Survived another Monday.....barely.

Monday just happened to me again.  In fact, it happened to everyone again.  And as far as I can tell from social media posts, the existence of the hashtag #MondayMotivation, articles about Sunday and Monday blues, and my own informal surveys among friends, pretty much no one likes Mondays. 

So I'm not alone.  

But what I can't tell is if other people experience Monday in a way that rises to the level of clinical depression.  I'm talking about a near-crippling emotional and physical response.  Every.  (Working) Monday.  Come Tuesday - while not quite 100% - the emotional weight has lifted, and I've regained my will to live.  People who meet me or see me at the end of the week or on weekends would not recognize the person I am on Mondays - antisocial, short-tempered, profoundly sad, distracted, enervated, indifferent, hopeless.  

Unfortunately, there are no once-a-week pop-a-pill fixes to this sort of depression.  So I've tried other solutions: relaxing Sundays and ensuring a good night's sleep, rewarding myself with a special treat to look forward to on Mondays, working from home on Mondays, fixing myself up really nice when I go into the office on Mondays.  Nothing works - except holding out until Tuesday comes.

There has to be a better way than going through every seventh day like this.  Ideas welcome.  

Pride in the City

I'm finally getting around to posting my NYC Pride pics.  It was my very first Pride march, and thanks to the Supreme Court's gay marriage decision just two days earlier, we all had special cause to celebrate.  I marched with the Center for Constitutional Rights, a civil and human rights organization that I used to work for and now donate to.  They have been fighting the good fight for almost 50 years, and among other cases, have joined with Sexual Minorities Uganda to sue Scott Lively for persecuting LGBTI Ugandans.  Cases like this remind us that - for as much as the LGBT movement had to celebrate at Pride this year - there is still so much more work to be done.      

Sir Ian McKellen - Grand Marshal #1

Sir Derek Jacobi - Grand Marshal #2

Star of the parade!

In front of the historic Stonewall Inn - where it all began in 1969.

Summer in the City

Memorial Day weekend is New York City's unofficial kick off to the summer season.  Hello, Shakespeare in the Park, Jazz Age Lawn Party, Governors Ball and a litany of other cultural activities from river to river.  And, let's not forget: OUTDOOR DRINKING.  The fun starts even before the first summer Friday with, you guessed it: Fleet Week!  Men in uniforms!  

If you spent your weekend running around trying to snap a #SelfieWithASailor, you are probably ready to cool off and kick back with another summertime staple: ice cream.  Non-dairy ice cream.  

Meet your new obsession: the recently opened DF Mavens in the East Village.  It begins with a flavored cone.  I picked coconut (just because I can't physically get to a tropical island doesn't mean I can't transport my tastebuds there).  

Then, it's time to choose a scoop (or two).  I went with New Orleans Salted Praline and had my own personal Mardi Gras flavor celebration.  

For those interested in supplementing their ice cream experience, DF Mavens also sells vegan pastries, milkshakes, gourmet chocolates, and juices - in addition to pints-to-go of their ice cream.  

Bottom line: this is a must-stop-spot for your New York City summer.  

Bonus: you can mosey afterwards to The Grafton (the erstwhile Lunasa) to get your outdoor drinking on in their back area.  

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-sum-summertime

The great thing about having a blog entitled "My Virtual Vanity Project" is that I can't be accused of false advertising with my posts - I write about whatever strikes me at the moment.  Unfortunately, given the amount of time that's passed since my last post, it means that I haven't been struck by much...or, maybe, that I've been really busy living in the real world!

Which brings me to today's post: summertime!  Of course, with Labor Day weekend coming up, summertime is almost over - wah, wah.  But what a summer it's been!  Especially for those of us who love the World Cup.  Below is a photo summary of my tournament month.

Here I am supporting my favorite country team with two other Azzurri fans.  Sadly, the first game was the only good one for us - a 2 - 1 win against England - because after that, we fast-tracked it to an early tournament exit, thanks in part to that infamous bite [the chomp seen 'round the world].

But at least I had a trip to Brazil to look forward to and live action in the stadium!  

(Mexico v. Netherlands, round of 16)

(Colombia v. Brazil, quarterfinals)

At the end of my time in Brazil, there were four teams remaining in the World Cup: Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Netherlands.  And with Italy no longer in the tournament, I decided to throw my full enthusiasm behind Germany.

My enthusiasm was rewarded with a fourth star for Germany and a third place win in the Smithfield - Lunasa tournament pool for me!

What did you do with your summer?

Last Days of Smithfield

On January 1, 2014, Smithfield closed its doors.

A New York City soccer community lost its home because some greedy landlord sold the property to a greedy real estate developer - to build apartments that none of us can afford to live in on a block no one would visit were it not for a bar like Smithfield (FIT students don't count, as usual).  Welcome to the wealth gap NYC-style.

As many of you know from my Facebook check ins, Smithfield has been my second home for the past 3 years (my last 2 birthday parties were here!), so this was a tremendous emotional blow.  Worse than the hit the patrons took, the staff - every bit a part of the soccer community - found themselves unemployed...Merry Christmas, here's your lump of coal.

And that's what made Smithfield so special - more than the beautiful fixtures, the fantastic spaces, the impressive foodie menu (with first rate options even for a vegan like me) - it was the people.  The soccer crowd, sure, but the owners and the staff (from the door staff to the floor staff (yes, I made that rhyme on purpose)) made you feel welcome, attended to...at home.  To call Smithfield our "Cheers" bar doesn't even begin to describe the psychic space our bar occupied.

Smithfield will have another incarnation soon - another location, perhaps another name.  Until then, here are some good memories of the last days of (this) Smithfield.

(I have left out some names and many other photos on purpose because I didn't ask for permission to post them...if you see this and would like a photo/name removed (or added), please let me know.)

Here's Fitzy who greets me at the door when I arrive (someone else is there when I leave - yes, that's how long I stay).

This is Eddie - I regularly harrassed him to play 1) Sunday, Bloody Sunday and 2) Fields of Anthenry (I'm a one trick pony).

This was the last league match the Barcelona Penya watched at Smithfield.  Getafe lost.  Of course.  

Here's me and Kieron on Smithfield's last night - New Year's Eve.  

Me, Tom and Willy.  

Me and two other regulars (I didn't ask permission to use their names) from the Penya.  Notice the photobombers behind us.  

Me, the Mayor of Smithfield, my friend Inessa...and everyone's favorite Arsenal fan (not).  

Looking forward to being together again under one roof!

Italian Door Knocker

When I was in Italy a couple of years ago, I spotted this really neat door knocker in Verona.  I finally got around to doing something with the picture...turning it into a greeting card. 

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

And by posting this project on my blog, I get a $10 discount on my next Shutterfly order. :)

Doggies Make Everything Better

After surviving another Monday, this is what I'm about to go home to - doggies make everything better, and I am OBSESSED with mine.

Sometimes people really stink (like Alfie's previous person who threw him away at the age of 9 years and came THIS CLOSE to costing him his life).  And there are days when humanity makes you question why you even bother fighting to make things better. 

But I can always count on this little guy to put a smile on my face when I walk through my door.

So screw you homophobes, racists, misogynists, pedophiles, animal abusers - you who prey on the weakest among us.  After I get some doggie time, I'm coming back tomorrow to fight another day.