Of fireflies and memories

New York is definitely a magical place. Not perfect by a long shot, but it definitely has some magic going on. 

Let me explain...

After an early dinner yesterday night, I started feeling a bit restless and experienced a sudden craving for the best ice cream on the planet. Yes, my friends, Grom's cioccolato extranoir. Oh my! It was a lovely midsummer evening and the sun was just setting, which cast a marvellous golden light across Midtown. I decided to walk home through the Park, which sort of opened the floodgates and brought up many childhood memories. 

Video by Mary E. Allen

You see, when I was a little munchkin, I used to spend a lot of time at my nona and nono's place in the countryside. I had a blast milking Minka the cow, kneading bread, bringing colorful bunches of field blooms to my imaginary (boy)friend Rudi and, on summer evenings, grasping hay using tiny rakes that nono made just for me. Surprisingly, that was my favourite chore (kneading bread was a close second), and what made summer dusk in the meadows really special were the hundreds of blinking fireflies hovering just above the mowed grass, seemingly keeping an eye on us.

If you ever attempted to catch a firefly, you probably noticed that, despite the very cool glowing ass, they are not the cutest members of the animal kingdom (that would be baby goats) and they actually look very much like ordinary bugs.

Source

But from a distance, they are truly awesome, and it's not really hard to imagine that they are not bug-looking bugs, but tiny fairies holding their lanterns and rushing home for dinner. 

Source

My imagination used to run wild more than usual (see above) during those summers with the grandparents and I was truly having the time of my life. Then, things started to change one by one. First, nono left us way too soon, then pre-puberty rolled in and with it a decreasing interest in helping on the farm, followed by my beloved Rudi moving away without a word or even a note (if anyone has ever wondered where my trust issues around men come from, there you have it ;)). 

Of course, the simple fact that firefly populations have been steadily decreasing across Europe didn't help with maintaining the magic. "Biochemistry one" during my freshman year at university wasn't helpful, either, since I found out that the blinking light was not some sort of hocus-pocus ℅ Mother Nature, but a rather straightforward biochemical reaction involving luciferin, the enzyme luciferase, some ions and a lot of energy in the form of ATP. I guess performing firefly-light-enzyme-based assays to measure programmed cell death in cancer cells did not help, either. Way to kill it, science nerds! 

Source

Thanks to my bountiful scientific education, whenever I see fireflies nowadays, I can't help but think about how much energy some beings on this Earth are willing to waste just to get laid (male fireflies light up their butts to attract females). 

SOTD: Owl City - Fireflies. Because, d'uhhh.

Luckily, part of me is still capable of seeing the magic in the blinking lights of hundreds of fireflies. Thankfully, New York parks are choke-full of those cool little glowing bugs in the summer. 

New York is a magical place. I told you so.

Jules

Good sport!

For my little home turf of Slovenia, this past few days have been very very good in terms of sports. 

I generally do not follow sports too avidly, but some disciplines give me good reason to do so. 

One of those is sailing. Main reason is that it is kind of a family sport and I was raised in quite a close contact to it, despite not being particularly fond of the activity myself (Sorry, mom). And last week was glorious, since on Saturday, Vasilij Žbogar (best Slovenian sailor EVER) became European champion for the second time in his long career. First time in Finn class. Proving that he is BEYOND awesome. I bow waaaaaaaaay down, badass Vasko!!!

The second one is swimming. Which is kind of my favourite. Because who am I to skip on ogling half-naked fit men in the name of the Olympic spirit. 

Well, today, this ogling kind of paid off, as Damir Dugonjić (currently our best swimmer) finished 4th in Barcelona in 100 m breast. He missed the medal just by a smidgen, but he still pulled off a great final in one of the most competitive swimming disciplines. And he put together an amazing performance,  keeping our spirits high for the 50 breast scheduled for tomorrow & Wednesday. So happy for you, Dugi!!!

And in case any of you were wondering where is this sudden surge of patriotism coming from, here's your explanation. You are welcome. 

Vasko.
Source

Dugi.
Source

Vasko.
Source

Dugi.
Source

Need I say any more?

Jules

p.s. GO SLOVENIA!!!!!!!!

Textless Thursday (10)

Bird left its mark on an New York sidewalk. 'Cause "FUCK YOU, humans" 

… indeed. 

Source: "I fucking love science" on Facebook.

Twelve hours in hipster central

Oh, weekends, how I cherish thee.

I've been in New York for little more than a month now. Besides two trips to the beach and one to Ikea, I have not left Manhattan. Well, I hardly left Midtown/UES, to be completely honest. Blasphemy, shame, shame, blasphemy, shame, I know!

So, to make up for it, I have made arrangements to meet with some lovely people in Williamsburg later Sunday afternoon. And, since I was leaving this god forsaken island otherwise known as Manhattan, I decided to put the trip to good use and spend the day there.

Scenes from Williamsburg, I

I took the L train and I don't know what it is about the tunnel ride under the East river, but as soon as we left the last Manhattan stop, the number of hipster-like-clad passengers increased dramatically. That was the first sign, I guess. Williamsburg is supposed to be the world capital of too-cool-for-you hipsters, indie rock, street art and vegan food.

