GASP!

While I have time to actually take a breath between working full time, taking 8 credits of college courses, physical therapy and regular mundane duties, I thought I'd attempt to update you all on the wonderful visit we had from my sister and her husband of just over a year, Steve.

The Bakers came out on Thursday, 9/20. On Tuesday, 9/18, I was sick in bed. My ankle was (still is) inflamed/irritated. And I was worried I wouldn't be able to show them a good time. However, between the three broadway shows they saw (including 2 with Scott and I), the late show with David Letterman (they saw Paris Hilton), walks through Central Park, seeing Sarah Jessica Parker on the street, visiting Yankee Stadium, shopping at Loehmann's, Century 21 and in Soho, a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island....I think they found enough to keep them busy and I kept up Thursday-Saturday afternoon until my studies called and I had to review my notes for a Microbiology quiz (whose ass I kicked.) Here are some pics of the highlights of a very memorable trip!

My brother-in-law, Steve, having his first slice of New York pizza at Koronet's

Erin and Steve in Time Square

Erin and Steve at Phantom, the first night they arrived.

Scott and I at Phantom (which was amazing btw. I cried.) Apparently we are Broadway veterans and don't feel the need to dress up (and I can only wear tennis shoes anyways).

We had a problem with the air mattress pump and only got it blown up this much before it died....Steve didn't seem to mind and yes, he actually slept on it like that. What a trooper.

Erin and I eating our Pax breakfast in the subway station (not super pleasant) and naturally I dripped breakfast wrap juice all over myself. Awesome.

This is what Ground Zero currently looks like.

Steve has become a mini-Alex (that's my photographer father for those of you who don't know) since he's been living in the Bachnick household. Not too shabby! This is on the ferry ride to the statue of liberty.

Such cute tourists aren't they?

I swear they took me along just to take pictures of them....jk :)

We made it to Ellis Island and tried to look up my grandpa Joseph Maderak, but there was no record of him. Think he spelled his name different when he came from Poland and we didn't have time to find out in our rush to get back for another show!!

Umm...some guy was randomly dressed up as Spider Man in Battery Park when we were leaving and Erin and Steve got quite the kick out of him. He took his picture with both of them (but requested a "tip"). I think I see enough weirdos in New York so didn't really want my photo with him.

Spider Man really liked my sister. I think he thought she was Mary Jane.

Erin and I before dinner at Cafe du Soleil and XANADU!!! Notice I'm still wearing tennis shoes. BOOOO.

Scott and I in Time Square before Xanadu. We actually have never had our pic taken in Time Square so it's kind of a nice pic to have!

Scott and I holding up 2 fingers to symbolize our second time seeing Xanadu. We sat on stage and it was AMAZING!! BEST SHOW EVER! (Except for the actress who hit on Steve, Scott and Erin. I felt a little left out. Must have been the tennis shoes.)

Realizing we didn't have a picture of all 4 of us, we decided to take one ourselves on the train. I'm wearing a tube top people. I'm not topess. Come on.

Steve and Scott bonding at Ginger's (this great, cheap Chinese resturant at 38th and 7th). How cute. :)

So we actually did get a picture of the 4 of us at Gingers but Scott and I looked cuter in the one where I look like I'm topless.

Erin was very proud that she found New Yorkers who were nice (because I had complained about the not niceness of some NYers). This is one of those nice New Yorkers, Jimmy who is a manager at Apple Jacks Diner (a place Scott and I frequent when we're in Time Square because its all we can afford. And its not too shabby.) Jimmy was quite interested in Steve and Erin's suburban life. He lives in Queens.

What a trip right? More photos at this photo gallery my dad made for Erin. Check them out if you need some amusement. Happy Wednesday.

Oh dear...

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was at Columbia today while Scott was there and made this intelligent comment. Scott didn't see him speak but said security was UNREAL and he had a hard time getting OFF campus. There were lots and lots of protesters (Israeli groups, etc). Scott says they should protest Columbia's president for not having any liberal speakers in quite a while...Good article by New York Times.

Jukebox The Ghost!

Jukebox the Ghost (below)

Ok everyone, I am aware I've been a sucky blogger lately. However, working full time and putting in overtime plus taking 8 credits at school (of science classes for God's sake) is kind of putting me over the edge! In fact, I stayed home Tuesday due to a nasty cold I developed (that I probably/possibly got from my friend Julia but I'll forgive her because she's fun and because its probably my fault that I've comprimised my immune system with all of this stress and activity. Awesome)

I've actually been wanting to blog all week about Julia's brother's band, Jukebox the Ghost, who Scott and I saw play last Friday at Piano's in the East Village (check out the map at the bottom of the blog people). Hopefully even those of you who don't MySpace can see that link because they are fantastic and super fun to see in concert. Very charistmatic and their creativity is abound in their shows! (Did I use abound in the right context??) They're playing tomorrow night at Piano's again if anyone is interested in going. I highly recommend them and think they could go far!! Lots of talent. (By the way, I hope you guys don't mind I stole a picture from your website...its for your benefit really...I swear!)

Maybe Perez Hilton should post something about them as when he posts artists, they seem to become HUGE over night....and it would give him something to blog about besides Britney Spears who we're all aware at this point is a train wreck and at first it was entertaining but now its just getting depressing to watch. Notice in this picture she is snapping...as if that could make up for her horrible lack of effort and awareness of choreography at the VMAs. Oh sigh.

