coffee – modern vintage ink

butterscotch ginger

My hands are cold.

I setup shop on the terrace this afternoon and have been working outside wrapped in a blanket ever since.

Finn has been running around the deck, jumping in and out of the planters as if he were training for the Cat Olympics. He gave me a minor heart attack when he dashed across the corrugated roof of the pergola, attempting to launch himself to the next deck.

My writing exercises are much enjoyable when there’s a proper table and/or desk for me to work from. And right now that outpost is outside, either on the terrace or in a coffee shop.

I’ve been writing and researching. Snippets of copy for the company blog, keeping up with my daily blog posts. Outlining projects for my clients paid and barter. Reading articles to keep my mind alight for critical thinking and analysis.mug.

Finn jumps from the stairs to the table, walks across the laptop keyboard to stake his claim. Almost like a lion on the sub-Saharan desert searching for a palm tree to escape the brutal sun. Except it’s a dining room table covered with books, newspapers and a coffee mug.

It’s time for another cup, a special roast from Supercrown Coffee: Guatemala El Apiario, delicate with butterscotch undertones.

Butterscotch, almost the same color as Finn’s coat. My ginger flame point Siamese has made his move to a cooler location. He settles in with his back to the mirror, a gaze thrown over his shoulder eyeing his reflection.

When he’s calm and chill, he’s almost regal. My Scottish knight of Brooklyn.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Finnegan meets the cat in the mirror, @prez13

One lifetime in a day

One day can feel like a lifetime if you let it.

That’s how it was today.

I was up at the crack of dawn to make sure I made it to my appointment on time. I was even early, and for a split second, I thought I was too early, early enough to be the first. But no, the waiting room was packed.

The good news is that there was good news. The second mammography screening showed nothing but fatty tissue. As in nada, negative: when relief is spelled with an 8-letter word.

Chester met up with me afterward, we took the train to Soho for breakfast.

Bleecker street was alive and kicking. We stopped into LPQ for coffee and a croissant and on our way to his salon, we passed the KITH store on Broadway and Bleecker with a line around the corner, a posse of urban skateboarders and street artists waiting for the doors to open.

New York City is proof of life as one continuous breath.

Back home, I took a nap and then worked on one of my ghostwriting projects before getting ready for girls’ night out.

We bought tickets for World Masquerades Presents at Hudson Terrace and found ourselves in a penthouse lounge overlooking the Intrepid Museum.

Guests were dressed in black tie and masks. I forgot mine at home and improvised with a lace hair tie purchased at Duane Reade. Oh, and the red-noses they sell to raise funds against child poverty.

Jack and Ginger, my drink of choice, served in an old-fashioned lowball glass. Lots of ice. For $17 each. This is one of the reasons I prefer entertaining friends at home. For $17 you can get a magnum of whiskey; enough for a dinner crowd.

One mask

three faces

three lives.

Ah, dinner, if only I had eaten before going out the day might not have felt so long.

Roman Holiday: Getting There

The plane touched down in Rome just after 6AM, an earlier arrival than planned according to the pilots: Una bella giornata a Roma…and it was, once we got past the archaic, queue-less customs counter. The herd of arriving passengers was more of a cattle corral, literally. I wish I had the sense to take a photograph!

Luciano from Leader Car Service met me at the gate, I cannot tell you how grateful I am to Niki for suggesting I schedule a car. It was such a pleasure knowing that once I retrieved my bags from the carousel, I would not have to worry about how to get to my hotel, a daunting task for most travelers. Luciano’s route took us from Fiumicino which is located south of the city, along the Tevere/Tiber river to my hotel (Locarno, via della Penna 22) which is in the northern part of Rome. The route along the Tiber gives me an opportunity to orient myself as we make our way through the city. Fino domenica Luciano, arriverderci.

Where I'll Be Staying — hotel locarno area

I check-in (no hotel room until 2pm) leaving my bags in storage to have breakfast in the salon. The hotel is tastefully designed in historical turn of the century decor, think provincial/renaissance. It almost reminds me of the boutique hotel I stayed on one of my first trips to Paris. The salon is filled with travelers, mostly English-speaking though it’s not that easy to determine which countries. The breakfast buffet includes yogurt and fresh fruit, pane e burro, salami e formaggio, scrambled eggs with sides of meat, and a selection of sweet breads and tarts, juices and milk (including interestingly enough soy). Waiters take orders for caffe, espresso and cappuccino. Refreshed with a full stomach and a body rejuvenated somewhat with caffeine, I set out for my first day in Rome.

Up Next: Via del Corso.