The ending of May

So as we have seemingly probably  all established (especially if you look at my Facebook albums), I love taking pictures of myself ( WRONG!) It’s not that I love taking pictures of myself (I promise, I am not that vain at all!), it’s more so that in the future I can look back and remember all of the great times I have, how blessed and lucky I am, and how much change occurs each and every year. In the olden days when there wasn’t Facebook, people had photo albums to share there memories, but today those albums are online (along with lots of other progressions such as: shopping and communication). We no longer have to bring film rolls from disposible cameras to get developed, and instead can upload pictures from a click of a button.

So although yesterday I shared pictures from my fun in the sun, I have more pictures from ” my night out” which was supposed to be at Ainsworth, Sl, and Avenue but instead ended in tears and well..not a night out (long story).

Outfit with my new shoes! (just shows you how shoes can dress up such a plain outfit!) 

So what I do have from the (far from fun) night/day, I have attached below.

Comfort food (don’t worry..it wasn’t mine;) 
Pretty Little Rain Drops 
Silly faces
My failure to pose! 

NYC rooftop pools

In the city, 90 degree days can either mean: tanning, or torture. So if you need a rooftop pool for the day, I’m here to help. Lets explore the top 6 pools to beat the heat:

SoHo house. 
This is a members only club, and probably the most desirable pool/poolside in Manhattan. Aside from having a hip atmosphere, it also offers spectacular views of the Hudson River and the West Village. But don’t hold your breath on getting exclusive membership. You need two existing members to write you letters of recommendation, a picture along with career history, and about 3 grand to sign up to  SHNY every house (giving you world wide access). It’s called exclusive, for a reason.  

SoHo house NY

The Gansevoort Park Avenue 
On a much more moderate side (in comparison to SHNY) There is the rooftop pool at the Gansevoort.  There yearly round pool offers stunning views of the Empire State Building, and the heated pool has a collapsible garage door allowing both indoor and outdoor swimming at your convenience. FYI: you do need to be a hotel guest, but no application needed for membership! 
The Gansevoort Park Avenue 
Thompson LES 
For more of a gritty-glam environment, Thompson on the lower east side is the place to go. Plush orange lounge chairs are placed around a black and white Andy Warhol filmstrip pool. Hotel guests can enjoy cocktails and food, as they lounge and enjoy. FYI: you do need to be a hotel guest. 
Thompson LES

Ok so enough with the teasing, yes there are a few pools that don’t require membership or a hotel room. 

Hotel Americano: La Piscine 
 The pool at Hotel Americano is called La Piscine in proper french fashion, and on a positive note: open to the public. They feature cozy cabana’s and daybeds for sunny poolside chilling. They claim to have a Latin-french fare along with delicious drinks. But do they serve macaroons?

Hôtel Americano 

 The James 
Leave sticky Manhattan behind and head straight to the rooftop at the James for a modern and swanky escape. This pool is open to the public on weekends from 12 PM-5pm and has an indoor bar. Did I mention their food is provided by David Burke Kitchen?

The James

Le Parker Meridien 
For something a little more Uptown, head to Le Parker Meridien. Located on west 56th street. For $100 your day pass can get you 42 floors above street level, sunbathing in direct sunlight. Towels are included for you and you can order food poolside or head downstairs to eat. Just make sure to head over early on the weekends, as day passes are limited and sold on a  first come first serve.

Le Parker Meridien

Amanda Bynes..

If you ever wondered what a diva melt down look liked… just read my post yesterday. Onto happier topics, the weather for the next few days is supposed to be beautiful. So get ready for bikinis, margaritas and finally some sunlight. There are even multiple articles circulating the web, that sunlight allegedly makes people happier. So lets see if it works.

Next-Amanda Bynes. Yep she has indeed become worse than a Lohan. Aside from cutting all her hair off (like Britney), making a dig at Rhianna tweeting “the reason Chris Brown beat her was because she was ugly” (via twitter), throwing drugs out of her apartment window (in NYC) and boosting to her (very few) fans/followers that she is going to get another nose job and become a rapper- she has yet again made headlines.

This time posting pictures of what appears to be an impromptu party for three, earlier this month. In the shocking photos Amanda is seen reclining on her bed which is stripped down without sheets or any other bedding.  She is seen wearing sunglasses shielding her eyes, holding back her hair extensions (which are in a tattered mess) and smeared makeup on her face. Yet this doesn’t stop her from posing for the camera next to a burnt out joint, appearing to be emulating Madonna’s famous “vogue” pose. #Trainreck.

Aside from her makeup disaster,  her outfit also screams for “attention” as she wears a sheer cream dress exposing her black bra, with a denim and leather jacket over the top. A man who goes by the name “Joe” provided the pictures and information to In Touch magazine and was supposedly one of the men “partying” with a hazy Amanda. Seen proudly preening and pouting in a mirror as another guest who was smoking got physically close to her.

