September 18, 2014: People's Climate Change, New York City

Today, Sunday September 21, 2014 in New York City was the People's Climate March calling on the leaders of the world to do something real about climate change.

Of course I participated.

Organizers were hoping I’d be one of 100,000.

Turns out, I was one of an estimated 310,000.

It was quite an experience.

Most memorable moments:

• Being at the front of the march (as a spectator) when it stepped off at 11:30 am. Lots of cheering. Lots of excitement.
• Winding my way with thousands of others up Central Park West, looking for a place we could slip into the crowd.
• Standing at 68th Street for over an hour not moving. Knowing the march had started, and knowing that if we weren’t moving yet, this march was massive.
• The moment of silent followed by the “Sound the Alarm”. At 12:58 all noise in the crowd stopped and people just raised their hands into the air. It was in honor of all those that had already lost their lives due to the effects of climate change. Then, from uptown, we could hear it. This cacophony. It hadn’t reached us yet but it was coming. Getting closer. Getting louder. Then it overtook us and we were in it and we yell and screamed and I blew my whistle and it gave me chills. Massive chills.
• The chants of “Show me what democracy looks like!” “This is what democracy looks like!”
• Passing a group of people in Central Park holding an Earth Vigil. Even as people chanted loudly and banged drums and whooped it up, these people just sat there in silence. Holding vigil.
• All the kids.
• All the seniors.
• The signs. Someday, I want to grow up and be someone who can make clever signs.

Now, people need to go vote in November!

And because this story, this experience, in many ways is simply best told through the visuals of the day, I’ll just post a ton of pictures (click the READ MORE)

November 2, 2013: CANstruction 2013 in New York

Date: November 2, 2013 (though this goes through 11/13)
Event: CANstruction 2013 in New York
Location: Lower Manhattan, New York City
Summary: It's art! Made of food! Then donated to charity!

Tis the season of some of my favorite events. October 31 and the Halloween Parade is quickly followed by a myriad of other New York events that mark the end of the year and the Holidays. And many of those events are charity benefits of one kind or another. This is one of those: it’s called CANstruction

I first discovered CANstruction back in 2008 and have attended the event every year since then. What is CANstruction you ask? Well, their website states, “Canstruction, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that holds annual design and build competitions to construct fantastic, giant sized, structures made entirely out of canned food. In each city after the structures are built and the winners declared the creations go on view to the general public as giant art exhibits. At the close of the competition all of the Cansculptures are dismantled food used in the structures is donated to the local food banks for distribution to community emergency feeding programs.”

It’s art. It’s engineering. It’s free to view. It helps feed the hungry.

It’s win-win-win-win.

Of course I go every year!

This year wasn’t the biggest exhibit they’ve had, but I must say I truly enjoyed the sculptures. Every year so inventive and imaginative and impressive. I love the creativity and appreciate the engineering.

In encourage everyone that can to look it up in their city – this isn’t confined to New York. Go. Enjoy. Take some canned goods to donate. A morning well spent. :) (remember, it's open through Nov 13 in New York!

Below are pictures of my favorites of the 27 sculptures they had.

October 24, 2013: Going to see a new Banksy art work

Date: October 24, 2013
Event: Going to see a new Banksy art work
Location: Hells Kitchen, New York City
Summary: I've been swept up in the Banksy hype and I love it!!

So, I’ll admit, I’ve gotten completely swept up in Banksy. It’s SOOOOOOO New York and it’s also art. Of COURSE I’m going to get swept up in it. For those that don’t know who Banksy is, he is a graffiti artist based in the U.K. who is spending a month in New York. Every morning he posts something on his website (www.banksyny.com) indicating what that day’s art is and its general location. Many of the works have been destroyed or removed already. Also, the NYPD is after him since what he’s doing (graffiti) is technically illegal. So seeing a new work as quickly as possible is key.

Sadly, I have not been in New York for most of October so I haven’t been able to actually go *see* any. So, yesterday, I decided that the moment the new work was revealed, I’d go see it, no matter where it was.

This is my little treasure hunt for the elusive Banksy art. :)

October 20, 2013: Pumpkin Carving w/ Ray Villofane at NY Botanical Gardens

Date: October 20, 2013
Event: Giant Pumpkin Carving with Ray Villofane at New York Botanical Gardens
Location: Bronx, New York City
Summary:This guy does incredible things with pumpkins!  It's truly art!

Despite the fact that I was far from recovered from yet another West Coast swing, I had to rouse myself from my desire to spend all of Sunday on my futon to attend what is going to be a yearly event for me: going to see Ray Villofane carve giant pumpkins at The New York Botanical Gardens.

I met up with my friend, L, in a not-so-well-thought-out-plan-to-meet-on-the-subway-platform then we headed up north to The Bronx. I must admit, the sculpture itself was not quite as terrifying or (at least to me) impressive as last year. But it was still flipping amazing! And unlike last year, I got to see Mr. Villofane give a few interviews for TV as well as do a Q&A session with visitors of the garden, all of which was *very* interesting.

The idea of this carving was that a carnivorous plant was wrapping its vine around this huge pumpkin and squeezing out pumpkin wasps, which were then attacking the plant while the plant was trying to eat them. And remember, this entire scene is CARVED FROM PUMPKIN MATTER. PUMPKINS.

July 30, 2013: Reception on the floor of the NYSE

Date: July 30, 2013
Event:  Reception on the Floor of the NYSE
Location:  New York City, Wall Street
Cost: FREE (though I had to get an invitation)
Summary:  I knew this was probably a once in a life time chance to see this place, to walk into this building.  I enjoyed every moment of it.

This was something I was super duper excited about. And it did not disappoint. Last week I got an email at work that said my company was hosting a reception for New York based employees -- on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Yes. ON THE FLOOR OF THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE. I could scarcely believe it was true. I mean, *on the floor* on the floor? Really? And I'm invited?  I RSVP'd immediately.

See, my company (I suspect you'll be able to guess what company that is based on the pictures that follow) recently switched from being listed on NASDAQ to being listed on the NYSE and this was a reception to celebrate that. And for me and many other employees, this was a once in a lifetime experience that we'll be grateful to our employer for!

Coolest things about the night (as well as pictures, of course!) below: