l i b é l u l a

Me fui

2006-02-22T10:42:00.000-05:00

It's official, I'm moving, in fact, I moved out already! I am now hosting this blog at mami delux....I do hope you guys come over and visit.... although I am now blogging in espanich!.

arrivederci...

Ray Barretto dies at 76

2006-02-17T16:53:00.000-05:00

I just read the sad news that Ray Barretto had died earlier on today.... It is very sad to learn about the death of the great musicians I grew up listening to and idolizing.... Pete Rodriguez, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and now Ray Barretto....

tips on how to reduce your phone bill

2006-02-06T11:34:00.000-05:00

Why people are still paying so much money for their national long distance calls does not cease to surprise me. Why people stick to their Verizon service even if they have broadband puzzles me even more….. I guess it’s either they do not feel safe having a phone line that depends on their internet connection or they just do not know how badly they are being ripped off… not only by Verizon but by most phone companies…I mean let’s face it, if you live in NYC and you are terrified of your bill because you just can’t get off the phone to your mum in Jersey, Florida, Boston or wherever she lives, there is something you need to now fast and that is – THERE IS NO NEED TO BE AFRAID OF YOUR PHONE BILL.

Even if your friends and/or family live in Europe you should not be paying more that $30 to $50 dollars a month. If you have broadband at home you will most certainly get a better deal, but if you don’t you should still check other companies like Z-tel and IDT. I know Verizon are offering better rates now but it is always worth checking what the competition has to offer….

Here are the options, I hope you find one that suits you and that you switch immediately - :)

If you use your DSL through Verizon you should check the cost of switching to broadband and using any Voice Over IP as your phone service. If you do your maths you will find that it can be much cheaper.

We live in JC/NJ therefore I do not have much of an option in selecting our Internet provider as Comcast monopolizes the market. If you have more choices you should definitely check out the rates of other cable companies and see which option suits you best …. This can be a complex task because most people get deals out of combining their TV and internet bills. We do not have TV so I cannot be of help here… what I can tell you is which companies provide phone services over the web and then you can decide which works best for you. And yes! all of the following companies allow you to transfer your current number….. anyway, here we go:

Sunrocket: the cheapest service out there IF you enroll for the whole year. Paying $199 a year (including taxes) a total of $17 dollars a month Sunrocket offers: unlimited calling to US, Canada & Puerto Rico, up to 100 free international minutes each month, plus other free features like caller ID, call waiting and 3-way calling, etc.

They also offer a $9.95 (month-including taxes) plan that allows you: 200 minutes a month to anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and 41 International Destinations, unlimited free calls to other SunRocket users, over a dozen built-in calling features, including Caller ID and Call Waiting

The only thing about Sunrocket is that you have to sign a contract for one year minimum and I sometimes feel a bit apprehensive of locking myself into deals….

Vonage: Provide a good service for home and small businesses. For $24.99 a month (plus tax) you get unlimited calls anywhere in the US plus other free features like caller ID, call waiting and 3-way calling, etc.

For small businesses they offer a $49.99 (plus tax) plan that includes all the features of the $24.99 plan plus a fax line. One cool thing about Vonage and VOIP is that you can choose the area code for your new number, and so if you live out of state but your business is located here you can still choose to have a NY number.

Vonage also offers a $14.99 plan that includes all the common features such as call waiting, call forwarding etc, allowing you 500 minutes to call anywhere in the US, Canada & Puerto Rico.

Lingo: If you have family and friends in the UK, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Luxembourg, Vatican City, Norway, Portugal, and Spain Lingo could be the thing for you as their $19.95 plan includes not only unlimited calls to the US, Canada & Puerto Rico but also to all the countries mentioned above.

For $29.95 Lingo offers an unlimited plan to call Mexico, for $34.95 one to call Asia, and for $49.95 unlimited international calls to Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico (Including Mobile), the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Vatican City (?).**Calls to international mobile are not included in any of Lingo’s plan (except when calling Mexico under the $49.95 plan).

I hope you folks find this helpful...and by all means, please let me know if you have found better deals out there....

moving

2006-02-04T20:38:00.000-05:00

I am considering the possibility of moving this blog to wordpress.... I opened our "Films in Van Vorst" official blog there and I liked the way one can categorize each entry... i did not like the way that images or photos are uploaded though...

out of order

2006-02-04T17:48:00.000-05:00

is blogger down??
I have not been able to enter my site or any other blog in the past few days//
what's up?

With a little help from her friends

2006-01-27T15:40:00.000-05:00

I found out this week that a dear friend of mine was facing cancer again. She underwent surgery about a year ago, three months after she gave birth to her first son Leif. My heart goes out to her and I want to do as much as I can to help her raise funds for her treatment.

