Vieques, Puerto Rico

After narrowly escaping New York before the cancellation of approximately 500 flights we took a three and a half flight on American Airlines to San Juan. They charge $15 for the first bag. We took a taxi to Fajardo. We missed the 1pm ferry and got on the 4:30 ferry. There was a lot of pushing even though there turned out to be plenty of seats. Our car seat stroller broke on the dock from loading it up too much and pushing it too hard.

Vieques is a rural island with a mix if affluent and poor. There are beautiful empty beaches. I will post photos later. Horses run wild. Theft of items left in the car are usually stolen. We were advised to leave nothing anywhere in the car and to leave the windows open. While we were at abeach yesterday some people left their car for only a few minutes to ask our friend a question and all there bags money and cameras were stolen. They were probably followed in on horseback and then took off through a trail.

Puerto Rico: Vieques - on the balcony

Lula & Maya are painting themselves. We are on the balcony. But I can't figure out how to upload photos from my iPhone to this website.

NYC: Rainy Day Today

NYC: Nov. 6th

NYC: Every day last week

I love the Everest Diner. The first day I went with Lula and met the police officer. They gave Lula a free donut to go. The third day they didn't give me a menu and just asked if I wanted the usual. Fourth day they're communicating in hand gestures from across the room "m.o.r.e. c.o.f.f.e.e.?" The service is so good that breakfast can take only a half and hour if you want it. The food is just OK diner food. They have wireless internet and outlets just like the library a block away. But the library doesn't open until ten. I'm hoping to write at the library and save a little time with the commute.

NYC: Nov. 5th School trip to the Firehouse

NYC: Election Day!

This police officer was super friendly and nice and had us sit down and chat with him.

SPAIN

The Spanish say Vale vale vale a lot. The pronounciation threw me a bit. I didn't realize how used to the South American Spanish I was. Grathias, etc.

The Aquarium had a tube through the tank that was clear all around except most of underfoot. That was fun.

In San Sebastian sometimes the water hits the coast line very hard and moves the cars in the parking spots from legal to illegal spots and sometimes smash them up.

On the airplane back somebody shushed Maya for crying. I said "Um, she's two! She's not doing this to you on purpose."

SPAIN: Alphabet Killer & Film Festival Premiere

We are in Spain because we were invited to have Alphabet Killer open the San Sebastian Horror Film Festival.

Tonight I got invited to be on stage before the film. I wish I had brought my camera with me and photographed the audience instead of getting photographed because it was quite a sight. The Spanish audience is very vocal and funny.

I'm also including photos of the aquarium, and a filmed interview which the girls attended as well.

SPAIN: San Sebastian Day Two

On day two Rob had to go to a press conference. I was invited to join the press conference but I had to jump in an out to wrangle my little boss Maya. Also I got to be in the press photos too.

At lunch I let Lula use my camera.

SPAIN: San Sebastian Night One

San Sebastian is beautiful. We're staying in Hotel de Londres on the beach with a beautiful view of the ocean.

We went out to dinner and dined with Tomoo Haraguchi, Director/Special Effects specialist. He does the special effects for a majority of Japanese movies including all of Takeshi Kitano who directed Hanabi, Sonatine and many others. He has a tatoo on his head which I will have to photograph. So dinner was a confusin mix of Spanish, English and Japanese. In San Sebastian the tapas are called Pintxos which sounds like Pinchos. Everything is delicious. Maya was awake at 1am when we came home and refused to go to sleep until after 2:30am.

FRANKFURT!

We had a five hour stop-over in Frankfurt so we used it to go in to town for lunch.

During that time we saw a man with a great moustache on the train, a hot dog seller carrying his own kiosk and a man collecting money with his miniature horse.

MOVIES THIS FALL

I've recently seen:
Man On Wire-exhilarating and slow
Rachel Getting Married - fresh
Nick & Norah's Playlist -cute
Ashes of Time - pomp and artifice, I walked out
Burning After Reading - fun (coen brothers went to simon's rock)

NYC: Thank You Agent Provacateur

On our block is a lingerie shop called Agent Provacateur. They alway have very racy window displays. Last month it was two gals playing tennis. This month the fake grass was out on the street in two garbage bags. So we've acquired it and put it to much more modest use. I'm absolutely thrilled to have a little bit of green in the apartment.

NYC: The New Museum from the outside

NYC: Bath-time

NYC: The Outsiders

I went back to the gallery on Bowery south of Houston called The Outsiders to check out the art downstairs. I like how Lula & Maya see the positive in art and are completely unaware of the irony, subversiveness and pessimism.

They were very excited about Grover, Bert and Mickey Mouse.

Separately I was talking about outsider art and Lula pointed up to the side of the building to point to outsider art.