tell the women we're going

IMGP1766.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.

I have no idea why I like the title for this photo except I tried to stay ip all night so that I would sleep on the plane. There's some weird time travelling going on where I leave at 3pm and get to Edmonton at 5pm. But I believe in my heart, I will be in the air for 8 hours.

onwards to cheese.

3 blind mice, see how hey run

Tomorrow is in honor of cheese. Whenever I am in Europe, I always forget to seek out cheese shops. But not this trip. I have 3 on my list for tomorrow's ear;y morning adventure around London.

1st up is Harrods. Not exactly on the top of my list but it's novelty factor plays a role. I'll try not to get lost in the apple depts. Time is ticking.

Getting to the cheese and dairy-produce hall at Harrods involves passing between mountains of bread, still-life fish displays and orchards of luscious fruits. Once you arrive, you risk being overwhelmed by the hundreds of cheeses sourced around Britain and Europe. - 50 Best Cheese shops for Foodies.

next is a classic: Paxton & Whitfield

Established in St. James's for nearly 200 years, this foodie landmark offers an anthology of cheeses from around the world as well, as some of Britain's finest traditional hams, pork pies, chutneys, biscuits and a selection of excellent wines. Most of the cheeses are artisan produced and displayed on marble or wooden shelves, but are maintained by modern temperature and quality control systems. -50 Best Cheese shops for Foodies.

Further along, I'll be tasting the samples at another well established cheesemonger:
Neil's Yard Dairy
. They've been in the business for 25 years and are known as one of London's best known cheese shops. I'm after their visual. I think.

and finally, the last stop on my cheese train is Fortnum & Mason, but ironically, I'll likely have tea instead...

Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly is often referred to as the original London tea house. Having served tea in this area for almost 300 years, their reputation is second to none and they continue to offer an extensive stock of over 100 different blends, from countries such as China, India, Japan and Sri Lanka. Afternoon tea is served in the St James' Tea-room. Choose from a Traditional Tea, a Champagne Tea or High Tea.

bubbles

bubbles, originally uploaded by jill y.

blue eyes

blue eyes, originally uploaded by jill y.

This is Heidi's beautiful baby, Indie.

if only

I could pretend many things while I stay at the hotel I'm at. The rolling hills of the English Countryside, the 208 acres of private grounds with a variety of ruins and hidden parks buttoning the paathways, the wafts of heather from the nearby fields add the mister to mysterious..

But truth be told.. I am at work. But it is a lovely place to be at work.

today on the other side of the world

IMGP1581.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.

I met up with my best friend from 20 years ago. We had some strange fight that I forgot the details of and never saw each other again until today. I wondered how it would be or would we still hate each other. Funny how the emotions and memories get stuck in a moment. But it was instead so lovely to see my old friend and meet her new life, her partner and her adorable little baby.

She took me to Walpole Park in Ealing, London to enjoy a jazz fest. We walked and talked and shopped and gawked. She said it wasn't fancy but she had some strawberries and cheese and crackers.

I said it's always fancy when there's cheese.

noteworthy? you bet

IMGP0098.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.



I was definitely not supposed to be in the bar. But I was. The band was called the Throbtones and the bass player was something else. It all started in a smoky room with 2 chairs and a little conversation and ended with a climb down a rickety fire escape. The years ticked on and for many our connection was off the hook- dead, no one was picking up. Once- I hung up. Maybe he did too.

But as thought we were on a journey we didn't know about, one day we found ourselves standing next to each other again. And so it has been. A secret holiday with no known destination. One day he and me are in the same place again and just like that the mysterious stranger is in our lives. Most, I think would give up on a stranger's acquaintance, but what is really worth mentioning is that 20 years later, we are still friends.

To me he is still intriguing and mesmerizing and I'd climb back up that fire escape for another cup of tea any day of the week.

How could I forget about Cuba?

IMGP0581.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.

