigan again at my gym, and as we are moving out of New York in a week, this might be the last update for a while :(

Update 4/11/08
** Chris did a job at SNL studios and he saw Elvis Costello and Elton John and shook Bill Clintons hand!
** Last week when my mom was here, Lucy and I saw ANTMs Jaslene walking down Fifth Avenue. We also saw Peter Dinklage (from Elf, The Station Agent, and Death at a Funeral)
** At Blue Ribbon Sushi for Jeffs Bday we all saw Paul Bettany (again) and Jennifer Connelly (I will always think of Labrynth)
** In December right before we went home, Chris and I saw Parker Posey walking down the street in the East Village.

Update 12/11/07
** We both saw Judah Friedlander walking down 2nd Avenue, right around the corner from our house.
** When my mom was here last week, she, Lucy, our cousin Paige and I saw Paul Bettany at a restaurant in Brooklyn.
** Chris saw Molly Shannon jogging, but failed to tell Chris Burns and I before she passed us, so I guess I saw the back of her. The good thing that came out of this is our new code system. If I ever say - "Remember that episode of the A Team?" That means someone famous is nearby so look around!
** Chris and I had breakfast at this wierd vegan place by our house and spotted Woody Harrelson there with a big group, presumably family.

6/16/07
Chris saw Bono in the park yesterday, so I realized that it was now time to make the ever expanding list of our celebrity spottings, especially now that we live in the East Village.

Katie
** Just saw Julia Stiles again down in front of the bar next to our apartment
** I ran into Maggie Gyllenhall in the bathroom of a restaurant by my house. We were hoping to see her brother, but didnt.
** The guy from Americas Next Top Model, Nole Marin
** Julia Stiles, 6/07, AGAIN, walking across the street
** Leonardo DiCaprio, 6/07, filming a movie Revolutionary Road, the scene was very exciting, consisting of him walking down the street, putting out his cigarette, and walking in a door. It was cool though because the whole street was decked out in 50s stuff- cars, people, etc.
** The girl from Joan of Arcadia, 5/07 standing outside a restaurant
** David Cross, 3/07 saw him with Em in a coffee shop by my house. He was talking loud.
** Keifer Sutherland, 5/06 sitting in W hotel bar, he approached my mother and we all chatted and he shook loodys hand for a long time
** Judy Blume, 5/06 the speaker at Lucys Radio City Music Hall Graduation then we talked to her and took a pic after
** Mikhail Baryshnakov, or the Russian from Sex and the City, 5/06 recieved an honorary degree at loopoos Washington Square Graduation
** Kristen Johnston, or Sally from 3rd Rock, 3/06 down by the water in DUMBO
** Joe Pesci, 6/05? at the Santa Anita racetrack when Em, Chris and Andrea went
** Julia Stiles, 11/02? the first time, also walking down the street in the East Village, when Lucy "kept her cool"
** Edward Norton, 10/99? at LAX, I didnt even really know who he was back then
** President Bill Clinton, my highschool marching band played for him at some event

Chris
** Bono, 6/07 yesterday in golden Gate Park. He was really nice and talking to everyone and taking pics but Chris didnt have his camera
** Leo, see above
** Justin from QAF
** Joe Pesci, almost bumped into him in the bathroom
** Gladys Knight
** Tom Curran

Saturday, July 19, 2008

The Frying Pan- my new favorite NY bar

Other notable New York Bars:

McSwirleys!!!!! Other favorite- me, Em and Lus old haunt, I love the beer (all they have is light and dark, darks better), the wooden old timey feel to the place, and my archnemesis, Timmy.
M&R Bar- now closed :( but it was fun while it lasted
Pacific Standard- a lil piece of home in Brooklyn

Sunday, July 13, 2008

The City of Brotherly Love

I love Philly! Chris and I took a day trip down there and walked all around and saw a lot of the city. We got a little lost looking for the bus in Chinatown- that area under the Manhattan bridge where all the streets go crazy- but we made it on there and had a nice 2 hour bus ride. From the time we stepped off the bus until getting back on the bus at 9 pm, we walked walked walked! As we were heading to Independence Park, we saw Reading Market, which is an indoor market that reminded me of Fanuel Hall in Boston or the Ferry Building in San Fran. We got some coffee, and walked over to City Hall to see the beautiful building along with our first (of many) Ben Franklin statues - the huge one on top of the building. After that we went to get tickets for Independence Hall and got tickets for 3:45 (it was noon), so we went and saw the Liberty Bell -- oooh, a bell!

Afterwards, we headed on a long sweaty walk to Pats King of Steaks for an awesome Philly Cheese Steak. On the way we walked by Washington Square Park, where a lot of unknown soldiers from the revolutionary war. We also passed some cute little colonial looking houses.

At Pats, there was a pretty big line, a lil longer that Ginos across the street. Supposedly, Pats is where the sandwich originated and its still run by the family. There was a very specific way to order and I think we did pretty good, although I was told to hurry up and "Pick up your cheesesteak, doll, there aren't any waiters for ya". I got the true cheesteak with cheese wiz and onions- Chris got American cheese. Needless to say, it was delicious!

Chris hates this pic of me, and though it is a very bad picture of me, it captures the sandwich, which is more important :)

Afterwards, we headed back to Independence Park and being the dorks we are busted out the Fresh Prince of Bel Air tune -- In West Philadelphia born and raised.... it was like a required thing to do there.... once we got back downtown, we rested and cooled down in the Customs House which had a little exhibit. I guess the first guy to have a museum had all these portraits of prominent people in society- older, white men- and they were on display here.

We wandered through Philosphical Hall- there was a cool exhibit on 5 American Explorers including John James Audubon and Ruth Patrick, who was a pioneer in the field of ecology. She studied water ecosystems and the effects of pollution by looking at the variety of diatoms- microscopic unicellular organisms... Go Ruth!!! Finally, it was our time to go on the tour of Independence Hall. Our ponytailed guide was full of energy and interesting facts , and he laid out the workings of the building in which the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution had been signed.

He is strong now! Fighting hard now!!! Gonna fly nowwwwwwwwwwwwwww ooooh

Chris successfully ran to the top and did the Rocky shaking of fists over head thing at the top. My favorite part was watching everyone else do this too. It was great.

This pic shows the view from the Museum, past the Washington Monument Fountain, down Ben Franklin Parkway, all the way to the City Hall. It also shows our route, which we walked after walking around allllll day. It also goes through Love park with that famous LOVE statue. Theres also another fountain, and after spending one day in Philly, it might rival Kansas City as "City of Fountains". We ended the day at Monks, a Belgian Cafe that was recommended to us by Jeff. They had some really good Beer and food. The bus ride back was quick, although there was a smelly shoes-taken-off experience that I'd like to forget. All in all, we really packed it in and got a good first impression of Philly.