I'm the number one fan of the man from Tennessee

Below are some selected pictures from my trip thus far. I've learnt to navigate New York City by myself on the Subway, and catch cabs and hail them too, and tip the right amount of money and everything. I feel surprisingly confident with getting around. Today on the train to Boston I listened to all my traveling 'freight train blues' songs, and looked out the window at Harlem and the Bronx. On Saturday I feel I'm going back to Massachusetts.

At the top of the stairs to the 'Upper East Side' apartment in New York that I temporarily have called home

This is my favourite American guy so far

A very Wizard of Oz field of Poppies in Connecticut

I GOT A YALE 'SWEATER'

Annie Hall creature comfort on the plane

Rooftop at the MET

Me, (Forever alone) and couple in mirror

Rooftop at the MET

So corny, but it had to be done. Strawberry fields forever

Ballad of a Thin Man

Here's an update from Starbucks at the corner of Lexington and 96th... I'm at here solely because of internet access, for the record. I am just about to take a walk to Central Park, it's a beautiful but humid morning. Yesterday I went thrifting and to a flea market with Emma Orlow from the Emma Edition which was so lovely, I bought some INCREDIBLE earrings that are in the shape of two eyes, that have some pretty intense diamontes in them as the pupils. I found some amazing pants with palm trees on them that didn't fit, which I was very disappointed about! Emma and I got iced teas and I heard all about her life growing up in NYC, which was so interesting! Very different from how I have grown up. Tomorrow I'm getting the train to Boston for my Aunty's wedding. This will be significantly more chilled out than New York City, perhaps. Below is a photograph of me looking a little humidity affected that Emma took in front of this Mike Brown esque mural in Astor Place. (Hey Louise, there are my blue converse - they've been walking the streets of New York City!)

The Great Leap

It is 1.25am. I just got home from a absolutely wonderful 'last night in Melbourne' (for like, two weeks, gimme a break..) But ah yeah patheticness aside it was amazing, I had my graduation ceremony this evening that gratuitously fell on the night before my 'big trip', and then afterwards when we'd ditched our robes all the amazing people I'm lucky enough to call my friends went out to a cocktail bar for Cheralyn's birthday, and I had expensive cocktails because I am already in holiday, 'spending money like it's going out of style' mode and it was so fun. It's T-minus 8 hours until I fly half way across the world and my bags are packed I'm ready to go I'm standin' here outside your door - I hate to wake you up to say goodbye... I'm feeling extra lilting because a lovely thing happened to me this evening, which makes me heart flare up again with the musty but not unfamiliar feeling of gladness.

I got home to a perfectly timed package from the Book Depository - 'Girls Like Us' a book that I should have read by now about Carole King and Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. THE ULTIMATE. That's coming on the plane with my along with a new sketchbook and my toothbrush and stuff. I will be in New York tomorrow night at 9.30pm, just in time hopefully for a bite out to eat. The cocktails that I drunk tonight were called something like 'The Great Leap' which is precisely what is happening in my life right now, emotionally, physically, mentally, metaphorically.. so it was like so symbolic and stuff. Below is my tribute to Donna, New York is below her feet as it will soon be below mine.

I have to go to sleep now.

If I didn't tell her, I could leave today

My problem is that I lament the loss of something before it has even begun. It is a terrible affliction y'know. I am so aware of the tendency for things not to last forever, that before they even have the chance to fully form and breathe independently I am disregarding them, to soften the blow and to avoid getting hurt. One of the greatest anxieties of the human condition is that things can not and will not last forever.


This is a 'See ya later' playlist: http://www.mediafire.com/?c2brivtuy9nyo


1. Tin Man - America
2. California Dreaming - The Mamas and the Papas
3. Cold Mountain (B-Side-Single) - Pentangle
4. Different Drum - The Stone Poneys
5. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) - Simon and Garfunkel
6. California - Joni Mitchell
 7. Please Come to Boston - Joan Baez
8. Way Over Yonder - Carole King

LOOKIN' FOR FUN AND FEELIN' GROOVY

We'd talk about it all knight long

Last night I had the most incredible dream that I think went all night, and it was so beautiful - I found three perfect butterflies on the ground, with lengthy, iridescent orange and blue wings. I was in a rambling woodland clearing and in amongst the mounds of long, soft yellowing grass was an overabundance of wild flowers and orchids. There were two little girls who were doing handstands over and over again which I'm sure has some profound symbolic significance that I am ignorant of. I was very far away from home and with a faceless someone who meant a lot to me. We were staying in a hotel I'd been in before. The space was one long, dank room that had bunk bed after bunk bed. The windows looked directly out onto a bustling alleyway and they had no curtains. Everyone could see inside our room. It was perpetually sunset in the woodland. In the hotel it was perpetually dark.


I do maintain it is terrifically boring when someone begins to relay to you a dream they have had. Also, it is tackless in a sense that you're practically wrapping up all your deepest psychological fears and desires and giving them to someone to do with what they wish. So I totally understand if you're yawning from the above paragraph. Sorry for putting you through that, and please don't use any of my perhaps now apparent weaknesses against me.


I'm leaving (God bless America) in T-minus three days. I am very unprepared! I didn't even have a suitcase until today. But it's okay. I'm just going to try and go with the flow a little y'know, I mean all I really have to do is get to the airport on Friday morning, it's not that hard. I have some American money now, how exciting! Also I'm supposed to be young and freewheelin' so like logistics are so irrelevant.


The market and movie night (knight) yesterday at Knight Street was really fun! I ended up giving a lot of my clothes to my friends rather than selling them which actually was heaps better. I just need to get rid of so much stuff. I think we are going to make the market thing happen like once a month, which will be amazing in terms of keeping my clothing ah *collection* under control and circulating more readily. I will definitely let you know a little more in advance when the next one will be. Thanks to everyone who came along! I only took one photo because I am hopeless. This is Louise and Luella and Jo's stall. It was totally the best one, I got the pair of pastel blue Converse shoes for walking around New York. Oh and hey look more pictures from my collaboration with Petra Collins: See the full series here: http://www.theardorous.com/portfolio/im-coming-out/

Knight Street Market

Okay this is going to be a more eloquent reminder about Knight Street Market, at my friend's gallery in Footscray. This time I'll actually give the ADDRESS which is a really important thing when you want to go somewhere. It is at 61 Victoria Street Footscray, which you will find is literally one second from Middle Footscray station - so it's very easy to get to via public transport. I will be selling clothes that I am just about to lug on the train all the way over there. They're priced from $2 to $10 (One thing is $10) So very cheap! Other friends will be selling hand made jewelry, art stuff, *bric a brac* and lots of retro/second hands clothing. I have resigned myself to the fact that I am going to be late, but it starts at 10am. Forget the mental barrier you harbor about Footscray and come along. It's literally 10 minutes out of the city, hello!  http://www.facebook.com/events/279634498789156/


If that ain't incentive enough (my old clothes that is) we're having a *free* movie night after the market, starting at 6pm. See the below poster made by the amazing Cheralyn Lim:
Thank you for listening to my renentless plug - regular broadcasting will resume tomorrow.