If you are in or around NYC tomorrow and you feel like some funky live music please join us:

'With a Little Help from My Friends, A benefit for Valentina Akerman's Cancer Treatment'

When: THIS Saturday Jan 28th, 8PM
What: A great night with a big line up of Bands and DJs featuring Artanker Convoy, Blood on the Wall, The Hong Kong, The Jewish, A magical act by Marco the Magician DJs Silkpurse, Reaganomics, Black OPs, Corduroy, JJJ and much more.
Where: Supreme Trading in Williamsburg 213 N. 8th St. 718-599-4224
Who: you and everyone you know to help raise money for Valentina Akerman's cancer treatment

Come out and celebrate LIFE!

pump up the jam!

2006-01-27T11:33:00.000-05:00

bandida 1
Originally uploaded by lovelibelula.

Rosa had her first crawl on Wednesday the 25th. I kept wanting to blog about this but got busy trying sort out "Films in Van Vorst" things... She then proceeded to wiggled her butt to the sounds of her favourite Canticuentos. We also learned that she is pulling herself up by holding on to the bars of her crib and amusing herself with her own reflection in our bedroom mirror… She is growing up so quickly…… ;)

talking about films....

2006-01-24T08:45:00.000-05:00

I did a search on google blogsearch (my new favorite thing) and I found several links to the blogsopt blog of a fellow blogger who attended last year's film series.... I am hyped. (my fellow blogger also called my J "our local hero".. :)

Films in Van Vorst

2006-01-23T09:43:00.000-05:00

We are about to start the fundraising for this year’s summer film series. We need to submit a potential list of films to the city by the end of February so they can publish the event in their Summer Cultural Calendar.

So, here is the deal, how about you people who come and read the blog and never dare post a comment, help me figure out which films we should run….

We have eight screenings planned and the criteria to select them is that they have to be apt for all audiences (no sex, durgs or explicit violence)……. I would love to have a couple of classics, a western, and one kiddies friendly movie….. Please bare in mind that these are free open air film screenings in our community park, therefore the films should appeal to the vast majority of people…. …

My list of potential films goes as follows (it's 6 films too long….)

I. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
II. High Noon (1952)
III. Cabaret (1974)
IV. Raising Arizona (1987)
V. L.A. Confidential (1997) (can’t remember if sex is explicit here??)
VI. All About Eve (1950)
VII. Big Fish (2003)
VIII. The Searchers (1956)
IX. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
X. Rushmore (1998)
XI. Arizona Dream (1993)
XII. The Man Without a Past (2002)
XIII. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
XIV. High and Low (1963)

My BIG list goes as follows:

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
12 Angry Men (1957)
The Third Man (1949)
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
All About Eve (1950)
Touch of Evil (1958)
High Noon (1952)
North by Northwest (1959)
Notti di Cabiria, Le (1957)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
The Magnificent Seven (1969)
The Searchers (1956)
The Apartment (1960)
Bullit (1968)
Johnny Guitar (1954)
Donnie Brasco (1997)
Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
Rear Window (1954)
Cabaret (1974)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Spirited Away (2001)
Barton Fink (1991)
Raising Arizona (1987)
Oh Brother Where Art Thou? (2000)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Jaws (1975)
Blade Runner (1982)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Annie Hall (1977)
Big Fish (2003)
The Straight Story (1999)
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Twelve Monkeys (1995)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Almost Famous (2000)
Lost in Translation (2003)
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Babettes Feast (1987)
Barfly (1987)
The Butcher Boy (1997)
King of Comedy (1983)
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Rushmore (1998)
The way we were (1973)
What’s eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Arizona Dream (1993)
The Man Without a Past (2002)
Raising Victor Vargas (2002)
Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Please do post your choices..
Thanks.

house cleaning

2006-01-21T20:31:00.000-05:00

When I was younger I used to read loads….sooo much more than I do know… I did not have a baby then and I did not have broadband either…... while I read I used to keep a diary where I wrote quotes that I liked, the meaning of new words and/or moments that touched me…. today, while cleaning up, I came across one of those journals and I found a quote that moved me, specially considering how fast my baby is growing….. the quote is from “The Sheltering Sky” - Paul Bowles.

Because we don’t know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that is so deeply part of your being that you can’t conceive your life without it. Perhaps four or five times more, perhaps not even that.
How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.

love actually

2006-01-20T09:06:00.000-05:00

playa, brisa y mar
Originally uploaded by rosa bella coco coffey.

It's official.... my mother has fallen in love with my daughter... I hear them play every morning while I try and get some sleep past 6AM. It melts me to hear them. I wish we had this baby sitter nearer …. She won’t be easily replaced….

Google Blog Search

2006-01-19T08:05:00.000-05:00

Maybe you guys all new about this, but I didn't....I discovered that Google has a new search engine that searches for key words in all blogs……in simpler words: a blog search.

Isn’t that amazing??? I mean, yesterday J told me that The Onion had a headline that read “ Sean Penn wants to know what asshole stole seanpenn@gmail.com” - how could SP not be pissed off....Google is GOD and having your name in gmail is like having a safe place in that heaven.... I use to think Iggy Pop was God.... I was innocent then.

