I'm off to see the Wizard!! The Wonderful Wizard of Las Vegas and his wife - my mother, the Wicked Witch of the West!! I can't wait to get the hell out of here - everything is CRAP right now and I want out! I'm done, finished, with 2007 - bring it on 2008, you better treat me better!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that jazz...I may post a bit from home, but if not - LATER FOR YOU SUCKERS!!!

Snowstorm?? A foot of snow expected? HA!

Well I was SORELY disappointed by today's prediction for a major snowfall, I have to say... oh I'm in full whining mode by the way, I'm just out of juice (ha - maybe I should ask Clemens or Pettite for some...) - not that kind of juice, I'm out of mojo for 2007, I'm trying sooo incredibly hard to hang on to my Christmas Happiness and just float on until I get out of here and onto a plane next Thursday but I'm having a really hard time of it. I just can't be HERE anymore. Someone might get hurt -yes, old annoying Asian ladies with 5 million shopping bags who push me on the E train, I am talking about you. You too kissykissy couples. You're gonna GET IT. Right in the jaw.

Sigh...see what I mean? I'm very Grinchy... I seem to fluctuate up and down a lot so beware those around me - you won't know which one you are going to get so don't say I didn't warn you! It's like a wrapped up gift - which Nicole is inside? SURPRISE!! Aw, it's the Big Bitch! Isn't she cute??!!!

Anyhoo, I'm better now... but the snow disappointed me, it was pretty and fluffy for about 20 minutes and then hail and sleet and now just slush and chilly greyness ... well lets see what tomorrow brings, it could be something FABULOUS. Could be more crap too, but humor me and hope for the best...in the meantime, lets sing along to the pretty song from those Old Navy ads - "Stars" by The Weepies - a nice lullaby for sweet dreams before bedtime...

Tangerines are hanging heavy, glowing marigolden hues
Teasing a half-pale moon
And I feel a pull to the blue-velvet dark and stars.
Pink Magnolia, blushing and coy
Savors the sun while she shines
You've got yours and I've got mine
Together we glide through the blue-velvet dark and stars

All it takes is a little faith, and a lot of heart

Back and forth we ply these oars
They move in time and get entwined
Green with joy then gray with sorrow
Ripened fruit that falls tomorrow
Filling us with brilliance
Branches are bare with a pulse underneath
Flowering slowly inside
Your hands are warm and my body is wide
To hold all the promise of blue-velvet dark and stars

All it takes is a little faith and a lot of heart
Sweetheart

Fancy Pants at La Boite en Bois

Last night was Fancy Pants Night ... so we got all prettified and dressed up - I bought a super cute black velvet dress and some just as cute black flats that looked like real ballet shoes and felt very girly - and off we went to see The Nutcracker at the NYC Ballet - beautiful, beautiful, the snowflake fairies in the forest with the snow falling was my favorite part - we also enjoyed a glass of champagne during intermission and then headed over in the freezing cold cold night to La Boite en Bois - a fantasticly delicious but tiny French restaurant where we enjoyed a great bottle of chardonnay, duck liver pate (my first taste of aspic, which I loved, it was like intensely chickeny flavored hard jello), poulet, salmon, and mignonette with cognac sauce - plus our waiter - who seemed to be the manager or maitre d' - took a liking to us and when we ordered a creme brulee to share, brought us some apple tart with homemade vanilla ice cream because that was his favorite and he hoped it would make us come back - and we will!! And that was Fancy Pants Night, until the next Fancy event should strike our fancy!

Snow, ice, and a lonely ladybug

'Twas a nice weekend by most standards, I would say. Friday I did a little Target shopping and put up my little tree ... Saturday I went to yoga in the cold cold morning then Floating Head and I did our typical macrobiotic healthy lunch and then I went up to Central Park to meet the Chia Pet for shopping in the holiday market. Only I got there much much earlier than she did so I bought a perfect steaming hot cup of apple cider and sat on the fountain of Victory in Columbus Circle - which I just realized is slightly symbolic since Victory is Nike in Greek mythology and that's where my name comes from ... okay, so anyway - to wait for her and sipped away and felt fine. Until the cider was finished and the warmth went away... too cold for words! But hello, its December this is how it's supposed to be :-) So as I was shivering, I just happened to look down and there was a ladybug next to me, standing perfectly still. Odd, yes? Yes! You never see ladybugs in the winter since they hibernate - overwintering they call it - so I just thought it was so bizarre and I felt really bad for it - I know it was just a ladybug but it was so cold! So I put my coat bottom sort of over it and it seemed to help since I would peek at it and it started to move its wings and move around under there - I was hoping it would gather enough strength to fly away to where it needed to be - I know its strange and sort of dumb to get all caught up in a ladybug but leave it to me to get that way. I found out yesterday that to see a ladybug anytime - but particularly in winter - is a sign of good great big luck coming your way, a fantastic omen - so yay yay yay! for me - I love reading too deeply into things, it's what I do best. So bring it on, my good luck bug, I'm ready for you.

Sunday I woke up to snow and even more chilly December air and lovely lovely, you know the snow and winteriness just makes me smile. And all was perfect because it was the annual Park Avenue Tree Lighting ceremony where we all stand outside and sing Christmas carols while they light up the trees in the middle of the street and lets face it, this holiday stuff works best when it actually feels like Christmas outside so the snow and the wind and the chill and the rosy cheeks and being cutely bundled up and feeling fat as the Michelin man was much appreciated. Then we warmed up with Irish coffees and shepherd's pie and by the time I left it was raining and all the snow had melted and was icy or gone completely. Oh well. It's still cold out - really REALLY cold actually and that's enough to keep the holiday good mood sticking to me.