BEST PLACES

Here's an interesting site that posts different statistics on areas around the USA. The stats come from the US Census Bureau and more seemingly reliable sources. Pretty fun to compare the plain old regularities of your life to what people experience in other areas-- or maybe I'm just fooling around on my computer a bit too much!

The posted comments on the site, however, don't seem too helpful. Mainly just a bunch of whinging from unhappy people-- perhaps they should spend their time using the web page to actually do something about that.

To chat or not to chat?

For a traveler, it's a ubiquitous circumstance. Do you socialize with the new people seated near you, who you'll probably never speak to again? Or are you sick of the meaningless short-lived relationships-- so you pop in your ipod headphones and zone out with head craned in the opposite direction?

In general, I say "hello" when I've found my designated spot on a long distance bus or an airplane, you know, testing the waters. You can certainly find out a thing or two about a new area and plenty of the best recommendations I've received have been via word-of-mouth. It's kind of like looking up ratings on Zagat's or an Internet graffiti wall, except you have to actually attempt to make a connection. Like anyone, however, sometimes I'm just not in the mood.

That's usually about the time when obnoxious person 'A' enters the scene. Maybe it's a chattery girl on holiday who just bought 8 pairs of shoes in Thailand. This time it was a 26-yr old from Boone, NC, who had just spent a week babysitting her niece and nephew in upstate New York. I was fortunate enough to be seated next to this shrill-voiced woman on my plane to Charlotte this past weekend, after spending 45 minutes at our gate trying to tune her out. She's the kind of person who pretends she's talking to you, but actually stares straight ahead, allowing the entire public to enjoy her thoughts. This one went so far as to grab my shoulder a few times when I wasn't paying enough attention to the passages she read allowed from her book. (Yes, I was "reading" too.)

But eventually, what I realized was-- she actually became more bearable as I intentionally entered the conversation. Maybe those other tactics were only to attract my attention-- and once she had it, some entirely intriguing thoughts came out. Her new kick was apparently taking control and responsibility of all parts her own life, both the successes and the failures. Something we all should know, but it never hurts to hear it again.

I ended up actually enjoying myself by the end, and even though I continued to cringe out the window every time she screamed or shouted, at least it made my flight interesting enough for the time to pass a bit quicker.

El norte de “Museum Mile”

Continue up 5th Avenue past the Upper East Side, into Spanish Harlem for the small but captivating el Museo del Barrio. Currently the museum houses the shocking “Los Desaparecidos” traveling exhibition, at its only stop along the East Coast. I visited this exhibit 2 weekends ago, and was truly awed and horrified by the information and feelings the art provokes.

Why don’t we learn more about the disappeared through our education system or the news? I had no idea of the extent of these tragedies throughout South and Central America, which continue to this day. In fact, the only experience I’ve ever had with these issues came from my high school Spanish and AP Journalism classes.

One of the most affecting pieces is a video installation (and usually I hate these!) where an artist uses water to paint faces of the disappeared on slate—his hand continually repaints the portraits, which never cease to vanish.

The exhibit runs through June 17, 2007 and takes about an hour to view.
Museum Open: Wed – Sun, 11am – 5pm. Adults $6, Students & Seniors $4.
1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street, New York, NY. 212-831-7272

Kiwi Experience in Arlington, VA

This past weekend I had a delightful brunch in a Kiwi Cafe, Cassatt's, just outside of Washington, DC. Back in New Zealand, I was most fond of their coffees, fried eggs on burgers, and fish and chips. Luckily, you can get all of that at Cassatt's-- and you don't even have to pay 15 cents for each packet of tomato sauce!

Geoff, my boyfriend & Australian souvenir, was excited since Kiwis live kind of close to Oz, and over on this side of the world he'll take what he can get. I was pumped for a new find near to the Orange Line.

Our waiter didn't have an accent, but that's forgivable since he was pleasant enough. The food was fantastic. Delicious not-too-sweet french toast, the Big Kiwi Breakfast (eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, tomato and fruit all inclusive), and a Medium sized latte in what could be considered a cereal bowl! I cannot wait to go back for dinner.