Scenes from Williamsburg, II

My adventure started with a walk around Bedford Avenue and some browsing around vintage stores. I seriously debated having lunch in one of the small restaurants in the area, but eventually decided on having a picnic in McCarren park, followed by a long walk and thorough enjoyment of street art.

To me, the area looked like a giant construction site with glitzy, modern looking apartment complexes popping up everywhere, and with the occasional stubborn ex-industrial building thrown in the mix. But don't take it wrong. All in all, I liked the feel of the area.

A friend pointed out yesterday that to her, Williamsburg gives off a very Berlin-like vibe. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!

Scenes from Williamburg, III

Since I was roaming the streets around the famous Brooklyn Brewery and since they offer tours on weekends, it was only natural for me to join. It was definitely not my first brewery tour, and although they like to see themselves as the coolest place ever (and they claim to be the biggest craft brewery in the US), I admit the tour was the most pointless and disappointing one in my collection. It consisted of a cool hipster guy taking a group of people into a big hall where he took the microphone and talked for 25 minutes. And that's it. He made some good jokes and gave a brief lecture in botany explaining that hops are related to marijuana, but other than that, the experience was pretty underwhelming.

"Tour" was a bit boring, but the brewery itself is kind of fun.
Please note the lovely  "official" clock.

But two of the beers I sampled were very very good, so that kind of made it up for the crappy tour, whereas the other two were pretty mediocre.

Love the packaging & the logo & some of the brews.

I left the brewery slightly tipsy and with about half an hour to spare until meeting T and W for a drink. I spent said half an hour browsing Beacon's Closet.

Meeting T and W was the highlight of the day and it transformed our 5 o'clock drink plans into a 6-hour talk-laugh-drink-explore-eat affair that ended with me finally leaving their lovely home just before midnight. 

Saying goodbye to a marvellous Sunday in Williamsburg
AKA view of Midtown from T and W's deck. Gorgeous!

It was nice to meet you, Hipsterland. See you soon.
Jules

Raining in New York City

FINALLY I MADE IT!

"Made it to what?" you might ask. To the Rain room at MoMA.

View from the queue.

The Rain room is a fantastic installation by Random International and is obviously one of the most susccessful contemporary art exhibitions in New York this year. Which basically means that hundreds of people are completely prepared to stand in line for HOURS AND HOURS in the scorching heat just to play around in a dark room with water falling from the ceiling.

Although I have MoMA membership (= precedence + earlier viewing hours) and came there around 7 in the morning (don't ask, the heat is preventing me from sleeping, so instead of sweating in bed, I just decided to get up and go.), I still waited in line for about 6 hours. MoMA kindly supplied umbrellas for shading and chilled bottled water for us losers who stood in line in the scorching sun. To be completely honest, I kind of expected a better management of the crowds, e.g. with scheduled entrances to reduce the lines like they do for some temporary exhibits at European musea... But who am I to be a smartass in this situation? And bottom line, they did quite good. Kudos again for the water!!!

Aaaaaaand what's the gist of the installation and is it worth the wait? Well, it's a large dark room where it rains. Pours. Cats and dogs. But an array of sensors actually stops the raining above the visitors' heads, which means that you're free to roam the downpour without getting wet. Awesome. It IS worth the wait. Absolutely. Yes. Of course.

After 6-ish hours in the outside heat, THIS awaits. 

The darkness and a single spotlight really make the downpour visible and the people playing in the rain little more than silhouettes. A beautiful effect.

And how it feels to be inside the weather phenomenon?

Fun. Fresh. And a bit wet. The sensors themselves work reasonably OK if you walk around. But if, like me, you decide to run around like a four-year old, you'll get wet. And the wetness is directly proportional to your speed and amount of sudden moves like sideways jumps etc. you decide on performing. So, I got pretty wet in the process. And had an amazing fun. 

And after a bit more of waiting, I got to join the fun and frolick around in the rain.

Since my trip to the Rain room lasted until about 2.30 in the afternoon and left me hungry, tired and just about heatstricken, I decided to cancel my plans to go to Queens and meet a friend, but we managed to postpone and she was very very understanding about it. I grabbed lunch instead and went for a walk. Finally the heatwave seems to be subsiding a bit and I am finally able to breathe again. It's still hot and humid as in a pressure cooker, but somehow livable now… Finally!

SOTD: Dream Theater - Trial of Tears (because the chorus talks about how it's raining in New York City)

Stay cool.

Jules

Textless thursday (9)



Melting in New York City.

Long haul. Part three.

I love to travel, but I hate the "modern" airport security-related hysteria. Nowadays, traveling by air is stressful and airports are indeed unpleasant places. Plus, long haul flights are a pain in the butt. 

Not that I'm a superfrequent flier or any sort of authority on the matter, but I have done my share of airports and airplanes. 

To better manage the stress levels, I try to follow a few rules that I have picked up from cool people and some not-always-pleasant self experience.

They could be summarized as "3P" - packing, preparation and peace of mind. 

