Check out the Saturday Performance Series at the Lower East Side Girls Club (Art+Community Gallery, 56 East 1st Street btw 1st & 2nd Aves). Each Saturday at 3:30pm they host free, all-ages community concerts featuring all-women line-ups of musicians, singer-songwriters, MC's and poets.


More info and line up.http://www.girlsclub.org/about/perform

Check out and joing Going.com, a social networking website that lets folks discover and/or promote events (movies, art shows, concerts, karaoke, open bar, comedy, anything) happening around the city. Originally, I joined because it was the only way to RSVP for Williamsburg Pool Concerts last summer, but lately I've been using it pretty much every weekend. It's great, but it would be even better if my friends were there.

Please visit the site and join and use it sometimes, so that we can easily make plans. You can find me by searching for "Olivia" or looking up my email address (I think). Lemme know if you need help.

Here's the trailer for the film they made from one of my favorite memoirs/ graphic novels, Persepolis (1 and 2)! I can't wait to see this. The books are great, so hopefully the film will do the story justice.

Check out this video: PERSEPOLIS trailer



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Hi all,

My partner Jessica's 30th birthday is coming up. I'm throwing a big Mexican theme house party for her on Saturday, December 8th at 8PM. Save the date!

Expect VCTOTW's Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes and Mucho Margarita Cupcakes.
Expect homemade sangria and hot spiced wine!
Expect pineapple salsa, pomegranate guacamole, and plantain chips!
Expect a pinata!

The party is still in planning stage, so if you have any Mexican appetizer ideas or recipes, as well as theme decorations and activities, to suggest please send me a message.

Thanks,
Olivia

For those of you who don't know, I began working part-time in the juice bar at Angelica Kitchen this Wednesday. Being a juice jockey is not at all a glamorous job. I'm having to get over my whole attitude of coming into work and chilling out over coffee, a muffin, and email for an hour or so before I really get started. Working in a juice bar, the first two hours are actually the most hectic and even once you get over that hump, there's still plenty to do. But despite all this, so far I love working there--love the vibe, love the healthy food, and love that they're so eco-conscious and un-wasteful.

The one really bad thing about working in a kitchen--the one thing that my initial reaction was nearly to resign before I began over-- is that the dept. of health requires that I cover my hair. MY HAIR! My beautiful, quirky, sexy, wild hair--the essence of all that is uniquely Livi!!!

Determined not to let this law stop me from being as cute as a button, I put on my fabulous huge brass sculpture earrings and wrapped a funky, bold West African print cloth around my head. And guess what happened?! One of our earliest customers, a little man with a British accent who looked vaguely familiar, complimented me. "I like your look," he said with a smile as he grabbed his brown-bagged meal and walked out the door. Who was that little man with excellent taste?, I wondered.

Then this morning, while combing my locks, I saw him on a re-run of America's Next Top Model Season 3! Simon Doonan, creative director of Barney's, likes my look! I guess head wraps are totally the thing right now. Go me!

Olivia's Bitchin' Birthday Sing-A-Long Saturday and Smashface Sunday

I'm turning 28 this year and I'd like to celebrate my birthday with you. Here's a line up of the fun things I have planned for my birthday weekend. I hope you can make one it out to one or all events.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th

7PM- 9PM: Cake, snacker-roos, and booze @ Olivia & Jessica's place
Send message for location and home number.

10PM- 1AM: Off-key Karaoke @ The Carriage House
312 Seventh Avenue at 8th Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn!
Directions: F to 7th Avenue Station. Exit at 7th Avenue and 9th Street. Walk on 7th Avenue for one block to 8th Street.
Enjoy totally FREE karaoke, cheap alcohol, pool, and darts at this random sports bar that has a great blend of old school neighborhood folks and anti-hipsters.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th

3PM- 6PM: Gift Tour at Atlantic Antic
Watch me ooh and ahh over wonderful things you can buy me for my birthday. Oh, yeah, take in the sighs, sounds, and tastes of Brooklyn's diverse cultures in this ginormous street fair on Atlantic Avenue.

7PM: Stew perform songs from Passing Strange and a few songs with his band, The Negro Problem
Joe's Pub @ The Delacorte Theater in Central Park
Free but tickets must be obtained at 1PM either at The Delacorte or at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (near Astor Place), from 1PM to 3PM. Check out the website for details.

9:30PMish- 11:30PM: Cheapshots!
140 1st Ave (Cross Street: Between St Marks Place and East 9th Street, East Village
Since I was born on this day 28 years ago, I think it's only proper that I try to drink myself to near death for free this evening. You guys can enjoy pretty decent booze prices too. Bring singles for the jukebox!

WISH LIST
I have no shame. I want things. Maybe you could hook a sister up...
Re-gifted or gently used but awesome items will be totally accepted.

Karaoke CDs--various artist. The cheesier the better!
Trader Joe's Gift Certificate
Whole Foods gift certificate
Cool Clothes. Let me eliminate the guess work: dress, pant, skirt size 5/6. American Apparel t-shirt size Medium/OS ladies cut. Shoe size 8.
Cooking/Baking/ kitchen supplies.
Craft supplies.
Vegan goodies.
Laptop case to fit 15.4" laptop.
Subscription to BUST, Craftzine, BITCH, HEEB, VegNews, Readymade, and Naturally You  magazines sent to my home address (see above). Pick one!
Something cute from ETSY.com or perhaps something you made.