But I almost did. I just put up more photos. You can find them here. By the way, I found this choice cut of pork while walking down the street in Vinales.

make it 639

I didn't know there had been so many attempts but I intend to check it out. I also didn't know that the Centre for Socialist Education was so close to my home. I have a sneaking suspicion that this may be a viewing in the basement of someones house, a bootlegged taping of a TV program. Mnn.. donations accepted..I'll take a tuna casserole.

little blue birds..

little blue birds.., originally uploaded by jill y.

one day in Tokyo- animated conversation

one day in Tokyo- animated conversation, originally uploaded by jill y.

Noteworthy figure- Charlotte

Once upon a time I lived in a little tiny apartment that had no walls to separate the bathroom from the bedroom from the kitchen. I found solace in the fact that next door was a raven haired beauty named Charlotte. Most of the time Charlotte would be at home constructing run on sentences and perfecting punctuation. The rest of the time she would be out climbing hillsides in muddy long underwear and bug repellent with a shovel and a bag of baby trees. I thought she was kind of peculiar, but cool.

During the home times I could mosey up to her kitchen window and order myself a coffee with soy and have an engaging conversation of stolen witticisms. We got to know each other over tissue paper, balloons and a lot of glue. Once she gave me her book and later, she gave me her apartment. I miss having Charlotte as a neighbor.

She is noteworthy.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A dinner table surrounded by loved ones.

2. What is your current state of mind?
Boggled.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Loss.

4. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Bossiness.

5. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Laziness.

6. What is your greatest extravagance?
It's a tie: gourmet ingredients and shoes.

7. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Beauty.

8. What is that you most dislike?
Privilege without responsibility.

9. On what occasion do you lie?
Deep personal exposure.

10. What do you dislike about your appearance?
Pimples.

11. What is the quality you most like in a man?
It's a tie: versatility and a sense of humour.

12. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Ditto.

13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Other people's witticisms.

14. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Words.

15. When and where were you happiest?
Now.

16. Which talent would you most like to have?
To speak several languages fluently.

17. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Planting a million trees.

18. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I wish I could learn faster.

19. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what do you think it would be? A tree.

20. What is your most treasured possession?
My laptop.

21. what do regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Hardened addiction.

22. What is your most marked characteristic?
Softness.

23. What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.

24. Who are your favorite writers?
Too many to list.

25. Who is your favorite hero of fiction.
Frank Bascombe.

26. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Dorothy Parker.

27. Who are your heroes in real life?
Hillary Clinton. Joan Didion.

28. What are your favorite names?
Huh?

29. What is your greatest regret?
Hurting people.

30. How would you like to die?
Sleeping.

it's a nice day to start again

it's a nice day to start again, originally uploaded by jill y.

I went to the Billy Idol show tonight. I took a lot of pictures and you can see them if you want.

meeting the walrus

"In 1969, a 14-year-old Beatle fanatic named Jerry Levitan, armed with a reel-to-reel tape deck, snuck into John Lennon's hotel room in Toronto and convinced John to do an interview about peace. "

This is quite something and a visual feast. Please don"t leave without hitting play.

did I mention I have Cat Power tickets at the Edmonton Folk Fest??

Noteworthy Figure- Sonia

My friend Sonia is my "ethnic friend" as we once joked. She is full of color and texture and visual glory. Once we found that we both talked to the same artist in New York City years apart and it's shit like that that says to me- I'm supposed to know this person. And I'm grateful that I do. She brings thoughtful intelligence, worldliness, boldness and humor along with her like tiny sweet candies to slip into your closed palm.

She is noteworthy...


1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Feeling completely relaxed and proud of living a life where I haven’t compromised.

2. What is your current state of mind?
Ready to make some sort of change. Not sure exactly what that means.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Being blind.

4. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Easily guilt ridden.

5. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Insincerity.

6. What is your greatest extravagance?
Having a group of healers in my life to help me along – Personal Trainer, Hypno-therapist, Reiki & Massage Therapist & my Zy Qigong instructor.

7. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Backward 3rd World ideals of femininity & Fucked up Forward 1st World ideals of femininity.

8. What is that you most dislike?
Sexism, Racism & Rain.

9. On what occasion do you lie?
When there is no other possible option – or when it seems like there is no other option at the time.