I originally planned on doing one single post, but it quickly turned into a loooooooooong ramble. Instead of shortening it, I just decided to split it into three distinct posts. So you have more of my awesome with a couple of breaks in between for beer and popcorn. 

… PEACE OF MIND…

That one is tricky to put into words. And it's the most personal one. So I'll just keep it short-ish and sweet.

To some people, traveling is a pain. While to others, it's the most exciting activity they can possibly think of. Either way, it's stressful. And everybody knows that stress should be managed.

What I learned it the stress-management department while on the road is to NEVER go against myself. I'm a Type A control freak. I need to know where I'll sleep and what there is to see and do at my destination. If I don't have that covered, I start hating myself and the place I am visiting pretty quickly because I didn't take care of the basics and then I get annoyed because I feel like I'm missing out... You catch the drift... Solution: preparation :)

To achieve peace of mind when I travel, I always make sure I have:

1. A positive attitude.

As a person who suffers from chronic wanderlust, I'm always super excited to go someplace new, whether it is a one day road trip or a month long backpacking affair. But sometimes, I am a bit greedy and book a plane ticket without really considering all the circumstances. I might thus end up coming and going 2-3 times in the same month and squeezing all my everyday responsibilities in the few days between trips. When that happens, I make sure to always keep in mind WHY I booked that plane ticket in the first place. And that keeps my spirits up, even though my credit card stops talking to me and the laundry basket is overflowing with well-traveled clothes.

2. A roof above my head.

Regardless of the kind of trip I'm taking, I always triple-check that I will have a place to stay at my destination. Be it a clod-hearted plastic-y business hotel, youth hostel, romantic B&B or CouchSurfing.

I love CouchSurfing, but I only ever put 90 % faith in the system. Meaning I always write down addresses, phone numbers and "how to get there" info of 2-3 hostels in case something goes wrong with the host. I've had nothing but good experience with CS, but hosts have their own lives and sometimes opening their homes to strangers simply does not work out.

I've actually done the no accomodation booked thing once before, for my first trip to New York. But I still had addresses for 3 hostels and I was traveling off-season, so that worked out well. Regardless, that experiment ended up teaching me that I'm way better at having things booked in advance.

3. Travel insurance.

Believe me, that one is a must. I only actually needed to use travel insurance once in my life, but it was well worth it. I make sure to sign up for a plan that gives comprehensive coverage (medical + lost/stolen property etc.) and gives access to a customer care center in a language I am fluent in. That is especially precious if you travel to a country where English is not widely spoken. I happened to need medical assistance at a provincial hospital in France. Luckily, I had friends taking care of the urgent matters while I was admitted. But sorting paperwork after I got home was a hilarious experience, as my French is very rudimental and their English & Italian were non existent. Good times, yeah...

4. Backup copies of the most important documents.

Passport, tickets, credit cards etc. all get photocopied and stashed separately from the originals. Also, I always make sure I don't keep all of my money/cards in one place. Luckily, I never got robbed or lost any important stuff while on the road, but I imagine I would freak out if that happened to me. Oh, and I always look up the address and phone number of my home country embassy. Just in case.

5. Stuff to make me feel comfortable on the road.

Small thingies like a sleeping mask, book/kindle and iPOD (with battery fully charged!) can make a lot of difference on long train, bus or plane rides. Hand sanitizer, sunglasses, anti-blister stick, sunscreen and aftersun lotion, on the other hand, are things that make long walking and sightseeing days that more enjoyable. A scented candle and rubber flipflops to wear in the shower can save my day when I'm staying at dubious hotels/hostels. I sure know you can get all of these things pretty much anywhere, but having them with me when I leave just makes me feel more at ease. And I feel way happier if I end up not needing some of them.

6. Ways to connect.

Wi-fi and cell phone service are pretty much ubiquitous. And that's such good news. Because regardless of how much I love globetrotting, there will come a moment on each trip when I'll experience that pang of homesickness. It usually lasts only an hour or two, but when it does, it usually helps to be able to Viber text/call a friend. But I am still uncle Scrooge and hate overpaying for phone service abroad. So I look for more cost effective options, such as temporary "foreign" packages from my service provider or prepaid foreign sim cards or, most likely, WiFi and one of those free call/text apps, such as the above-mentioned Viber. Obviously, I end up taking advantage of texts, Skype, Viber and e-mails a lot more when I travel alone compared to when I'm with friends, but still...

SOTD: Michael Bublé - Come Fly with Me (Ol' Blue Eyes cover. Not really sure how much I like the young guy's version. I think Frankie did it better. But let's just keep the young guy's version for the time being)

Safe travels!

Jules

Lost & found

Oh. My. 

I previously mentioned that one of the packages with my stuff that mum sent me got lost in the mail. Remember? 

I didn't exactly go into the details back then, so let me just debrief you. There were two boxes, looking exactly the same and dispatched at the same time to the same address. One arrived ok, the other one was "undeliverable as addressed". WTF???!?!?! 

Since postage for each was around 70 euro (big boxes, people) and both contained personal stuff that I kind of love, losing one was frustrating. Especially since it actually arrived AT THE SAME POST OFFICE as the other, correctly delivered one. And was then dispatched away from said post office and supposedly back to Europe.