What I owe to 2005 –

2006-01-11T21:29:00.000-05:00

All annual-event-compilations should really be done before the year ends, but we were so busy doing nothing in Naples, Fl that I found myself short of time……I feel however, that summary of the year is a must when one hits 30. I no longer remember when it was that we spent that gorgeous summer in Annecy or which year was it that we met Leslie for the first time. …. so here I am twelve later and for all it’s worth, here goes my list……

Mayor events in 2006 –

In February we sold Bola de Nieve, our 1988 Turbo SPG Saab, that was costing us more money than we could afford. It was truly sad to let Bola go, I do not think that I will ever be able to love a car as much as I loved this one, no matter how many times it broke down on me/us.

I turned thirty in April. 3 + 0, ladies and gentleman t h ir t y = 30. I finally hit the third floor and the elevator just won’t stop!……I had built myself up for getting completely hammered and celebrate the End of my youth in great style….instead I ended up drinking ginger ale, falling asleep in Niamh + Billy’s couch and going to bed at 11.30pm. In fairness though, I owe it to Rosa that I did not wake up the day after feeling old, achy and miserably hung-over.

J finished his masters at Columbia in May.

Our first daughter Rosa was born on June 1st 2005 at 10:42am at St, Vincent's hopsital - Manhattan.

J, Niamh, Tony and I successfully pulled together our first film series in our community park this summer.

Maeve and Derek moved from Donegal to our neighborhood with their two clever kids, Aoife and Anthony.

Leslie moved to Chicago in September. :(

I started blogging in October.

Rosa got her American, Irish and Colombian passports.

Our friend Edgard Cobo died of lung cancer at age 30. This was a very sad moment as he was a dear friend.

J & I spent our first Christmas as parents and as much as I dreaded spending it here in the US, away from family and friends, we had a wonderful time. Actually it was good for us to be alone as a family……on holidays…

I feel well rested and I look forward to going back home (NJ/NY) despite the winter…

2005 was a year full of events, some sad but mostly happy for our family. Rosa is our favorite “bundle of joy” and we look forward to the years ahead of us…

New Year - New Teeth

2006-01-01T19:52:00.000-05:00

I discovered a little white bud in Rosa's mouth that seems to be making its way up her lower gums. How exciting... new year - new set of teeth.

I saw it today for the first time and my mom, who just arrived, saw it too.... What a way to star a year!

Good Morning 2006!

2006-01-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

Rosa is seven months today!

Our year ended in great style…we woke up in sunny Naples and walked down to the beach to do some shell picking, some swimming and some walking….it was so beautiful.. we even got to see two dolphins playing very close to the beach… Rosa was charming everyone ….she is getting bigger too…(and heavier, mind you)….we had a very relaxed and easy day…

We ended up going to bed at 12.09AM, after playing a few hands of Backgammon (I winning every single hand) and drinking champers (aka – champagne). I was so relieved to receive 2006 in my pajamas while everyone else in this building was “dressed for success”. I loved meeting a few of them in the laundry room while they were frantically drying their favorite shirt while I was doing our beach gear. J & I had a great time, we had bid 2006 farewell during our trip to Naples that proved very relaxing…..

We crossed the Everglades on our way in via route 41. I wish I had Conrad’s ability to narrate so that I could do justice to the astonishing landscape. There is something profoundly romantic about swamps and I can’t quite put my finger on it. The alligators were taking the sun on the side of the road while eagles nested on the top of the trees and many other strange birds hid inside the mangroves watching the cars go by. I was temped to take an air boat tour (and I think I will actually go back and get it) but we were eager to arrive as Rosa was getting impatient in the back seat.

I think I will never forget where I was in 2005. I turned 30 and I had a baby. This has been one of our most beautiful years but also one of the toughest – I am looking forward to 2006 !

cheeks at the beach

2005-12-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

cachetes en la playa 2
Originally uploaded by rosa bella coco coffey.

We are down in sunny FL enjoying the nicer weather and not missing NJ/NYC a bit. In fact, I am dreading having to go back and face inhuman temperatures of below 60 degrees F. As I recently told a friend (who has it much worse winter wise since he lives in Romania (god love him)) winter in NYC “is very cold for this southern beau who dreams of sand, beaches, lakes, rivers, swimming togs and flip flops”.

My brother's building has a swimming pool overlooking the bay and just a few blocks away from the beach. We hang out there on the afternoons and enjoy the sun and the view.

I must admit that I missed NY for a split of a second once and that was when I went to buy papaya at “Wild Oats”, South Beach’s version of Whole Foods, and I heard Dean Martin’s voice singing “Let it snow”. The Christmas feeling is just so much nicer over there; the snowmen and the Santas look out of place here while they look so at home in New York……here one could never have “chestnuts roasting on an open fire”……. I missed NY then, but as I stepped outside the store, wearing my flip flops and my swim suit underneath (mind you, everyone here is wearing winter boots???) I realized that if I have to face 6 months of cold I should really be dreaming of a warm Christmas….. and that is exactly what I am doing!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

J's X-mas present

2005-12-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

isn't it beautiful?!!!!..... I love this designer

santa maeve

2005-12-21T11:38:00.000-05:00

santa maeve
Originally uploaded by lovelibelula.