10. What do you dislike about your appearance?
My weight.

11. What is the quality you most like in a man?
Honour & compassion.

12. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Honour & compassion.

13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Like, Awesome, Really?

14. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My mind, my Eyes & Printmaking.

15. When and where were you happiest?
At ECIAD , in L.A., in NYC, at Burningman

16. Which talent would you most like to have? Understanding Physics.

17. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Finding & Feeling the Mind & Body connection.

18. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? To not over think things.

19. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what do you think it would be? Orange and Alizarin Crimson coloured energy.

20. What is your most treasured possession? My music collection.

21. What do regard as the lowest depth of misery? Feeling colourless.

22. What is your most marked characteristic? I’ve got attitude.

23. What do you most value in your friends? That I can learn to see things from different perspectives from different people.

24. Who are your favorite writers? James Baldwin, Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth

25. Who is your favorite hero of fiction. Don’t have one.

26. Which historical figure do you most identify with? ?

27. Who are your heroes in real life? My parents, not as my parents, but, as people.

28. What are your favorite names? Priya.

29. What is your greatest regret? That I have programmed myself to be okay alone.

30. How would you like to die? Happily when I am ready.

Street Photographer

the crown graphic, originally uploaded by kenyee.

Back in 2004 when I first went to NYC.. I scowered the streets. I walked everywhere all day long and one day I met this man. I remembered a photo my mother had taken of her walking down the street and she said "back then there were street photographers who would take you photo." Louis Mendez was one of those rare breed of photographers.

I let him snap my photo that day and he gave it to me in a touristy card like what you would get when you visited Santa Claus in a mall. He signed it with his number and it says.. good luck..

I treasure that photo from a street photographer and maybe one day will show it to my own kids.

looking at you, originally uploaded by Benzadrine.

the epitome of childhood

IMGP1397.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.

The kids in the neighbourhood reminding everyone that dirt is healthy, fun and good for you.

pg 136 of issue 575

I adore Vanity Fair magazine. It's my one magazine indulgence apart from the stupid ones I get when I need to fly somewhere. Maybe Vanity Fair is stupid too but I always learn some weird pop culture fact that I get to slot into witty conversation cuz you know these things are important to me. Sadly, the mag recently did away with it's horoscope and I still feel the pangs of that loss as I flip from the last page in in search of it.

One thing that always tends to amuse me is the Proust Questionnaire. The 30 or so questions answered by some noteworthy public figure. This month.. it's me..next month or next week.. I'll try and feature various noteworthy public figures from my own life..

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
creamsicles while sitting on a dock, ankles splashing in the water

2. What is your current state of mind?
Overstimulated and a bit lonely

3. What is your greatest fear?
being cold and alone

4. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
weakness of will; impatience towards others

5. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
snobbishness

6. What is your greatest extravagance?
tattoos and cheese

7. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
obedience

8. What is that you most dislike?
bigotry and mushrooms

9. On what occasion do you lie?
almost never except when I have made plans I want to get out of

10. What do you dislike about your appearance?
weight gain

11. What is the quality you most like in a man?
mischievousness

12. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
ability to forgive

13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"is that OK?"

14. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
my maternal grandfather

15. When and where were you happiest?
Living in a hostel in Edinburgh

16. Which talent would you most like to have?
to draw

17. what do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
quitting smoking

18. if you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I would be taller

19. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what do you think it would be?
a feather duvet

20. What is your most treasured possession?
a bench my grandfather made

21. what do regard as the lowest depth of misery?
clinical depression

22. What is your most marked characteristic?
one eye half brown half blue; sterness

23. what do you most value in your friends?
compassion

24. Who are your favorite writers?
John Kennedy Toole, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dalton Trumbo

25. Who is your favorite hero of fiction.
Pooh; Ignatious O'Reilley

26. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I don't know enough about history to relate.

27. Who are your heroes in real life?
my maternal grandmother, Janis Joplin, Diane Arbus;

28. What are your favorite names?
Alberta, Agnes, Jack, Penny, Frank; Rockerfeller, Anita;

29. What is your greatest regret?
not turning around before getting on that flight home

30. How would you like to die?
in a cuddle under a feather duvet