)(( hannah mello ))(

November in View ]]

The first day of December finds me with
a closet full of boots and tights and sweater dresses--
braving the cold and
glancing back into the two months past and
all their pockets of surprises
and goodness...


This photo-ed sunrise just steps from my front door a few mornings ago is all that New York is... colorful-- full of contrast-- lit by natural and artificial lights-- haphazard lines and shapes-- poetic somehow in a loud/obvious + a subtle/gentle way...-- unseen/undetected/un-captured winds-- textures-- variations on patterns-- unmatched-- surprising-- present/there/near-- accessible/inaccessible/known/unknown-- magic.

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FRI.NOV.30.
This photo was taken last night. Emilie had instigated a celebration night because of my new job & new career path start. So, we made our way to the funky/trendy/chic restaurant in Union Square called "Coffeeshop"-- the first place I ever went to my first time visiting New York in 2003.

I had been visiting New York that year (Spring Break 2003, my junior year of college) with a posse of about 15 other students-- to help out with a food warehouse that has been feeding the homeless for over a decade. I remember darting over to the Village alone one night to see my cousin Julie and her husband Damon who were then New Yorkers and young professionals enjoying the city and each other (Julie was then a big-time in the field I am now darting into so unexpectedly in the same city...). We went to Coffeeshop. They lived just up the block.

Last night we had a scrumptious dinner there and then went to Trader Joes :), initially to get Mochi ice cream goodness to share, but ended up grocery shopping too... such the friends venture. I had a great little convo with the check out guy-- really meaningful actually, for only being a 4 minute talk... I then snagged some paper towels from another check-out guy -- and then we darted into a lobby of some place next door, hiding our sweets as best we could, so we wouldn't get kicked out into the cold. :) We enjoyed enjoyed enjoyed, and then went underground to our trains. ... :)

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TUES.NOV.27.
Adam, in his cultural ebb/flow, excitedly told me about a concert he was pumped to attend. He invited me. I'd never heard of the artist, but in the spirit of risk & adventure, I bought a ticket on Ticketweb, choosing to not listen online to the sound of the artist, and just go for it with expectation and excitement for a solid live show of musical wonders (and got a free iTunes song download in the process! Thanks Ticketweb!).

So, off we went. Jose & Adam & myself--
Walking from the tip of Manhattan up through Chinatown--
Eating dinner at a Chinese restaurant of goodness--
Stopping at a funky bar for pool & saki--
Then off to the Bowery Ballroom for Sondre Lerche.

The opener ended up being the guy that wrote the 90's song "Closing Time" ... a funny fella that was a tad awkward and rusty, but I grew to like him more and more as his song-sharing progressed.

HOWEVER, out stepped Sondre and the entire room's air space underwent a transformation. The presence of a MUSICIAN-- the sounds of MUSIC. The ENERGY of his voice and his fierce rhythms and fiery strumming. A band in and of himself. Lyrics that meant much-- more than one could grasp on first listen. His personality. Charisma. Vibrancy of presence.

















































































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THURS.NOV.22. - THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving in a Brooklyn home with (pictured) Aunt Helen & her husband Tony (Helen = my grandma's sister, both of them are Napolitan/Italian)... The connection of FAMILY unexpected-- because I haven't spent much time at all with them... but feeling the bond-- the same blood flowing through our veins... Helen & Tony, my Cousin Alice, her 2 friends, my other cousins Lisa & Trish + my housemate Nate...


The loud table conversation-- one shared conversation. The welcoming of my housemate Nate to the table. Them making him have seconds and thirds. The after dinner raspberry liqueur with dark chocolate. The plethora of deserts accompanied by teas and coffees.


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TUES.NOV.20.
An encounter with a French boy named Alexandre led to a night in Washington Square park, the NYU Starbucks, and ice-skating in Bryant Park under the lights of the city-- accompanied by old school mo-town/soul songs of wondrous goodness.












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(This photo was taken outside my museum after arriving at work & glancing over to see a couple underneath the umbrella of fiery color.)


Autumn in New York IS (has been...):
- air crisp
- leaves crackling underfoot
- nature pockets at every corner changing color
- shopping trips with girl friends for warmer layers
- receiving give-away clothes from friends
- soup for lunches and dinners
- hot cocoa with marshmellows
- job interviews/resume-tweeking/interview-prepping
- the reading of an Italian novel & some Spanish poetry
- getting to know friends on a deeper level
- becoming more of an integrated part of my church community
- growth in depth in long-distance relationships
- reconnecting with childhood friends via face-to-face in NY & online networking
- a new job of epic wonders and a potential future path
- painting slowly but surely
- piano moments of spectacular simplicity and quiet quiet inspiration that marks my days
- walks and waiting for trains in the wind
- acquainting myself more with the Bronx & Brooklyn along with the Manhattan isle
- honesty with self & challenge into risk and growth and exploration
- films that have marked me (Into the Wild, August Rush, Across the Universe)
- EPIC.

This photo was taken on the steps to the Q train in Brooklyn. It was a humble add in a newspaper that was dirtied and stuck to the steps. It grabbed my eye as Nate and I climbed the stairs quickly to catch our train. A word. A good word for these closing months of 2007...

{{ After publishing the post, I realized I forgot my traditional closing-the-post toast. :) So.....

A toast to being present (such the cliche, but such the needed and treasured reality & habit). A toast to taking risks of opportunities that present themselves that could easily pass by but choosing to not let them pass by. A toast to enjoying the possibilities because the possibilities were ACTED UPON and entered and explored by way of PRESENCE and intersection and integration. HUGE. Ching-Ching (as the Italian say). A giant cheer. :) Cheers.

posted by )(( hannah mello ))( @ 7:55 AM