This picture does not do justice to the beauty of the butterflies mobile that my friend and neighbour Maeve gave me for X-mas. It's sooooooo beautiful. I adore it... the butterflies are so delicate... they have glitter on their wings and everything. I am so happy. I can't wait to hang it... I will wait however until we know whether or not we will be staying at this flat for longer than a couple of months. This incertitude is (quite literally) driving me insane! …specially considering that I want to hang all the nice things that Santa had in store for me this year….

I forgot to mention that J gave me a beautiful lamp for Christmas…. I guess in the same lines of the mobile butterflies….

Anyway there are so many things I want to blog about but haven’t had a second to spare…I hope to make more time in the next couple of days.

For those of you stuck in NY winter, try and stay warm. For those of you stuck in a worse winter – god love you.

easy music

2005-12-12T23:27:00.000-05:00

My friend Toto was playing here on sunday evening. Click on "escuchar (mp3 stream 64kbps)". Truly del.icio.us. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Thanks Toto. We love you.

hardrive beeping sound

2005-12-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

My computer is beeping. On and off my hardrive has been emitting an awful, nerve wrecking beeeeeeeeep.

My apple warranty expired a month ago. Tekserve suggested, very sensibly that I do backups as often as I could and I have been good at doing them every week, but it seems inevitable: my Mac is about to die.

It saddens me more than anything. I am ready for a new computer, although most likely I will inherit J’s G4 and he will get the G5. The G4 was mine to begin with and then, I do not know how, he convinced me to swap him for his G3. I have learned to love my slightly shabby little Mac though. “Mac and me” have become really close. My guess is that is just a matter of weeks….

:(

Maybe I will start a new year with a new computer…. I’ll wait and see what Santa has in for me this X-mas.

river, river have mercy

2005-12-09T09:11:00.000-05:00

Song of the week; Lorelei – The Pogues. I could not love it more if my life depended on it. I am driving J insane because I (following my compulsive and obsessive nature) have not stopped playing it since last night, when I re-discovered it.

So many people have trashed their “Peace & Love” album. I couldn’t care less. I love Shane MacGowan, I love The Pogues and I love Lorelei.

I googled the lyrics and plan on learning them and teach them to Rosa. That way we both can eventually drive daddy mad.

River, river have mercy
Take me down to the sea.....

girls just wanna have fun.

2005-12-07T22:23:00.000-05:00

Ok. So J passed on to me these two great links. One will make you laugh like mad, the other one will make you wonder how it could ever get done.

I am certain that anyone in their right mind will enjoy both sites.

Please click here for a great laugh and click here for a fun interactive experience.

Enjoy!

knitting factory

2005-12-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

I am very excited about the gem that I managed to accquire today. Last time I tried to get my hands on a copy I was too late. I often read Jess Hutch's blog and I enjoy it as much as I enjoy her knitted friends.
I can't wait ....

for the love of film

2005-12-06T21:53:00.000-05:00

all film lovers M U S T click here

The Joys of being a DaD!

2005-12-06T20:08:00.000-05:00

While I read mommy blogs, J loves his daddy blogs. I have read daddy types a couple of times and I find him hilarious, I love his taste and on many occasions we have found his blog very useful. For example his Guide to Men's Rooms With Changing Tables has saved J’s life on more than one occasion.

Other blogs that he recommends are Metro Dad and DadCentric.

Enjoy!…. and pass them on to papa!

The Mothers Movement

2005-12-04T19:25:00.000-05:00

When you become pregnant, and it still baffles me how marketers know that you are expecting a baby, you start getting all kinds of baby advertisement in your mail. You also receive many magazines and you think, “great, I can get informed about key parenting issues for free”, ha! it doesn’t take one long to realize that these magazines serve only one purpose: sell you baby stuff.

I receive two free magazines in the mail, American Baby and Parenting. Neither one is particularly good, although I have to say I have read a couple of good articles in the American Baby magazine, while the other one is merely an advertising vehicle for the toy industry. I have received four issues of Parenting so far and every single one of them contains a list of the best 10-100 toys of the month…..toys and countless more stuff that you simply NEED to have (or so the say) in order to keep your baby safe from your hazardous home environment and toys you NEED to buy otherwise you would be depriving your child of the stimulation they need to become the next Eisenstein.

I was delighted when I came across, The Mothers Movement Online magazine. It’s highly politicized and is also a particularly good resource for women who are tuned into the politics of being a mother. The MMO’s main focus is to serve as an “open source for information about social, cultural, economic and political issues that impact the well-being of mothers” and to “promote economic and social justice for mothers and others who do the caring work of our society”.