In addition to wonderful, inexpensive food, Cassatt's hosts Arlington Artists Alliance classes in it's basement. The restaurant's wall decorations rotate monthly, in the form of Artist Alliance exhibits. I definitely recommend trying a bit of the Kiwi life in this quaint Arlington locale!

Brigette Moves - the beginning

So-- over a year later, it's quite obvious that the "how weird can the Big Apple get?" posts just weren't that much of a hit. For anyone, including myself. Maybe it was the whirlwind atmosphere of the city that kept me from my computer-- or possibly the fact that my boyfriend arrived in the US from Japan (not mail-order, I promise!) so I was finished dating my computer/webcam for awhile.

Anyways, I'm back and better than ever! I'm taking this blog in a new direction, entitled Brigette Moves. Whether it's actual locale change, pure physicality, or my thoughts flitting around in different directions, I'm pretty much always on the go. Most importantly, however, I travel. To bang out the credibility, I've created a resume of sorts. If it sounds interesting to you, get ready for the next few months!

First Memorable Adventures - Based from Arlington & McLean, VA
Disneyland (Anaheim, California) - somewhere around 1986 or 87?
Ocean City, MD - Are tie dye muscle shirts permanent there, or only in the 80's/90's?
Atlanta, GA - Go Jackets!
County Tipperary, Ireland - I spent my 8th birthday staring at my first rainbow from our thatch-roofed cottage.

Wintergreen, VA - Thank goodness for me, my parents are mountain people instead of beach people. Multiple trips so far throughout my 24 years.
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai - 1992 - 3 Week introduction to very different cultures. My parents had me keep a travel journal (tidbits to come, if you're lucky!)

Coming into my own - Based from McLean, VA
London, England - 2 School trips: Math Group in '94 & TJHS Marching Colonials in '97
Toronto & Montreal - Similar to the US of A, but not
Beaver Creek & Breckenridge, CO - back in the late 90's, when I used to ski

Kenya - 1996, Cultural safari hosted by my teacher, Mr. Lekuton, former nomad who is now a member of the Kenyan Parliament

Boston, MA - 1999, 6 weeks making film/television programs at Boston University
San Diego, CA - 2000 - my first ever trip with an important boyfriend (oh, and his dad)

Regular traveler - Based from Winston-Salem, NC
Okemo, VT - Snowboarding!
Salamanca, Spain - la primavera 2002, a la universidad
Chamonix, France & Zermatt, Switzerland - 2002, Alone. With my pack & my board.
Eurotour Summer 2002 - 5-1/2 weeks gallivanting through Portugal, Italy, Switzerland & France with friends/ The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany & Spain with family
Mobile, Alabama - 2003 R.I.P. the bay house, later taken by Katrina

San Francisco & Berkeley, CA - My favorite and most challenging summer - business classes at Cal Berkeley

Santa Fe, NM - Family Christmas in the coldest place I'd ever been. Lovely art communitities!
Obligatory Spring Break Cruise - Caymens, Mexico, & even some cultural activities in Belize!

Working(?!?) in Australasia
Sydney - 2004-05 lived in Pyrmont, worked 4 months at Darling Harbour. It was the high life
Canberra - base myself out of boyfriend's parents house for 5 months
South Australia & Victoria - Great Ocean Road, Australian Open Tennis..
North & South Islands, New Zealand - Rode around on the Magic Bus for a month!
Queensland - Rode around on the Greyhound bus for a month!

Big City Life - based from New York, NY
Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic - 2005. Definitely a learning experience
Upstate NY, VT - East Coast snowboarding best bets
Orlando, FL - 2006 - Wild "Pierce" family reunion at Disney World
Paradise Island, The Bahamas - my very own Bahamavention
Paris, France - 2006. How lucky I am to have a brother studying Parisian architecture
Washington, DC - Constant Travel. I collect Vamoose Bus Promotion Coupons for free tickets to visit my boyfriend.