SOTD: Jace Everett - Bad Things (True Blood opening theme)

I spent one whole day and half of the next one trying to track it down, talked to a lot of people at USPS over the phone and in person and over the phone again. They were all nice, but don't get me started about their efficiency…

After a lot of effort, I just gave up, hoping that my mum's return address was in ok shape and the package would get back to Slovenia. That would mean that my stuff was not lost forever, just delayed for a couple of weeks. But that would of course also mean that mum would have to re-mail it to me and pay for postage again. 70 euros gone in vain… Not much we could do about it. 

This whole mess happened about 10 days ago. I tried a zen attitude and not think about it. But I'm no zen kind of girl. So this morning at work, I decided to check the tracking number, thinking that by now, the package would be back in Slovenia or at least somewhere in Europe. I found out that the "undeliverable as addressed" status was still on, no new info since July 5th. AT THAT EXACT MOMENT my phone rang. It was a USPS truck driver telling me he has a big parcel for me, but can't get into my building's lobby. My heart skipped a beat!!! Could that be my lost package?

IT WAS!

And I even managed to convince the driver to wait for me while I grabbed my keys and ran out of the lab towards home. 

Not a pretty, but still a happiness inducing sight.

The box was battered and bruised (despite the "Fragile" mark), but it was there. My favourite shoes! My big caffettiera! My Leprechaun! My pretty scarves! My "Beijing 2008" pillow! My Fangtasia glass! They found me!

Among all the thrill, sadly, two of my Wacky Woolies shot glasses fell victim to the battering and bruising. Only one survived. But I did pay them my respects. And now I will have to go back to Dublin and replenish my collection. It's imperative. 

Rest in peace, Wackies. 

All in all, I am a happy girl today!

May you be happy, too!

Jules

Textless thursday (8)

Catching the setting sun (but not exactly manhattanhenge) and Willy Wonka at Bryant Park

Long haul. Part Two.

I love to travel, but I hate the "modern" airport security-related hysteria. I'm sure most of you share this feeling.

Nowadays, traveling by air is stressful and airports are indeed unpleasant places where they do full body x-rays and make you strip down in front of hundreds of people. Plus, long haul flights are a pain in the butt. 

Not that I'm a superfrequent flier or any sort of authority on the matter, but I have done my share of airports and airplanes. To better manage the stress levels, I try to follow a few rules that I have picked up from cool people and some not-always-pleasant self experience.

They could be summarized as "3P" - packing, preparation and peace of mind. This is the second post of the "series".

I originally planned on doing one single post, but it quickly turned into a loooooooooong ramble. Instead of shortening it, I just decided to split it into three distinct posts. So you have more of my awesome with a couple of breaks in between for beer and popcorn. And may I remind you that all this "wisdom" comes from a girl. Please consider that.

… PREPARATION…

I found that doing a bit of homework before and after booking a ticket can make A LOT of difference in the stress levels of air travel for us mere humans who do most of it ourselves. Contrary to the relatively narrow-focussed topic of the previous (packing) post, this one deals with more or less all the stages that get you from home to airplane. No biggie.

Level one: before booking a ticket.
The internet is an amazing invention and an endless source of valuable knowledge. So, once you've picked your destination, put Google to good use once again and do some ogling and Google mapping of your options in terms of departure and destination airports. Yeah, choose your airport smartly!

Usually there will be more than one option available - the more, the merrier. If that is the case, I always consider factors such as distance from the center of the city I am visiting, transport options to and from the airport and flight connection options. An airport that is closest to my final destination but has poor public transport connections is a loser in my book. Just as much as a remote airport (3+ hours away) that offers super cheap flights is. Whenever I can, I would choose airports that offer the most comfortable journey with a favourable price tag. No shit! That means as few layovers as possible, reasonably-priced tickets and public transport access. No shit! I try to avoid having people drive me to the airport and if I absolutely need to get there by car, I prefer driving there myself and parking the car at the airport. Unless the trip is extremely long, that option usually costs less than having someone make two return journeys. Although I admit that it feels really nice to be greeted by a familiar face at arrivals and then have your suitcase put in the trunk by familiar arms while all you do is buckle up in the passenger seat.

Anyway, when I am at the point of considering airfare prices, I always include the costs of the trip to the airport and the possible costs of coffee/snacks/needless shopping done out of sheer boredom during a 4,5-hour layover in some stupid airport halfway to my final destination.

Level two: booking the ticket.
Compare, compare, compare. Edreams, Expedia and similar search engines vs. old school travel/avio agencies vs. airline websites. Regular carriers vs. lowcosts. You name it. Airfare price is definitely not an exact science for us not in the business, but again, the internet is my best friend and truly helps find the best deal. Differences can be enormous, so I always try to be really patient and spend a lot of time fishing out a sweet deal.

Of course, being flexible in terms of travel dates and destination airport can save money, so can booking very well in advance, but this sort of flexibility is not always available, especially when it comes to dates. When it comes to booking in advance, keep in mind that airlines usually have limited numbers of seats for each price category within the same class of travel and when those run out, they will start selling at a steeper price. This means the earlier you book, the more likely you are to get the best price possible.