Being a mom changes your life not just your grocery shopping list. The MMO promotes a healthy discussion about the influence of social, economic and cultural conditions on mothers’ daily lives. Some of the articles featured are: Brown people: Parenting, racism and the politics of elementary school , Telling it like it is; Rewriting the "opting out" narrative and Motherhood made me do it! Or, how I became an activist. There seems to have been an article about the father’s rights movement (which I have not read so far) that caused uproar among several fathers and activists. Generally speaking the articles I have read so far seem to have been written by women who are very centered and, who to my view, have good politics.

If you are interested in similar issues I suggest you check out their website.

say cheez!!

2005-12-03T22:20:00.000-05:00

Simon send this mug in the mail the other day. We got such a kick out of it. It's one of those things that will increase in value as the years go by. For the time being its holding my quilting pins. I've got hundreds of them. I intend to finish my mom's quilt before we head down to FL next week. :)

cookie moulds

2005-12-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

cookie moulds
Originally uploaded by lovelibelula.

I can't wait to give these to my niece Emily.... I wish I was going to see her over Christmas... I wish we could have a cookie making session in Avonbeg... maybe next year...?

Thomas Paul - Victorian plates

2005-12-02T20:13:00.000-05:00

Thomas Paul - Victorian plates
Originally uploaded by lovelibelula.

I am not certain how I came across Thomas Paul, but it must have been at design*sponge. In any case, ever since I saw these plates I have not stopped thinking about them. Funnily enough I grew up staring at a wall of hanging plates that I swore never to reproduce. Every single aunt has one infamous wall that contains plates from all over the world, some are nice, some are hideous but there are also a few lucky exceptions…. what’s even funnier is that I married a man whose aunts also have walls full of plates…. Yet, no matter how much I am used to seeing them I cannot get used to the concept…. That is, until I saw these plates….. I love them, but they could be too nice to eat in them….what are the options?

lists mania

2005-12-02T12:25:00.000-05:00

I mentioned earlier that I have a thing for lists.... well, among the things that I like to write on lists are things I wish for.... I also mentioned in the previous posting that I was thinking of keeping a wish list in my blog - or a list of things I can't get of my mind.....kind of what One Good Bumblebeehas in her own blog....

Well I have added two lists to my links section - one of things that I obsess about for myself and another containing a list of things that I obsess about for Rosa....

I am happy... this is a good way to share things that you love or things you find cool.

;)

ps. this is not necessarily a list of things I want to own.... but I list of things I find fun, cool, wonderful, to expensive to buy, adorable, funky, handy, exquisite...... and yes, some of them I would love to have....... hey.. making lists cost nothing!

hanging out

2005-12-01T15:18:00.000-05:00

hanging out
Originally uploaded by lovelibelula.

When I was pregnant I saw the pink hippo in the window of one of my favourite kid’s stores in NYC = Estella located on 13St and 6 Ave… very near St. Vincent’s Hospital, where my Rosie was born. Anyway, I saw this pink hippo and I fell in love with it. I did not succumb into buying it immediately though, but every time I walked past that shop (I was working near there then and walked by it very often, in fact, too often for my own pocket’s sake) I would look at him/her (haven’t decided on its gender yet) and melt.

I could not resist for very long and one good day I finally I gave in and swiped my already abused card. “I’ll get some miles out of it anyway” I thought to myself as I walked back home thinking where on earth was I going to hide the stuffed pink hippo from J who would most certainly give out to me for spending the money we do not have in things we do not need. I must admit, despite knowing that the stuffed hippo was not an indispensable item, I did not feel very guilty.

I ended up confessing my crime to J, who looked at me (and my bulging belly) and smiled benignly. Ooops I did it again…. I got away with being bold, yeah yeah yeah…

Long story short, seven months later, Simon and Sam come over to visit and they bring Rosa a present. Wrapped in a Estella paper bag came another pink hippo. I admitted to them that I had succumbed into buying such adorable creature earlier this year, but that I had recently walked by the store and saw that they had other adorable creatures that I thought Rosa might like, meaning, other stuff I loved.

So I went in and exchanged my second pink hippo for the jungle monkey. They share a prominent space in Rosa’s drawer, waiting to come out and occupy a prominent place in Rosa’s room, that is, whenever we can afford to move to a bigger apt where she can have her own bedroom.

When I went to exchange the pink hippo I fell madly in love with this cute print. J called it “The Toy’s Getaway”, which made it even more adorable to my eyes. I want it so badly I am considering returning the jungle monkey and use the credit to buy the print. The problem is, I am already in love with the jungle monkey…..

Huge dilemma…

Maybe I will make a column titled “current obsessions” – similar to what One Good Bumblebeehas in her blog… and maybe Santa would get me the print for X-mas….

a girl's survival guide to winter

2005-12-01T01:04:00.000-05:00

a girl's survival guide to winter
Originally uploaded by lovelibelula.

