summer lovin...happent so fast, had a blast

J U L Y
N Y C

^ the bronx, nyc 14th fl

i was frying my ma's famous lumpia for a party. she brought lumpia wrappers from california. she don't play. i couldn't take the fry daddy, jr. heat so i got out the kitchen.

^ jones beach, ny

i haven't ever paid to go to the beach in california. however, i do appreciate all the garbage cans. we brought home made sandwiches and had ice cream on the beach. thankfully, it didn't start to rain until we got back to the car.

^ the bronx, ny

more rain.

^ west village, nyc

gelato. so nice we went back twice.

^ washington square park, nyc

en route to my birthday dinner. i had been indoors, sick with a poison rash, for almost a week. can ya tell i'm happy to be out?

^ soho, nyc

^ times square, nyc

totes mary tyler moore moment feeling

city so nice, they named it twice

traveling to new york with my brother was an awesome experience. our sister, g, has lived back east for the better part of the last ten years. will's fear of flying has kept him grounded on the west coast. he wanted to travel and invariably would suggest a road trip. of which, we sisters, would then invariably say no can do.

g's wedding in vegas provided the opportunity to take his maiden voyage. he couldn't miss this and there just wasn't enough time to spend driving. the two hour flight gave him enough confidence to make the trek east. hooray! while the iron was still hot and the fares low, a trip was booked. he was cornered with a non-refundable fare.

our departing flight was with its bumps but easy. babies slept and so did will. i was relieved for him and proud of him.

the moment we touched down we raised our eyebrows at each other as if to alert new york, "it's on!" everyone applauded and quickly shot up towards the over head bins. we walked off the plane feeling rejuvenated. our pace quickened as each of our sluggish cells absorbed the realization that, finally, we were in new york m-fing city! not to mention safely back on the ground. our cells do not get it twisted.

the last thing my mom told me at the airport (and mind you, i am grown) was something she often said when we were latch key kids, "take care of him, ok."

instead of groaning as i might of as a kid, i welcomed it. his firsts we're feeling like my firsts. it was going to be a new, new york.

new yuck

the first four hours of my brother's first flight to new york were a breeze. we had an empty middle seat between us, the sun on the other side of the window shade and not a baby was crying. we both slept through those first couple of hours.

the pilot had warned that we would probably be experiencing some turbulence as we got closer to new york. he wasn't kidding. he should have spoken more in the affirmative, it WILL be turbulent vs. it MIGHT be turbulent.

over head bins stayed shut but our pre-purchased snacks would shift within us during flight. for an hour our plane was a collective stomach swaying to and fro. half way through the rocking the pilot announced that we were going to be in a holding pattern for at least an additional 30 minutes. i had been maintaining my equilibrium as best as i could but the announcement broke a lot of us.

flight attendants were shimmying up and down the aisle, handling biohazard, passing out new vomit bags and bags of ice. i was so twisted. i was hot but sweating cold. i pointed all fans towards me and had them on full blast. i'd blow this change of life feeling right out of my body...like the chunks from the girls mouth from across the aisle. it was haggard people. just haggard.

dry heaves in aisle 16 would be echoed in aisle 21 then 30. i was feeling very vulnerable and felt it best to sit as still as possible. one false move and my levy's would break. i refused to look at the vomit bag. i refused to even look pained. if an attendant would've asked me if i were ok, i'd lose it all over their comfortable shoes.

for serious.

the sounds were muffled but undeniable. the smells faint but present.

yikes. i'm off to drink some ginger ale yo. this is too much, too soon. has anyone seen my sky flakes.

los banditos want you to know