Level three: the airport.
Let's say I've figured out the mode of transportation that will get me to the departing airport. Good job! But when to leave home exactly?

If we obey what airlines say, we would have to be at the airport many, many hours before departure. In total honesty, that is not necessarily true. Those 2-3 hours can be a complete waste of time and to avoid that, factors such as size and amount of traffic need to be considered. A small airport means that it will likely be less crowded and the distance from security to gate can be waked in a few minutes, so getting there super early might result in being bored to death and fed up with the whole flying thing even before leaving solid ground. On the other hand, a small airport also means fewer bag drop desks and fewer security check points, which can result in horrible queues at "rush hour". Those issues usually don't exist when using big airports. For those, it usually makes sense to get there in good time due to sheer size. Plus, big ones are usually fun for people watching or window shopping.

So if I am using a departing airport for the first time, I do a little research about its size, number of terminals and gates etc. just to get the feeling of how long I will likely spend just navigating the damn building. Especially if I am flying from a tiny regional airport, it makes sense to study the departures portion on the website to see if my flight falls into the "rush hour" time bracket or not. If it does, I will plan on getting there earlier to avoid panic.

Also, I check-in in advance whenever possible and have my boarding pass ready. The era of pleasant chats with nice ladies at the check-in desks is OVER. Now it is all done by machines and usually you'll have to stand in line for those machines first and then stand in another line to drop off your bag. Double queue? Thank you, but no thank you. And I really dislike those check in machines with poorly responsive touch screens and annoying "help" from the random assistant.

Level 4: security.
Yeah, baby. Prepare to be searched and touched, x-rayed, undressed and then re-dressed. But with a bit of preparation, the whole experience can be way less unpleasant.

In order to reduce the unpleasantness, I pick a security-friendly outfit that never includes stuff that is too bulky or metal. Scarves, jackets and cardigans get removed before it's my turn. I also avoid wearing belts or chunky jewelry, because these take forever to get off and on again. Also, when I wear really big shoes like cute wedge boots or the like, I take them off while I am queuing and thus avoid holding the line due to my clumsiness. In that case, always make sure to wear cute socks to keep up appearances ;)
I also make sure I remove the kindle and laptop from their sleeves and have them easily accessible so they can easily be placed in a tray as soon as I reach one. And I never forget the ziplock baggie for liquids. That one is ALWAYS prepared in advance to avoid further delays. To help with all of that, my on-board handbag is usually one with many compartments, so all the things that need to be taken out for inspection are easily found. And believe me, I am one who likes to bring A LOT of junk on board...
To be honest, juggling all the above with only two hands can be tricky, but practice makes perfect and I am proud to announce that I've become a mean security get-through-er despite my innate infinite clutziness.

Level 5: boarding.
That is a sweet, sweet one. Boarding means that the packing, the waiting and the annoyances are over. It means that I made it at the right gate at the right time and that we'll be leaving soon. YAY! It also means that I can sit down and relax while watching impatient losers standing in line like morons as soon as boarding is announced. Why, you ask. Easy. Families with young children and passengers needing assistance are ALWAYS boarded first, along with those ones who paid for priority boarding (which I never do). So, why rush it? Prepare instead. Read your boarding pass for your boarding group or seat. The plane will not leave any sooner because you stood in yet another line. And since more and more airlines are adopting the board-by-group system, you are likely to get kicked out of the line if you stand in before your group is called. If seats are not assigned in advance, I still try not to rush it too much, although in that case it makes sense to maybe push it just a smidgen and try not to be the last on the plane, especially if everyone is traveling with carry on luggage.


Now that we have safely boarded, let's get some peace of mind - until landing.
Safe travels.

Jules

Work or study?!?!?!

When you are a postdoc, a new job usually means a new lab, new PI (= Principal Investigator, a.k.a. boss) and a totally new project. Even though I am sticking to the same cancer I was studying before, all similarities sort of end there. Ergo: Jules has A LOT to learn.

…and there are A LOT of things that Jules has already learned in the past, but has somehow buried deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep down after she passed the particular exam. Which was way in the past. We are talking about a decade, people. Wow. Jules is getting old. 

So… this is how my work and home life look like these days:

Exhibit #1: desk at work

1: Post-it page markers.

2: Pen.

3: Paper on ubiquitin's role in cancer.

4: Sharpie highlighter. My best friend these days.

5: Notes. Piles and piles of notes. I apologize, trees.

6: A protocol for a test that's got nothing to do with ubiquitin.

7: A healthy snack, because big brains don't feed themselves.

8: Mug to make me smile. ℅ SuperMiro & SuperMira. For those who don't speak slovenian, "Pasji časi" literally means "Dog days". 

9: Tea for an energy boost in the mug that makes me smile. Because big brains don't caffeinate themselves. 

Exhibit #2: lack of desk at home, enter alternative

10: Scented candle for a cozy feeling.

11: Cherry tomatoes. Again, a healthy snack (When it comes to food, I'm being such a good girl in the U, S & A!)

12: Another paper on ubiquitin. 

13: A paper on mesothelioma genetics. Because when your head starts spinning, you should really let it spin. Like a boss.

