Hudson: Eats

There is some really good food in Hudson.  Coming from NYC, I readily admit I am rather spoiled where good food is concerned.  But Hudson was absolutely wonderful.  We went out to eat because that way no one had to wash any dishes.  I may now have a serious addiction to French breakfast.  Luckily there are a few places near me that I really NEED to check out.  In fact, they are right by Daya's dance school, so...easy.

I did post this Tea vat before, but it is so awesome I have to post it again.  And also, I NEED a few of these. Tea, in good style.  They are on Amazon for about $20 each, but I'm going to look and see if I can find some for less.

Wonderful Tea Vat

 Spicy Mexican hot chocolate!

Daya wanted sushi.  No arguments from Dru or me!!

 We listened to the sign.

The bread you see was amazing.  The owner of the restaurant basically imported a French baguette oven over from France........oh the bread!

I think that Daya and I may need to have French brunch again this weekend.

Hudson: Beasties

Dru describes her cats as big and stupid.  I describe my cats as annoying and stupid.

To be honest, Dru's kitties do look a bit...blank...sometimes, but they are both pretty awesome and friendly.

Emo and Dorin (did I spell that right?)

They have their own fountain, tunnels, mesh boxes, scratchy things, and a toy that looks like a tea bag.  I forgot to take a picture of the cat-tea.

Emo does look a bit blank doesn't he?

The cats have Cool Stuff.
They had an inconvenient scratchy place in the kitchen, so Dru accommodated them with a scratch post.  They do not use it.  Silly kitties.

 My cats need these.

Meow!

THE RATSES!

They are so cute and wonderful!  I miss rats. Dru has nine.  They live in two massive rat-estates. They are wonderful and fat and happy.

Daya and Bindi

Hudson: Tea

There is a lot of tea in Hudson. 

Wonderful Tea Vat

I was happy

Verdigris Tea Library

There were some really lovely tea sets on display, at the tea shop and throughout the various shops.

I love tea.

Hudson: Drusilla

My main (and best!) reason for going up to Hudson was, of course, to see Drusilla.  I have been friends with Dru for a long time.  Amazingly, she still likes me after all this time!  Dru is my Ratly Art friend.  She was a Manhattanite for a really long time and now she is in Hudson.

Aside from her ability to draw better than God (as the late great Dave Passalacqua would say), she is a supremely wonderful human being.  She has great stories and a wacky perspective. And her hair was purple this past weekend.

Also, her apartment is full of Really Cool Stuff!!

Dru's bathroom has black walls and a really fun color-changing night light.

The night light

I don't know what this thing is but I LOVE it.

Dru has paint and a brush farm.

 And many stacks of papers.  It truly feels just like home.

Dru has a naked mole rat stuffed animal.  Seriously, how freaking COOL is that??

Naked Mole Rat

If you want to see the rainbow night light against a white background, no problem.
Just head to the kitchen.

There is a cat gargoyle on the steps outside.

It watches the glass rats.

Best New Yorker cover EVER.

Just like me, Dru loves her tea.  She guards her tea collection very effectively.

 Here are some tiny rats in tiny bottles.

There are some assorted beasties who live with Dru, but they deserve their own post.

Hudson: Meow-Meow

This past weekend I went up to Hudson to visit my amazing friend Drusilla.  I have tons and tons of great Blog Fodder from the trip.  But since it is Sunday night and I am very tired, I will start with Meow-Meow, simply because this is the shortest and fastest post to write.

Meow-Meow lives upstairs.  His real name is Clapton but that doesn't suit him.  So Dru calls him Meow-Meow.  He is a rescue with a vague history.  His owners attempt to keep him indoors but he always breaks out.  Meow-Meow hates being indoors.  Dru made a little cat-spot for him on her porch with a cave, food, and blankets.  Meow-Meow loves it in there.  (That's how awesome Dru is.  Meow-Meow drives her nuts yet she still looks out for him and makes sure he is comfy.  Even though he technically lives upstairs.)

Meow-Meow lounging in his man-cat cave

Meow-Meow talks.  A lot.  Loudly.  ALL THE TIME.  Seriously, you have to hear this cat to believe it. As cats are wont to be assholes rebellious, I had trouble getting Meow-Meow to talk for a video. It's likely I am the first and only person ever to have 1) actually wanted him to talk and 2) not been able to.

Daya adores Meow-Meow.  She wanted to take him home. He even got to be Cat of the Day.  (The Cat of the Day is Meow-Meow, Hey!)  Although he is neither feral nor a stray, if someone wants him they could probably have him.

I do not want Meow-Meow. NO.

Easter

I love Easter.  It's a great holiday.  Of course in the Christian religion it is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ.  And it is a resurrection time- Spring resurrecting the world from the death of Winter.  It's nature.

Easter was not originally a Christian holiday at all- it was converted, so to speak. It was a pagan holiday of celebrating Spring.

Also, Easter has the BEST candy.

So what do eggs, chicks, bunnies and all the fun Easter things have to do with Christ?  Nothing whatsoever. But they have everything to do with  the goddess Eostre.  The holiday bears her name, still, even today. The ancient customs are still celebrated.

Enjoy your Peeps and Cadbury eggs and egg hunts and egg dyeing and baskets!

Perfection

My Tax Guy

I love my tax guy. LOVE.  My taxes aren't particularly complicated, but I refuse to do them.  They are just one of those things that it is worth paying someone else to do.  And he does such a great job.  For the last 13 years. He knows me, he has all my info, and he is fast.  Every year, someone tells me how I can do my taxes for free--but I'm not interested.  I don't want anything to do with it  Besides, it is a small family operated business and I like to support local business.

My tax guy's father used to do my taxes.  His mom runs the front desk.  She is a tiny Asian lady in her mid-seventies, and I swear she doesn't look a day over 40.  When  I grow up, I want to be just like her.

When I had my first apartment, my tax guy was on the same block.  Even when I moved, I still made the trip back to my old neighborhood because my tax guy was that awesome. Then I moved again and he moved and for the past several years we have been down-the-road-neighbors again!

I dropped my tax papers off and was walking home.  A thought went through my mind that I didn't give him my W2...which of course I did.  Not two minutes later, he called and told me I hasn't given him my W2.  I'm such a superstar.  I ended up emailing him my paper and all was well.

I refuse to do my own taxes.

Sudama's Wisdom

I absolutely love my yoga Tuesdays. The teacher is named Sudama.  He is a lovely Russian man, with great energy.  He knows a lot and he shares a lot.  He is funny, too.

Here is a paraphrased quote from our last class, in talking about meditation:

When you quiet the chatter in your mind, 

your inner teacher comes out. 

We all have an inner teacher. 

It wont pay the rent, but it will teach you.

-Sudama 

Om shanti