But of course instead of admitting her mistakes, once the snaps emerged Amanda has once again jumped to her own defense by tweeting “That’s not my bed! Those aren’t my toes! My toes are pedicured!” but its blatantly clear that it is indeed the former child star.

The two men said that they witnessed Amanda smoke marijuana as she sat on top of a mattress in her bedroom. The photos were taken in Amanda’s apartment which the two men described as “filthy”and it is apparently littered with garbage and takeout containers. Though her windows have been half spray painted black.

Amanda Bynes yet again making an attack via twitter 

The  men also claim that they saw empty “drug baggies” strewn on the floor.”Weed was everywhere” Giovanni told the magazine. “On the bed, all over the floor.” They then continued to bash her mental state as Joe told the magazine: “One minute she’s cool and down-to-earth.The next, she’s totally different – indecisive and she can’t hold a conversation. Mentally, she is all over the place.”

This information all emerged just after she was arrested last Thursday night for allegedly throwing a bong out of the window of her 36th floor apartment. But on Monday, she went on a lengthy rant on what she called her ” mistaken arrest” telling confused Twitter followers that:
“I’m suing NYPD for illegally entering my apartment, lying about drugs on me and lying about me tampering with non existent drug paraphernalia, then I’m suing for being put into a mental hospital against my will, then locked up overnight for coming home after a facial and working out with my trainer like the good girl that I am. I’m allergic to alcohol and drugs and don’t partake in any of the above. I’m so offended by all of this but so proud to not be a drug or alcohol user.”

Between P & M

Today the weather in NYC correlated to my bad mood (pouring of rain). It started off by disliking my Starbucks coffee frappachino at 6 am (never happens), followed by a 30 minute subway ride downtown (standing up), and crying in the middle of the flatiron district due to a little bit of a meltdown and big nonsense going on. Apparently you can never be to old to cry in public. As long as you have dark sunglasses and a good reason.

Why I tried to keep calm and carry on, It didn’t happen. I didn’t stop crying, and nor did the ginormous rainstorm, that caught me off guard without an umbrella. As the day went on and I finally calmed myself down, and sat on the couch. I took a few deep breaths as Barnby then jumped up, sat on my lap whilst wagging his tail in my face and then turning right around to lick me. Being the affectionate dog that he is, I think he could sense that I was upset and as they say ” A dog is a mans best friend” well change man into woman. 

Midday I decided to weigh myself and realized that I had ironically gained weight from eating a healthier diet and doing yoga on a daily basis. Yes gained. Progressively my day got worse by the minute, until here I am blogging about it. Usually i’d keep my five year old meltdown to myself. But I think it shows character…and confidence that I have pride in knowing it’s ok to show emotion, now and then. It’s also been my first good cry in a very long time, and was needed. Between the streets of Park and Madison Avenue.

Today was also the start of my summer classes which I am taking online. I’m only taking three classes which are:  Public relations, entrepreneurship and economic history of the 1920s. If it sounds like a lot of work, well I will happily tell you after reading through the syllabus-that it is. As one of my professors put it: we have ten weeks to get through a 457 page text book. D-e-l–i-g-t-f-u-l. Yet what needs to be done, must be done.

So practically my day was: dreadful, daunting and dissatisfying. And while I want to think that there is nothing a good ice cream “can’ fix”-Im starting to realize my metabolism disagrees.

Zach Sobiech

Zach Sobiech 

This morning a youtube video popped up on my news feed, and of course through out,  I was crying as Zach Sobiech was a terminally ill 17 year old who enunciated that “You don’t have to find out your dying, to start living”. The 17 year old whose diagnosis encouraged him to go out and live his life to the fullest, after getting diagnosed with osteosarcoma when he was just 14 years of age.

Zach accepted his illness, and immortalized himself in his families and friends hearts through songs that he wrote for them. 

His song “Clouds” became a YouTube sensation, and today has over 6,039,154 views. After the video went viral, a performing rights organization: “Broadway Music Inc” signed Zach, and his song reached the number one spot on the itunes store. 

Just one week ago today, on May 20th, 2013  Zach lost his battle to cancer, passing away. 

His hope “I wanna be remembered as a kid who went down fighting – I didn’t really lose.” 

His family started “The Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund” to support research of this rare disease, and supporters can make donations to help other children suffering from cancer. Zach Sobiech inevitably touched the heart and spirit of millions, and spread joy wherever he went. 

Zach left a lasting legacy, whose life ended just as he lived. Embraced by the love of his family, friends, grace and music. Rest In Peace Zach Sobiech.