14: Some light reading thrown in the mix. Good old papers on the Hallmarks of cancer. Compared to the above-mentioned papers, both of the "Hallmarks" actually are a light read. And yeah, there's two of them. Because the best stuff always comes in pairs.

15: Couch. Because when your head starts spinning, you better have a comfy place to lay down. 

16: Alberts' Molecular Biology of the Cell. 'Nuff said.

I need a beer now. 

Jules

BUILDING A HOME. AND A LIFE.

I've been in New York for 20 days now. Which is more or less 3 weeks.

Of which more or less 2 and a half (a.k.a. 17 days) in my new apartment. My new home.
And 4 at the new job. The very reason I moved. 

What have I learned in these past weeks?

Well, the most prominent thing is that I AM A FUCKING SISSY. A sissy that NEEDS to hear her mum's voice on a regular basis in order to not go batshit crazy. 

This "feeling like going crazy" is supposedly called a "culture shock" and supposedly EVERYONE experiences some of it. It's just that I kind of thought that I was too good to be suffering from it. Overestimating much? 

Oh, yeah… 

;)

SOTD: The Shins - Nothing at all. Because it just feels appropriate.

I've prepared myself for some hardship and if I look at the whole thing rationally, I'm actually doing quite well. But all the little unpleasant things that happened (trust me, there weren't that many, it's just that I'm SUCH a drama queen) shook me more than I ever expected to get shaken. 

I still feel like New York is exactly where I belong RIGHT NOW. But somehow, I still feel I could be doing so much better than I am. Which is a complete nonsense, I know. 

Now, let's see where we stand:

THE GOOD:

• apartment
• successfully turning on the gas and electricity in said apartment and getting WiFi
• money in general
• job
• social security number application, vaccinations etc. all sorted out
• lounging in Central Park with a book, munching on grapes (yepp, I have my own favourite spot)
• evening walks around my neighborhood
• loving my neighborhood and my city!
• Grom! 
• random happenings around NYC, such as a free concert at MoMA's sculpture garden or Shakespeare's Richard III in Central Park
• MoMA membership
• an Italian supermarket a few blocks from me (yay Lavazza and Barilla and tomatoes that do smell and taste like tomatoes!!!)
• superbly good coffee half a block from work
• regular texts from friends
• although I don't use the Subway on a regular basis, I do navigate it like a pro. 

View from the Staten Island ferry, June 2012

THE BAD:

• attacks of loneliness from time to time
• constantly craving a mojito with my homegirl M 
• a somehow cold reception at work
• one of the packages with my stuff got lost in the mail
• really unhelpful staff at my neighborhood USPS office re: the above-mentioned package
• the whole IKEA-all-alone thing (it was bad, but it's over!)
• sweating like a moron because it's 8693 degrees outside and then freezing to death in over-air-conditioned spaces. What's up with the superlow a/c, New York???
• stupidly feeling like I' missing out on SO MUCH of the GOOD back at home

So. If we sum it up, there's way more of the good than of the bad. See, rationally, I'm all good.

Now all I need is some buddies to share a bottle of wine with and I'll be grand, rationally AND emotionally!

Cheers!

Jules

JESSE and CÉLINE. FOREVER.

I finally got to see Before Midnight a few days ago. 

I might not have been in the perfect state of mind to go see a movie like that, but my undying love for those those two just made me wander into a movie theater on 86th street after a Sephora haul.

In this final installment, Jesse and Céline are in their forties, he had left his wife for his French love and she had given birth to their cute twin girls, Nina and Ella. Julie Delpy is still stunningly beautiful, graceful and smart, Ethan Hawke is still adorable. Despite the horrible hair (dude, please, you're no 20-something boy anymore!!!). Their characters are together, swamped with the trivialities of everyday family life, but they are still the Jesse and Céline we knew and loved in the previous two movies. It's not all sugar and spice and everything nice. They fight and get annoyed with each other, and they show how deep their love is. All in a funny and intelligent way.

When the first movie, Before Sunrise, was originally released in 1995, I was at the hight of puberty and way too mainstream to be interested in something like that, so I first saw the movie a few years later, towards the end of high school. At that point, I have evolved into this hopeless romantic, so the story of two smart and charming and somewhat completely relatable people casually meting and immediately knowing they were the perfect match, was exactly my cup of tea. And the cliffhanger ending was perfect, as it left enough room for me to fantasize about their winter reunion and subsequently happily ever after.

Having seen Sunrise quite late meant that I did not have to wait 9 whole years to learn what happened. Before Sunset, the sequel to Sunrise, was released in 2004. It was a bad year for me, romance- and non-romance-wise, but I still loved and enjoyed the movie, even more than the first. All their banter and connection and the sheer amount of topics they manage to cover...

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I can not believe it's been 9 years since we last caught up with those two (I'll admit I binge-wathched the first two movies back to back two or three times, but don't tell, ok?). Just like with the first, Sunset ended with a cliffhanger. Which the third movie of the series, brilliantly resolves. 

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Taking a look at all three theatrical posters one next to the other clearly represents this couple's evolution. And just like with the films, the Parisian one, for Before Sunset, is my favourite. 