Sunday I went out shopping with Niamh... it was a great relief to be able to do girly things again.... being a mum can take the girl in you away from you.... but time alone with Niamh (while J and Rosa spent the day at MoMa) proved a success...

First we went to Veselka where I introduced Niamh to one of my favourite winter treats: Ukrainian Borscht. Veselka's Borscht is particularly good. We had double portions accompanied by Ukrainian beer and meatballs… yum, yum!. After we made ourselves fat, shopping for clothes was postponed and we embarked ourselves in the quest of finding a great hat for each other.

You see….. years of winter experience has lead me to believe that a funky hat and pair of fine boots is all a girl really needs to face the harsh winter months …. My eyes have not caught a glimpse of that fine pair that will keep my spirits high in the months to come..…. yet, I will not despair, for I believe there is a pair of red boots awaiting for me to come and get them……On the hat front however, we got lucky !

The postman arrived on Monday with a package for Rosa…. Her godmother sent her the cutest hat and a note that read “Dearest Rosa, Stay warm and adorable and fashionable, all at the same time. Love, aunt Leslie”. Now, isn’t that just perfect timing?

Christmas cactus

2005-11-27T22:43:00.000-05:00

It seems that christmas is upon us.... our christmas cactus is blooming beautifully....

quilting....

2005-11-26T21:51:00.000-05:00

I went quilting today to The City Quilter and had a great time.... I met a very nice woman who is working on a quilt for her son... a gorgeous quilt that has little sheep, cows, horses and a barn... so cute... she wants to start a quilting club in her house in Brooklyn. I am all on for that.... as soon as I sort out what to do with Rosa when I want time off for myself. I also need to start working on Libélula or it is never going to take off.....

I guess for the time being I should be glad that I had a couple of hours for myself and that I could get loads done on my quilt. I am planning on giving it to my mom for Christmas.... let's see how far I get.....

Thanksgiving

2005-11-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

This year Thanksgiving seemed to have arrived sooner than expected. No snow this year… no piercing cold, at least not in NYC.

We went to visit J's cousins up in Rye and it was great fun. Rosa had a great time in the company of all her little cousins… I took some cute pictures… It was great being in a house, a grown-up house with a proper living room, a proper kitchen, and even a guest bedroom…. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever have those things…. I am certainly not ready for the suburbs, not that I think I will ever be, but I am certainly ready to trade our futon for a nice proper couch and I am most certainly ready for a full wham-bam-thank-you-mam-of-a-dishwasher!

Anyway, the turkey was great and the stuffing was even better. Yum! I did not overeat though. I have been very good. I need to get rid of the post-pregnancy-pounds, I desperately need to fit back in my jeans. There is no way I can survive this winter without them and there is no way I am going to go on wearing the pregnancy ones…. Oh lord!

away...

2005-11-21T20:46:00.000-05:00

I have been away for quite a while I know. I was sick. Very sick and very busy trying to finish a quilt that I want to give to my mum for Christmas. I feel much better now, but after I put Rosa to bed I feel knackered, I have no brains left to attempt to write anything, therefore I prefer to sit down and sew while watching our latest TV show on Netflix……these days it’s either Survivor or The L Word….

when you are a mom

2005-11-12T22:14:00.000-05:00

other mom's check you out. ...

it's actually David Bowie signing "when you are a boy" ... but it applies to motherhood so well. I have exchanged several knowing glances with a few mommies already. Surprisingly though, I have noticed that some of these glances are not that friendly....

These glances can mean a couple of things... I can identify the following:
wow, cute baby
cool sling
i like your boots
hmmm...she hasn't lost the weight...
mami or sitter?
cute daddy (although I am not the one being "checked out" in this case)
i wonder how old her baby is?

what exactly is it that we are looking for in other women carrying around their precious bundles in their buggies or their baby carriers, I have yet to determine... in any case mommies are on the look!

heading south

2005-11-11T08:43:00.000-05:00

The idea of spending christmas here was killing me. I cannot imagine us three, encerrados, in our apartment, freezing to death with no christmas tree to decorate.....Miami is still not ideal, but infinately much better than the idea or ordering from Bubby's and fighting with the boiler.

I am thrilled. FL.. here we come!

lunch with the ladies

2005-11-08T11:14:00.000-05:00

So I finally gave in to the idea of befriending other mommies in the community. At first, it seemed a bit fake, I mean, the whole idea of making friends with someone with whom the only thing you have in common is being a new and lonely mom... that's how I felt until last week when I bumped into a couple of them in the park... I had previously shared jolly chats with a couple of them while we were still wobbling and getting loads of sleep.

We went out for lunch at Beechwood and it was great fun. I was a bit disappointed at how unaccommodating some restaurants and personnel can be when they see a group of mommies coming in with their strollers. Anyway, my Rosa behaved like a darling, no tears, no cranky mood, all smiles…all the babies behaved well, some cried a little, but I realized that mothers are the only ones who think their babies are being loud. One of them was mortified when her ‘bundle of joy’ erupted in cries…. she thought he was being too loud… we could barely hear him, he blended in with the music and the other restaurant sounds ….

