Over the weekend

[brigdh]

So! Look, it's an actual update.

As I've mentioned, esrafil and her friend, Laura, came to visit me this weekend. They both came in on Friday, Laura first. There'd been a bit of miscommunication, so I was waiting to pick her up at Grand Central (note this; it'll be important later) when she actually came into Port Authority. Fortunately, they're pretty close together, so I managed to get there without leaving her stranded in the confusing, crowded station for too long, and then we went back to my apartment to wait for esrafil to arrive. She got here after midnight, and we went wandering around to find a place to eat.

You know, for the whole 'city that never sleeps' thing, New York seriously does not have that many 24-hour places. I can only name two, one of which is Dunken Doughnuts and the other of which is a coffeeshop that once kicked me out for staying too long. Where am I supposed to go when I need to write a paper at 4am, people?! At least Columbus had some diners.

Anyway, we found a sushi place still open and ate dinner, and then came back home. The next day we started out down at St. Mark's Place, which is Greenwich Village and full of various fun tattoo places and goth stores and so on. We ate at a Thai place (which was actually incredibly good and surprisingly cheap) and ducked in and out of wherever looked interesting, and esrafil and Laura bought neat things. Then we went up to Herald Square for the Lush store (which smells so good, and seems to be where I take most NYC visitors), and then further up past Times Square and the Rockfeller Center to stop at the Kinokuniya and another store or two. Then back to my apartment for esrafil and Laura to get ready to go to a Scissor Sisters concert. Which, despite my lovely company, is the real reason they were in New York.

So they went to do that, and I hung around and checked my email. *grins* Because I am exciting like that. And, well, I can only handle so much of being social. I got one from a girl I went to grade school with; I knew she was also currently living here in the city, but I hadn't got around to writing her to see if she wanted to get together sometime. Her email said, 'Were you in Grand Central yesterday? I thought I saw you!' What the hell. Eight million people here, and I run into the one I know. I swear this would only happen to me.

Sunday we first stopped at a Polish restaurant, for the sake of perioges, much-loved by Laura, and then went to Andromeda, a piercing place on St Mark's. esrafil had wanted to get her eyebrow pierced, and I'd been thinking about getting my cartilage pierced for a while, and decided this was a good opportunity.

(photo blantantly stolen from esrafil)
Though you can barely see it, against my hair. Apparently I have funny-shaped ears, or so the guy told me, necessitating it being very low down. Which is where I wanted it anyway, so that worked out. Also, I swear to god someday I will stop looking like I'm 12. It didn't hurt, or at least not nearly as much as I thought it would. It did feel strange, like a pinch, and then I could feel the needle pop through the skin. It's still a bit sore when it gets bumped, though.

While we were waiting, a mom with little children came in, who wanted to get her daughter's ears pierced. The little girl was about five, and the guy who worked there asked the mom if she thought the girl would actually sit through it, since they used actually needles instead of a gun. She said she didn't know. "We can try it," the guy said, "but if she freaks out- and even some adults do- I'll have to charge you anyway."

"So do you recommend we go someplace where they use a gun instead?" the mom asked.

"No," the guy said. "I think you should wait until she's older."

The mom and her kids talked about it, and they decided to go buy clip-on earrings instead. But it was a neat sight; you don't often see people turn away business.

After that, we walked around, stopping to get bubble tea and go through a Halloween store (hey, costumes are always cool, regardless of what time of year it actually is), before esrafil and Laura had to leave. It was fun. They are fun people! And I continue to say that everyone should visit me.

Comments

[chiasmus.livejournal.com]

I don't really have much to say since I was, well, there this weekend, but it made me really excited to see my username pop up so many times when I checked my Friends List. :D; *dork*

I was really glad to see you again! And I can send you a larger version of the picture of you, if you want it.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Hee. It is neat to see your own username, though! I was amused to see mine in your posts.

I liked seeing you again, too! But nah, don't worry about it; I don't need that many photos of myself. *grins*

[chiasmus.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool. :D

I also was amused by the old men in the Polish restaurant, though I've forgotten the part we overheard of their conversation about the decor.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

I remembered it! And submitted it to Overheard, but it'll probably be a month or so before it shows up.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Aww, you look adorable, and your little earring too! Good picture.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you!