Dear Friends,

November 10th is the League of Humane Voters of New York City's (LOHV-NYC) 6th anniversary. In case you don't know about their great work, LOHV-NYC's mission is to elect pro-animal candidates to city and state office and to pass humane legislation. This year, I'm honored to serve on the host committee for their annual event. I hope you'll buy a ticket and join me as we celebrate six years of political action for animals! The details are below. You can buy tickets and read more about LOHV-NYC at www.humanenyc.org

Best,
Olivia

LOHV-NYC's 6th Anniversary Gala
Saturday, November 10th, 2007
8:00 p.m. ~ midnight

~ Hosted By ~
Jivamukti Yoga School
841 Broadway, 2nd floor, New York, NY
(Between 14th and 13th Streets)

~ Special Celebrity Guests ~
Peter Max, Nellie McKay, Grant Aleksander and Dan Piraro (list in formation)

~ Celebrating elected officials who have made significant contributions to animal welfare ~
Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senators Frank Padavan and Martin Connor, Assembly member Linda Rosenthal and Council Members Melissa Mark-Viverito and Jimmy Vacca (list in formation)

~ Corporate Sponsors ~
Candle Cafe, Counter Restaurant and Wine Bar, Cynthia King Dance Studio, Jivamukti Yoga Studio, MooShoes, Tastee Vegan and Whole Earth Bakery & Kitchen

~ Host Committee ~
Meena Alagappan, Garo Alexanian, Helen Bala, Josephine Bellaccomo, Chloe Jo Berman, Susan Brandt, Jenny Brown, Maryanne Byington, Lawrence Carter-Long, Catherine Clyne, Hon. Danny Dromm, Len Egert, Daniel Elstein, Prof. Julian Franklin, Brad Goldberg, Hon. Lewis Goldstein, Doug Greene, Jane Hoffman, Laura Imperiale, Steve Kaufman, Cynthia King, Patrick Kwan, Olivia Lane, Aubrey Lees, Julie Lewin, Mary Max, Dirk McCall, Marisa Miller Wolfson, Elinor Molbegott, Andy Praschak, Harriet Putterman, John Phillips, Sherry Ramsey, Martin Rowe, Pamela Rice, Jamin Sewell, Michael Schweinsburg, Paul Shapiro, Valerie Sicignano, David Silversmith, Peter Silvestri, Hon. Jerry Simonelli, Julia Szabo, Amy Trakinski, Veronica Vera, Lisa Virgona and Diane West

~ Complementary hors d'oeuvres from New York City's finest vegan restaurants and cash bar featuring organic wines and beers ~

~ Note on Attire ~
Cocktail attire. Please, no furs. And, wear your most festive socks! Shoes must be removed at the door to the Yoga studio.

Thanks to the wonderful BedStuyBlog.com, a bunch of locals are organizing a casual crafting group.

The group is open to crafters of all skill levels and mediums. Basically it's an excuse to make friends while making cool stuff, and to patronize local community spaces, inc. parks, gardens, and cafes.

The plan is to meet at alternating Sundays at 1 PM. We are still voting on start dates, either Aug 12, 19, or 26.

Please send name, email address, and your vote for start date to sugarshakesATgmail.com, if you are interested in joining. Please put "Bed-Stuy Craft Group" somewhere in message or subject. (I get A LOT of email and this will help me sort it.)

Look forward to meeting you!
Olivia

**Feel free to repost to local message boards or forward to friends.**

I've been meaning to try something from Kris Holechek's Damn Tasty Vegan Baking Guide for a while.

Last night, I returned home late from a challenging day at work and needed to unwind. For me, baking is a huge stress reliever so I decided to whip up this Boston Cream Pie. I've never had a Boston Cream Pie before so I can't say if this is an extraordinarily good BCP. I can say it was good enough to eat for dinner tonight even though I don't really have much of a sweet tooth anymore.

My NYC friends are invited over tomorrow night and Saturday afternoon to sample my BCP and help me free up the much needed fridge space and spare me the return of my muffin top. Just call or email me. Not interested? Check out the enticing picture below and rethink your choice.



Note: In researching for this post, I see that chef Kris has posted a picture of her BCP on her blog. I am humbled. My pie looks so ghetto in comparison. Okay, maybe not just in comparison. Listen, the cake was sliding and I didn't have the suggested wax paper to help support it. I had to spear it with a pair of chopsticks that I karate chopped in half. What are you laughing at? Follow her recipe and post pic in the comments if you think you can do better!

Our apartment is beyond messy. It's really quite gross. Yet, neither Jessica nor I can get the momentum going to really do something about it. Since I've pretty lucky at getting out of predicaments by posting ads on Craiglist (just this weekend, we've found a home for our cat and a buyer for our ancient computer), I wonder if it would be smart to use Cragslist to get our apartment clean.

Okay, since Jessica and I are both pretty foxy, would it be a good idea free ourselves from the shackles of housework by offering out dominatrix skills on Craigslist? I'm thinking of charging some fetish guy $100 to have us boss him around while he cleaned up our apartment? I might even be willinging to go so far as to beat the guy with a broom or slap him in the face with a wet mop every so often. Considering how filthy this place it, that could mean hours of entertainment for the low price of $100!  It's really a steal, when you think about it.

Please leave a comment and let me know if you think Jess and I should become dominatrix or just do it ourselves.