Quite the Week - Part 2

so to conclude the recap...

post obamatization, nam graciously organized a small little get-together for my 23rd birthday. ethiopian food...interesting, definitely tasty, but interesting.

seeing how it was only a 23rd birthday...and things can only go downhill from here...i kept it low-key and just had dinner and a few drinks afterwards. seeing how most of us had to wake up early for school or work the next day, i've come to the realization that i have officially become 'old'.

since the actual date of my birthday fell on a wednesday, nam and i had planned a trip to NEW YORK to make up for it. being as how neither of have ever been there, it was new experiences for the both of us. and being our first time...instead of packing normal clothes, we opted for the high white socks, fanny pack, and video camera in hand. and of course, we did all the touristy things...
finally escaping the confines of a 5 hour bus ride that left us cramped and groggy, it was a nice escape to be able to walk the paths of central park and sit with a view of the upper east side (you can see the apartment where carrie got stoned with the comic-book kid while eating kfc)

luckily our quaint little hotel room was fairly close to the the park and conveniently located near a subway stop...making it much more difficult to justify a new york cab ride...even though we could have found ourselves on cash cab, or unknowingly divulging all our secrets on another taxi cab confession.

instead, we continued on our journey through manhattan...scaling the empire state building for a view of the new york evening skyline...and finding ourselves taking pause in the congestion and clutter of times square. i know that isn't me in the picture to the right...but i just thought nam looked really cute in it...and seeing as how i'm not a complete narcissistic ass, i'm fully capable of posting pictures of non-me. besides, the concept of everyone else being out-of-focus only symbolizes the transient nature of the city...allowing only brief moments like this one for some reflection and momentary peace. yeah...load of crap, but whatever, she looks good.

but who can go to new york and not catch on the staples of the city...experiencing a broadway musical. and that is where watching a pale pre-pubescent dude show his ass and a nubile teenage girl flash a nipple are allowed. but hey...thats what you get when you put a group of young, sexually repressed teenagers on a stage and have them sing and dance their way through puberty.

and who leaves new york city without remembering both 9/11 and visiting lady liberty.

found in the extended version of this post...you will also find director's commentary on our trips to moma and the guggenheim. as well as possibly one of the best pre-theater dinners i've ever eaten in my life.

but as we shuffled our way back onto the tin-can of a greyhound bus, i made my judgments of new york...great place to visit, but i wouldn't want to live there. but i will be back...if not just for the food.