Fixing our wobbly floor lamps

If there is glass in the house, most likely I will break it. To John's dismay I've broken several drinking glasses. But on Friday I was rushing around trying to get out the door and make it to a yoga class when I realized I left my phone charging on the living room end table. Stupidly I walked over there with my gym bag and yoga mat in tow. I felt the lamp sway a little but I figured I could still grab my phone and steady the lamp at the same time. Wrong. The lamp come crashing to the floor and the glass lamp shade exploded in a million tiny pieces.

We considered just getting new lamps, especially since after we moved in 2005 with "professional"* movers (Moishe's) somehow our floor lamps were never quite the same. They wobbled and were very tipsy. But since they are on the floor and are very rarely moved it didn't seem like a big deal. We took the better part of Saturday to shop all around the Lighting District, but didn't quite find what we were looking for and plus the prices were a bit high.

Since I had to at least get a new lamp shade, I called around and asked if anyone could repair the lamp base. One place recommended that I email a picture or two and they would let me know if they could repair it. Well, once I actually took a look at it, I realized it would be a (fingers crossed) fairly easy fix. The base is some kind of cement or ceramic material that was encased with black plastic. The problem was that the top part of the base broke off, the lamp was not attached to the base at all since the bolt only attached it to the top portion. I thought a heavy duty glue would do the trick.

I have a bottle of gorilla -correction used Elmer's Ultimate- glue that I couldn't use any more because somehow the bottle glued itself shut. I kept it around since it was an almost full bottle, and I figured if I was really desperate I could some how cut the top off and use the glue then throw the rest away. I tried jabbing a hole with a small pair of scissors, until I realized that my electric drill would do the trick. I don't get a lot of opportunity to use the drill, so I relish the times that I do. I held the glue bottle in one hand and just drilled a few holes with the other. I rinsed and wiped off the drill bit immediately after since I didn't want to ruin my drill bit with glue. And eureka I'm back in business.

The following our pics of my handiwork. I recommend taking pictures whenever attempting to fix things, not only to make long drawn out, rambling blog posts; but to also serve as guide when it comes time to put the thing (what ever you are fixing) back together again.

*The movers at Moishe's also managed to break a $200 dollar light fixture in our old building. And they crushed my very expensive hat we got in Paris for a hat wedding.

The King's Speech

Months ago in early Fall, our friends Karin and Paul invited us to a special screening of a movie, we couldn't remember the name of the movie but we knew it had Collin Firth (who's name I always get confused with Collin Farrel) so we decided to go, mainly because we wanted to see and hang out with our friends, and also because it was free. Karin is a member of the Producers Guild of America. She gets a to invite a few guests per showing. My expectations were pretty low, remember at the time I wasn't exactly sure which Collin I was going to be seeing, and if it was Farrel it probably wasn't going to be the best movie ever. But as the screen lit up with images of England, I was glad it was Firth but also a little skeptical....another English royalty movie really???

But within the first scene of the movie, I knew this was a British royalty movie of a different sort. Who hasn't met someone with a stuttering problem, or even have had a touch of this speech impediment themselves. It's horrifying to watch and even more so to go through, couple that with being public speaking royalty and it makes for good cinema. Even better that it's all based on a true story, a story that many still remember. I remember really liking this movie, at the end there was even a Q and A with Collin, Helena, the Director and a Producer. I was sorry that the screen writer and that Geoffrey Rush were absent. Because to me the screen writing and Geoffrey Rush made the film.

It was a great film, and over the next few months I got to view many other of the soon to be Oscar contenders from The Fighter, to True Grit, to Black Swan. And although I believe Black Swan should have had more recognition in many areas, for make up and costume at the least. I do think that The King's Speech was the best picture this year. But that's just my two cents.

Groupon coupon $10 for $25 at Nutty Guys

Check out the deal here.

They've got great prices on nuts, candy, chocolate covered stuff. etc.

Office Manager Chalupa

Posto Pizza, 310 Second Avenue @18th Street

I think I'm a little late to the party on this one, especially considering the packed crowds around dinner time, but better late than never, right? Posto pizza is delicious super thin pizza, it's got a nice homey decor and good service. The pizza here is just amazing, fresh ingredients and super yummy. John and I were addicted and went here many times in the span of about a week and half. Seriously, it was getting embarrassing. We can not wait to have more people to bring here. We prefer to go around lunch time on the weekends when there isn't a crowd. And John LOVES the Arnold Palmer (half lemonade and half iced tea) because they bring a bottle of sugar water for you to add to the drink. We go ga ga for the Meat Lover's pizza. But we've also seen many other delicious looking concoctions leaving the kitchen. It's so thin it's like eating air, it can't have that many calories, can it? Ohh.. bonus the dressing for their salad is so super garlicky, it's just the best. And I'm not a big salad dressing person, I usually prefer my salad naked.

Posto Pizza. Very Highly recommended. 212-716-1200 310. Second Avenue @18th Street

groupon

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu11656230

Check out groupon at the above link and I get credit for the referral. Just look around it doesn't hurt to look. I have so far bought two groupon things: one was a $25 for $50 worth of merchandise at American Apparel and the other was $30 for unlimited yoga for 30 days at Ishta Yoga. Both were pretty good deals, I'm really enjoying the yoga. I was going to post it here but the deal is no longer available. But they have some interesting deals on restaurants and just today a hair salon. And I've been looking for a new hair place. We'll see. :) Hope you enjoy it.

How much is that doggie in the window?

This little doggie was non plussed that I was taking his/her picture. But how could I resist? It's just one of the things that make New York a great city.

Why Obama’s Handling of the Egyptian Uprising Reveals That He Is a Pragmatic Centrist to the Core -- New York Magazine

Why Obama’s Handling of the Egyptian Uprising Reveals That He Is a Pragmatic Centrist to the Core -- New York Magazine

A good article about why Obama's actions and reactions to Egypt's revolutions were so tempered. He is a pragmatist, and that's a good thing.

Chalupa

Another old random photo of Chalupa, this is one of her favorite things. She absolutely LOVES to lay in the warm clothes out of the dryer. I ended up folding them all around her and carried the basket up from the basement this way. It's great when we are on the back elevator and someone comes on, they slowly realize that I'm carrying more than just laundry. And in case you are curious, after several months of allergies and or yeast infections, Chalupa is doing great on real chicken and rice. This week I started roasting the chicken instead of boiling it, and she absolutely loves it. It looked so good I stole a tiny bite...that is before I added the nutritional powder that adds all the vitamins and stuff. A dog's life....

A random Chalupa photo to brighten your Monday

Screw U: For-profit Colleges Scamming Students and Taxpayers Out of Their Money - Campus Progress

These for profit colleges are horrible, they prey upon the poor and then let the tax payers foot the bill. To top it all off most students who find a way to actually pay all their fees and graduate usually end up with a degree that is useless.

Screw U: For-profit Colleges Scamming Students and Taxpayers Out of Their Money - Campus Progress

Cancer-Sniffing Dog Trained By Scientists

Cancer-Sniffing Dog Trained By Scientists