And to finish off, one of my favourite quotes from the series (from Sunset, actually):

             C: Do you think you would have finished the book if you were fucking someone every 5 

                  minutes?

              J: I might have welcomed the challenge!

To Jesse and Céline. Forever.

Jules

Lemon-lime-basil popsickles

New York gets hot in the summer. And I mean HOT.

And not having an a/c in a directly-under-the-roof apartment with a skylight makes said apartment a charming freaking furnace. Moreover, it being a studio means that I only have one (huge) set of windows, thus no real option to create any sort of draft exists. 

So I have been trying to cool down.

One of the strategies I picked is to freeze some homemade popsicles and indulge in them from time to time. Here's one of the recipes I've been toying with. 

For 6 cca. 120 mL popsicles (that's the approx volume of liquid my popsickle moulds hold - adjust accordingly)

2 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

a fistful of fresh basil

a generus pinch of good sea salt; I like to use fleur de sel from my "home" saltpans in Piran

2 spoonfuls of brown sugar

2-3 spoons of water

First, wash and dry the basil, cut off the stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Make sure you indulge in the aroma while chopping. It is plain awesome. 

But of course, don't go dreamingly breathe in the goodness with your eyes closed if you are holding a huge sharp chopping knife! 

Transfer the basil leaves into a sturdy bowl, add the salt and the sugar and squash thoroughly to release the nice smelling goodness from the basil. Kind of like the good barmen do with mint leaves when mixing a mojito. 

Juice the limes and lemons and add to the basil leaves. Mix well, add a bit of water to adjust the taste and the volume. Taste. It should be tangy and sweet&sour. Remember that enjoying things frozen sort of numbs the taste a little, so do not dilute it with too much water, as it would result in rather watery popsicles. The tastes should be pretty strong at this point. Leave to rest for about 10 minutes, so the basil can infuse the mixture. 

Distribute into moulds and freeze for at least 4 hours.

And make sure you use some awesome popsickle moulds. Mine are rocket-shaped. They do look cool!

There's really no need to follow the recipe exactly. You basically mix the ingredients, check the volume and taste it. If you love it, you freeze it. If you don't, you correct the taste and freeze it once you come to love it. Simple as that. And you should really not worry about leaving the basil leaves in the finished product. They will float to the surface, so once the popsicles are frozen, all the greenery will be at the very bottom. But if they do bother you, just filter them out before distributing the mixture into the moulds. 

Don't give the side eye to the basil and salt. They add a certain something to the not really original lemon-lime taste. Call it sophistication or call it added freshness, whatever. It's just plain good.

This is a nice, goody-two-shoes sober recipe. But actually, to make those a real summer party treat, you could spike the mixture with rum or tequila (if you go a tad heavier on the salt). Hmmm… Housewarming idea, anyone? :)

Oh, two final pieces of advice:

1. Watery stuff expands while freezing. Since not all moulds have holes on their lids, do not fill the mould all the way to the top to avoid unpleasant results. Most moulds are plastic, so they won't break, but respect water physics regardless ;)

2. Sugar and salt lower freezing temperatures, but alcohol does so even more significantly. So do not spike the mixture too generously. You still want nicely frozen, compact popsicles, not fragile half-frozen drunken monsters. 

A few captured moments from yesterday's fireworks on the Hudson. They were cool. And it was crowded. 

Enjoy!
Jules

(ALMOST) TEXTLESS THURSDAY (7)

Today is Independence Day. Thank you, Macy's, for the fireworks.

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Long haul. Part One.

I love to travel, but I hate the "modern" airport security-related hysteria. I'm sure most of you share this feeling.
Nowadays, traveling by air is stressful and airports are indeed unpleasant places where they do full body x-rays and make you strip down in front of hundreds of people. Plus, long haul flights are a pain in the butt. 

Not that I'm a superfrequent flier or any sort of authority on the matter, but I have done my share of airports and airplanes. To better manage the stress levels, I try to follow a few rules that I have picked up from cool people and some not-always-pleasant self experience.

They could be summarized as "3P" - packing, preparation and peace of mind. 

I originally planned on doing one single post, but it quickly turned into a loooooooooong ramble. Instead of shortening it, I just decided to split it into three distinct posts. So you have more of my awesome with a couple of breaks in between for beer and popcorn. And may I remind you that all this "wisdom" comes from a girl. Please consider that.

… PACKING…

Packing is definitely not my favourite part of preparing for a trip. Some people find it exciting, I just don't. It's a piece of necessary roughness that precedes a whole lot of goodies. 

After years of doing it, I now manage to keep my compulsive-overpacker-disorder in control and pack rather efficiently. Plus, carriers keep on enforcing more and more stringent rules on weight and dimensions of both checked and carry-on luggage. So I always triple check the rules and keep those rules in mind when planning what to pack. 

1. Clothes:

I plan outfits ahead and chose items that can be combined in several ways, so I can remix like a pro. Also, I choose a specific (travel-friendly) color scheme for the most versatility, but don't be boring (all beige, anyone?). Also, skip on items that are too wrinkle-prone, delicate or very much loved. Traveling can get messy and a favorite sweater can easily get ruined. 