In other news, Jamie and Steve Held (the Jamie formerly known as Flaherty) were in NY last weekend and treated Scott and I to a delicious brunch at Cafe du Soleil, despite the fact that Steve's eggs benedict took a mysterious hour to cook....it must have been an extra special eggs benedict. Also, my sis and Steve are FINALLY coming to the city today! Both of them are New York virgins so it will be an exciting trip. Lets just hope my stupid (inflamed?) ankle holds up its end of the deal and I can go places with them. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! I know I will with good company and another showing of Xanadu! Much love all. :) LB

p.s. Brit Brit picture courtesey of some other site that probably stole it from another site...does that count as citing my source?

p.p.s. Is it just me or is this BR model compeltely disgusting?

New York Happenings: Volume 14 (Quite frankly, I don't know how to write that in roman numerals)

Dearest friends and family,

The summer has come and gone and I am just about ready for that due to the fact that I have not worn sandals once this summer due to my stupid ankle except for at Jackie Harris's wedding in which I wore them for about an hour and then switched into the boot. Let's hope the fall brings cool weather, closed toe shoes and healed ankles.

For anyone still interested in my ankle news after all this time, here's the latest: I finally threw in the towel and gave up on my podiatrist who had given me 2 cortisol injections. While these helped, I knew they weren't addressing the problem as my ankle is still weak and I still have pain radiating up my leg and in my knee sometimes. Awesome. I needed to find someone who wouldn't dance around my constant sources of frustration with a needle full of drugs but would grab me by the ankle and say, "Look, your ligaments don't support your body in general, so having an injury on top of loose ligaments is taking all them ore time to heal." Which is exactly what my NEWEST podiatrist, Dr. Louis Galli told me. I was referred to him after I wrote my primary care doctor (only MD I trust in NY) to tell her of my frustrations and ask her advise. 3 months of sprained ankleness is just ridiculous. Dr. Galli is a foot and ankle specialist and works in dance medicine so he works with people with my loose ligament problem all the time. Good news is, I trust him. bad news is, more physical therapy which means more money which I don't really have. But it's worth it. I am starting with a new physical therapist on Wednesday who works with dancers and "knows about my kind of injury." I'll keep you updated. Month 4 of the ankle injury saga continues...

In other news, I have started class again and remember why I didn't like science classes to begin with: I HATE LABS. Honestly, lecture me all you want. Make me do the lab but explain it to me one on one without dozens of other people standing in front of me trying to see what you're doing. And for God's sake, give me a chair (my chemistry lab which is almost 3 hours does not have chairs in it..awesome for injured ankle girl.) BUT I am enjoying microbiology...can't say the same for Chemistry which is every Sunday from 9-3. I feel like i should be getting paid for being somewhere that long if I'm not enjoying myself. But I will push on!

I have also had 3 celebrity sitings since we last spoke..or should I say in the last week. The most exciting of which was Chris Noth (Mr. Big from Sex and the City) who was at the Bronx VA filming Law and Order Criminal Intent last week and who stopped to speak with my two coworkers and I even though they were invasively holding up camera phones and snapping his pick. I"m convinced he thought we were cute. For more info and pics, see the blog. I also saw the back of Dustin Hoffman's head (not too exciting) at 65th and Central Park West. And Scott and I saw Montel Williams (of talk show glory) walking out of AMC Loew's theater at 42nd and 8th on Saturday on our way to a play. He looked scruffy, but good.

Bizzaro land (aka New York City) has continued to fascinate me this month, especially this past weekend when I was standing at the corner of 95th and Broadway waiting for my friend Julia who was actually coming up 96th towards broadway but that's a whole other story. I noticed an older guy, 50s or 60s, walking a large poodle with a camera around his neck talking to 2 other guys. I basically just thought it was strange that some grey haired man with semi long hair was walking a poodle with a camera around his neck. This is why it stood out. My mind wandered else where until I saw the guy rushing back across 95th street, to the middle of the street and I looked over to see his poodle waiting patiently for him on the sidewalk. The guy picked up his camera as to take a picture of the poodle (so I thought) but then I realized he was taking a picture of little old me. I kind of tried to ignore this but it was hard when he came back, picked up the leash to his large poodle and snapped another picture of me standing there with a bewildered look on my face. The only explanation for this is that he thought I was Anna Paquin (or that is my conceded and hopeful explanation). Otherwise, I don't get it. I wasn't even looking cute. It was too hot. I had been sweating all day and I've been wearing tennis shoes for the past 3 months and just feel I can't look cute until the days I can don flats again.

So there you have it folks. August/September in the city. Looking forward to a visit from Jamie and Steve Held this weekend followed by a visit from Erin and Steve the next weekend. Can't wait to show them my little town. Happy September. Stay cool. Protect those ankles. Love, Lauren

p.s. Blog subscriptions are still available..and in fact will be available as long as I am writing the blog..but continue to email me if you'd like to subscribe and I'll set it all up. :)

Mr. Big is nice....

WOW! So they are filming Law and Order Criminal Intent at the VA today which is not novel because they did it once last winter too. HOWEVER, my friend Julia works on the 4th floor where they're filming and she invited me up to see the "Pediatric Ward" which doesnt exist in the VA but they've put up decorations to make it look like it does for the show. So I get Amelia to come with me and we hear from a production assistant that Chris Noth is on set today and the actors are coming up in 5-10 minutes!!! So obviously we have to text Amy to get her up for the action.

We waited a good 15-20 minutes total and it paid off! We got to see the VERY attractive Chris Noth in person and he even talked to us (as they were taking his picture with camera phones). He was very friendly and we are all STAR STRUCK!!! By the way, for those of you crazies who don't know who Chris Noth is, think "Mr. Big" from Sex and the City. Hot.