It was fun. I learned that I had more things in common with these fine ladies than I thought I did. Sometimes I wonder if I was to move back to Dublin or Bogotá, if I would find an environment as conducive as this one for to this kind of activities… I am happy we got together.

banana popo

2005-11-06T21:26:00.000-05:00

Rosa comio banano por primera vez el Miercoles. No le gusto mucho, me toco combinarselo con el cereal de arroz al que ya le tiene el tirito y le encanta... La gorda acabo con el menjurge, banano y todo..

Pero a la hora de cambiarle el panal, oh sorpresa! funky poop! de todos los olores y colores.. me toco consultar en urban baby y todo...

No se donde lei que una artista/mama inglesa en los setentas.. guardo los panales sucios de su hija, y los enmarco luego de disectar el popo e identificar los trozos de comida..... mi fascinacion con el popo de Rosa es algo similar. Queria poner una foto aqui de el susodicho panal, pero, me dio cagada.

Igual, creo que voy a guardar un archivo.

tap your shoes twice..

2005-11-06T21:23:00.000-05:00

I can't help it. I love buying for Rosa.... yesterday I found this adorable pair of shoes and I could not resist. I can't wait to see her in them. :)

l i b e l u l a shopping

2005-11-04T20:03:00.000-05:00

A girl I know from Cali, owns a beautiful baby store called Yoya they remodeled it recently and it is looking amazing…. I went there to get some funky clothes for R and ended up buying stuff for my self at their other store; Yoyamart. I got this beautiful libélula by Tord Boontje . I love it. I am soo happy I found it….pura coincidencia..

these are a few of my favourite things....

2005-11-03T16:25:00.000-05:00

I LOVE making lists... I love making lists of films I like, books I enjoy, things I want to make, places I want to go to, things I want to buy when we are rich, etc..

I am about to start a list on my favourite films for (and as a) kid(s), and of my favourite children's books and illustrators....I am in "all about Rosa" mode... :)

Films - in no particular order-

The Dark Crystal
Time Bandits
Labyrinth
The Wizard of Oz
Star Wars
All of Miyazaki - My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke
Pixar - Monsters, The Incredibles (Toy Story - not so much..)
A Nightmare Before Christmas
Legend and Willow - yes, I am a sucker for the medieval-feeling-kind-of-stories... hence I am Lord of the Rings - fan without a doubt.

.... there are a many others.... however it is now 11pm, just finished the "Survivor All Star" season in DVD, and I need to get some sleep... i will add to this list in the days, months and years to come... hopefully others will add their favourites too....

round about

2005-11-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

I am still 20 pounds overweight. Not funny. I guess sitting in your couch nursing does no good to one's bottom. I am trying very hard though, I just came back from karate and I feel great.
Rosa sleeps, I am getting ready to pump and for more Survivor...

it's gonna be a late night....

I LovE NYPL

2005-11-02T10:15:00.000-05:00

If I was to ever leave NY, I think that what I would miss the most would be the NY Public Library. Never have I experienced such an amazing service. If I had money to donate I would definitely give it to NYPL. They have a wonderful collection. Their online service is impeccable. I simply love NYPL.

surviving

2005-11-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that we are most certainly hooked to "Survivor". We joined Netlfix when I got pregnant and we embarked ourselves on the mission of watching all the good (and the bad) TV we had missed. First, we wolfed 38+ hours of the history of the second world war in a fascinating documentary called - "The World at War". From then on it was downhill.
So far we have seen, -

24 season 3 - brilliant.
24 season 1 - ok.
24 season 2. great stuff.

The Sopranos - can't remember which seasons... although I absolutely LOVE Gandolfini (his son goes to my karate academy !! :) ) I got tired of the violence and decided to give it a break.

Lost - wow!.....If you think about it, Lost is not that amazing .... however they sure now how to end an episode and leave you breathless.... specially the one that ends the 1 season... I can't wait to get my hands on the 2 season's set of DVD's.

Arrested Development - This is the best comedy I have seen in years... absolutely fantastic... so un-pc.... don’t even get me started... Buster is my favourite, but then Tobias….... oh my... what a treat!

Six Feet Under - I love Ruth and David, Nate depresses the hell out of me and Claire is annoying, yet I have enjoyed every single episode... I am waiting for the last season to become available on DVD.

The L Word - I really liked it…... The women are amazing. great characters... i think my favourite moment was when Kelly Lynch sang “I’m your man” to Pam Grier…

Entourage – only saw the first season and hated it.

Ohhh I almost forgot about The Office.. .. it made me cringe the whole way…. This is also an amazing piece of comedy.. the British version, or course….if you haven’t.. you MUST.

I am sure I am forgetting something…
Anyway..
It’s down to Survivor..
So far....Borneo and Survivor All Stars..
We love it.. so vile.. it pisses me off however that the coolest people get voted out first and we are left watching the rest….In Borneo Gretchen got dumped and my game ended there and then… In Panama.. when Ethan, Kate and Lex were duped I lost interest in the game… I have not yet seen the end, I am hoping Rupert wins…

So, that’s all for today folks.. the postman did not bring any Netflix today... so I am off to bed early...

rosa duerme

2005-10-31T14:28:00.000-05:00

tener un compu enfermo es la mierda!
eso de compartir tiempo en una maquina con un marido igual de adicto al internet que uno es mal negocio.

J duerme...
tengo tiempo pa' mi..
tanto que hacer..
lavar platos.
lavar ropa
limpiar cocina
recoger mugre
terminarle el disfraz a mi rosa
buscar trabajo
....
....
....
mejor sigo navegando.... a ver que encuentro hoy...

el website del momento es uno de una ilustradora colombiana amiga de Marce... super bonito... como un recuerdo de infancia con sabor a sentimiento de globo reventado.. se llama Maria Isabel Arango ...tambien me encontre un site de unos juguetes japoneses que me tienen mas antojada.....

noche de brujas

2005-10-31T10:02:00.000-05:00

...although not that many witches to be seen yesterday around the neighbourhood.....finally managed to stick some ears on one of Rosa's hats.... a she yoda! we would like to think... and in fairness people seemed to have got it. Anthony and Aoifa as Flash and The Human Torch and this adorable little Dorothy.

During my college years Halloween provided the wildest of parties.... parenthood promises a lot of candy....

Halloween

2005-10-31T08:38:00.000-05:00

Se llego el Halloween y heme aqui considerando la posibilidad de pegarle par orejas a uno de los gorros de la rosa....

vamos a ver como me quedan....

the einstein dilemma

2005-10-27T20:04:00.000-04:00

To buy or not to buy the baby einstein DVD's. Huge dilemma. ;)
Never actually seen one of them. They sound like the cast a spell on babies, allowing mommies a little bit of quiet time. I wonder.... urban baby responses can be so radical ......I tried getting one out of the NYPL, but there are no DVD copies available yet....I don't know.... there is something not quite right about sitting a baby in front of the tv......deliberately.
Having said that, The Muppets and Sesame Street are among my fondest memories of childhood, and I don't remeber being indoors that often. Specially because where I come from winter does not happen.
If I decide to buy or borrow one I will cvertainly post my impressions....

flu

2005-10-27T19:57:00.000-04:00

I think I am coming down with a cold.
I think no- I AM.
pucha!
espero que no se le pegue a Rose.

pretty in pink

2005-10-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

ehh.. not quite..

We are officially tired of pink clothes...
Please, Rosa is a girl but she is allowed to wear blue, and green and yellow.. even purple for a change, please!

It is very, very generous of all of you to send us presents, five months later, but she looks so pretty in brown...and dark green.. just like her da'.

strolling away....

2005-10-25T16:43:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine sent me a fun article on strollers today. Daddies would most certainly enjoy it.

Thanks Simon!

living in spanglish

2005-10-25T14:44:00.000-04:00

Even though I have not made an entry since I joined, I have not stopped thinking about “blogging”, it's meaning, intention and possibilities. However, an important matter remains unsolved in my head, and that is whether to write in español or en ingles. I guess my head is set to “English” mode, yet, cuando empiezo a escribir, Spanish pops up in the middle of my sentences interrupting my thoughts. Some things simply sound better in Spanish, the same way that others sound better in English. En español, for example, there ain’t no word for cool, nor does the word poder seem as powerful as PoWer! En ingles, words do not have gender; although this may seem like a matter de ninguna trascendencia for those who do not appreciate the fun in bending the gender in words.

Anyway, my point here is not to talk about what cannot be translated, but rather to point out why Spanish gets leaked into this blurb. I feel for our dear daughter, now 4 months old, who will be brought up listening to sentences such as: Amor, can you please get me un vaso de agua from la nevera, porfa?

I wonder if this will:
A) help her to understand the complexities of language better
B) help her appreciate both her parents different cultures
or
C) will only slow down her “learning to talk” process.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that I can’t seem to function exclusively in one language. Nevera and congelador seem much more straightforward to me than fridge and freezer, which I never seem to get right and drives dear husband crazy.

There are however, some attempts to incorporate English words into Spanish. Note how I use the word incorporate as opposed to translate. The result: simply hilarious.

Beef Steak = bisté
wire = guaya
watching man = guachiman
wipe(y) = guaipe
leaking = liquiando
freezing = frizando

Please feel free to add to the list.

hanging out

2005-10-22T22:38:00.000-04:00

i love hanging out with J & Rosa. This pic was taken on our way to the consulate. Rosa holds three different passports. Increible, pero cierto. Aqui estamos enfrente de la casa de Niamh & Billy on Mercer St.

my first input

2005-10-22T22:26:00.000-04:00

Saturday. Raining. Dull day. Cozier indoors. Rosa duerme.