Summer packing is obviously always easier than winter or, even worse, transition-season packing. Shorts, tees, dresses, a sweater just in case and sandals. End. Winter packing is inevitably heavier, but doable. Again, depending on the reason for the trip, I try to stick to pants and tops that can be layered for added warmth and versatility. I try to stay away from superthick sweaters and opt for pieces made of thinner materials, but that are still warm, especially if worn one on top of the other. 

If I'm going on a longer trip, say, more than 10 days, I definitely scale down the number of outfits, since stuff can be easily washed at laundromats. I also pack a small piece of laundry bar soap for a quick wash just in case.  

2. Footwear:
I'm a well-known shoe hoarder, so my natural impulse is to bring A LOT of shoes. I fight it on a regular basis and, honestly, shoe greed sometimes wins. But regardless... Rule number one, no matter the reason for traveling, season or destination, I wear my bulkiest pair on the plane. It might not be the quickest option for security checks, but saves a lot of space and weight in the suitcase. I always, always, ALWAYS pack at least two pairs of shoes plus the ones I am wearing while traveling. Ok, if I'm going on a weekend kind of thing, there might be jut two pairs instead of three ;)

That obviously does not mean three pairs of sexy stilettos, mind you… Be it summer or winter, dry or wet, there's a pair of good walking shoes - horray for supercute Chucks, and a dressier pair - heel or no heel. If it is summer, that would be two pairs of sandals and the Chucks, if it's winter, then we talk about boots, ballets and the Chucks.

A piece of advice: even in the lightest of packing options, never count on spending the WHOLE trip in just one pair of shoes. A) walking all day every day in the same pair of footwear is guaranteed to produce nasty blisters. B) wearing the same shoe all day every day is guaranteed to produce nasty smells, since the shoes don't really have time to dry out overnight. C) getting your feet wet due to rain or puddles during the day without being able to change footwear is just about the most uncomfortable thing ever. 

Oh, almost forgot about this one: if I am staying at a very budget kind of accomodation, especially if we talk about hostels (yeah, I still do that), I will also pack a pair of rubber/plastic flipflops to use in the shower. Technically, they are footwear, but those calories don't really count. 

3. Accessories:
Two handbags - a big tote and a small one for evening. Done. Scarves galore and very limited jewelry. And sunglasses and a foldable umbrella. 

4. Toiletries:
Before we go into the details, let me tell you that the "spilled shampoo in the suitcase over EVERYTHING" nightmare happened to me once. It was terrible. It leaked through the toiletry case and got evenly distributed through all the stuff that was in the suitcase. Luckily I had access to a washing machine (eternally grateful, Tolja!) and was able to rinse everything thoroughly, but it was A MESS that ruined my first day in Copenhagen. 

To avoid such tragedies, I now pack travel-sized everything, obviously, and have since invested in a sturdier and prettier toiletry case than the one used in Denmark. I like to use small reusable bottles for my mouthwash, toner, moisturizer and such. I am very aware that you can buy basics everywhere, but I like my products and, especially if I'm taking a shorter trip and don't want to spend travel money on products that I already have at home, I prefer to bring everything with me. 

Speaking of basics, I recently experienced this huge epiphany that bar shower soap and solid shampoo are the best. thing. ever. No spills, no mess, you can cut off a smaller piece without problems AND solid soap works way better for my dry skin than shower gels. Seriously. To downsize even further, I also discovered that LUSH makes this awesome toothpaste tablets or "toothy tabs" and they work like magic. I just put an appropriate number of those little tabs in a cute tin candy box. More compact than tube toothpaste :)

I also never forget a few baggies of paracetamol+vitamin C granules, ibuprofen pills, dental floss, a mini sewing kit, band-aids, tampons, SUNSCREEN, tissues and wet wipes. And hand sanitizer just in case. And in summer, I never forget baby powder and anti-blister gel to keep my toes happy.

5. On board.
My on board handbag is usually filled with a mini travel kit (more on that next time), enough entertainment to keep a toddler busy for 3 days, spare socks, and a water bottle which I smugly sneak through security basically by emptying it and then refilling it after security. Genious, I know!
If I board a red-eye (which I would normally sleep through thanks to melatonin), I would also bring pyjama bottoms for added comfort.

6. Checked vs. Carry-on.
Whenever possible, I choose to fly with a regular carrier instead of a low-cost. It's got nothing to do with snobbery. It's just that low costs are not what they used to be - rock bottom cheap. They charge you for everything and when you do a thorough comparison and a bit of research, you can find pretty sweet deals with regular airlines, but without the hassle. But I really do NOT want to pay additional money for checked luggage - Uncle Scrooge here!
This obviously means that the above-mentioned dilemma of checked vs. carry-on is easily solved in favor of the cheapest option, which also dictates the packing plan.

Regardless of everything written in the lines above, always remember that with airlines, just as with casinos, the house always wins and there's no point in trying to cheat the luggage policy. You'll lose and thy'll make you pay for it. So always pack accordingly and save those extra pennies for a fun night out at your destination!

Happy travels!
Jules