So y'all know that I'm more than just a sewing, fashion, lifestyle, interiors - write whatever the hell I feel like it-blogger. Indeed, sometimes I even cross the line into parenting blogger. Truthfully, some of the most fantastic blogs in the world fall into this category - though I don't love the term "mom-blogger". (What is it about angst-ridden, sleep-deprived mothers that makes for such fascinating reading?)
Amongst the best writers in the parenting genre is Marinka. You don't need to have a kid to appreciate her. I am embarrassed to tell you how many times I've laugh-snorted my coffee while reading her posts. You can just follow her on Twitter if you want the lite-experience. There's as much snorting to be had via that medium.
This weekend I had a chance to see her in real life. We went to a Chelsea coffee shop which had a rather "real NY 'hood vibe". It was also one of those cafes where you ask for your dry, extra-hot, skim, double shot cappuccino and you get a lecture. Seriously, if I'm irritating enough to ask for something that specific, dontcha think I've heard about how coffee needs to breathe at a certain temperature? I get it. Now make me a beverage that actually qualifies as warm.
(As a sidenote, Mardel and I had an in-depth conversation, later that day, about the relative crappiness of coffee in NYC. Please NY peeps - don't get mad. I love everything else about your city. But the coffee sucks. I tried it all - and everywhere - 6 dollar capps on the upper east side, designer coffee downtown. Little nondescript shops along Lexington. Saks?! It's actually fun to be all "our coffee is better than yours". I mean, I can't exactly say that about the architecture. But it sure does put Starbucks into perspective.)
Anyway, back to Marinka. She's as dry-witty in person as she is on her blog. I went on this total diatribe about my lone star-sighting: Meg Ryan at Balthazar. Ms. Ryan was with this well-groomed, bearded man wearing zillion dollar sunnies. Meg was the slimmest human I have seen in a long time - somehow baring her abdomen in February (WTF?), which happened to be flat by adolescent girl standards, never mind 50-year old mom standards. I was all animated and gesticular - describing the hair, the outfit, the "work".
And then Marinka has the nerve to tell me that that's not how Meg usually looks, like when they're picking their kids up at the same school?!? Man, that woman knows how to upstage with the arch of a brow.
Just wait till she comes to Toronto, and I orchestrate a run-in at the cheese shop with uber-celebrity Sarah Polley. Who'll have the last laugh then, I ask you?
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Could the bearded man have been John "Couger" Mellencamp? It seems they are dating now.
ReplyDeleteIt must be so fun to visit NYC as a blogger! The one and only time I was there, we knew absolutely no one. It was amazing, but totally overwhelming for two prairie kids ;). I would've loved to have a local guide (or ten) to hang out with!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the coffee in NYC, though I've always had good luck at Starbucks there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing Marinka!
Sounds like such a good time. I went to NYC maybe 7 years ago to visit a friend of my husbands. It was not the shopping/fabric excursion that I hear of others having.
ReplyDeleteAll of my "celebrity" friends are folk musicians because we host house concerts. They are famous amongst a small group of people, not quite the scale of Meg or Sarah.
Go ahead and dis our coffee. We can take it!
ReplyDeleteI still love this story!
ReplyDeleteSarah Polley trumps Meg Ryan in my (Canadian) book :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was so great to meet you. After hanging out with celebrities all the time, really refreshing to meet a regular person.
ReplyDeletelsa: Others have asked me that and I can't say for sure. I know she was Meg. And he was the right size and shape but he looked much sharper than he usually does in "rocker" mode.
ReplyDeletetanit: You would love it that much more if you went back. But ditch the kids. Make it a romantic vacation.
Susan: Starbucks is passable - and at that point I was very grateful!
chutchings: I love that you have any celebrities of any description! And folk singing is the most fun thing ever.
Peter: Oh, I know you can!
Stacy: :-)
Miss C: Well, she is a young genius. :-)
Marinka: Your graciousness overwhelms! I tried to be extra regular, just to make it special for you :-)