Turning over a new leaf

No, I'm not dead yet. (You may think I'm being morbid, but someone actually approached my mother at the gym to ask if I'm "still around".) I'm very much still here, despite all evidence to the contrary.

"So where are the posts?" you ask, "the photos?"

Well, this crazy little world of mine has snowballed out of control, so I've been working hard to organize everything in one spot and under one name. Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, Etsy... I do it all. However, in the spirit of autumn, I'm turning over a new leaf. This page will soon be taken down. From here on out, please change your bookmarks and favorites to katyagray.tumblr.com. Any and all links Katya, you shall find there.

Holiday

I meant to do this before I left, but we all know I'm a slacker as well as a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kinda gal. I have been and will be in Maine for a few. Follow my tweets @katyagray.

Never a dull moment

Oh, life on the Gorkavchuk Farm... I don't know about inspiration, but it certainly has been good for some laughs lately.

We have three Yorkies, all male, all unneutered - woof, woof! They're very territorial pups to begin with, so of course they spend every day trying to outdo each other, generally by growling at little children or frantically marking every leaf on the property. When they return from the doggie spa or when it's that time of year, they try to demonstrate their dominance (or good looks, perhaps?) by ceaselessly humping each other. Well, that reached a whole new high yesterday. Pasha (venti) was getting it from Misha (grande) who was getting it from Gosha (tall). It was a very well-planned Yorgy. I should have gotten the video camera.

Then there is my mother. My dad's three sibling are all due to arrive this weekend for a bit of a Labor Day reunion, so she was polishing all the silver. Barely a few minutes after I offered to help, she started tearing up. "What's wrong, ma?" I asked as I hugged her. "The silver..." she sniffled and sobbed into my shoulder. "What's wrong with the silver?" "You're dying, and now I have no one to pass it down to-oo-oo!" she wailed.

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

(I love you, mama.)

"Expect Delays"

It's like those road signs. You'll make it through this. There's just no telling when. I've been hurtin'. So expect delays.

Saudade

I have learned from experience that there are some things that just do not translate into other languages or transcend other cultures too well. Sure, you can literally translate the word, but the feelings and emotions behind it become lost. A bit like the "suitcase emotions" I've written about before, saudade is such a word. I tend to love all things melancholy - tragic romances, ships lost at sea, tattered books, gray and rainy days - and words are no exception. Saudade. It's not only pretty in how it sounds, but the meaning is just so haunting. Tenho saudades tuas. I don't just miss you, I long for you from the very core of my being. There's a hole where you should be. Saudade. It's that kind of day.

P.S. I forgot to mention that it's Portuguese. (Thanks, Theresa!)

Better late than never

I am a serious slacker! That, or maybe time just flies when one gets older. I can't believe it's been an entire week since I last posted. It's been a bit of a crummy (read: super painful) week though, and who wants to read about that, right? Instead, I'll leave you with something my dad told me he heard from Dennis Prager, one of his most favorite people and one of my answers to the classic "who would you most like to have dinner with" question.

If you believe that you're an animal, then you'll act like an animal.

Now that's not the exact quote - I'll have to search a bit to find it, but I like what it says, especially given this past week's news about the shooting here in Copley and the riots overseas in the U.K. So often society drills it into our heads that we've "evolved" from primitive animals, and recently it seems that more and more people have embraced the idea of behaving like said animals. C'est dommage.

Katya says "da!"

The Soviets have finally made it to American televisions. This should be fantastic. Perhaps a viewing party, complete with blinis and caviar, for the premiere on August 11th? Katya says "da!"

Mmm mmm good

Food news is the best news! Gilt has launched a new (beta) site called Gilt Taste. Be still my heart. They offer fantastic pricing on goodies such as foie gras, pink peppercorns and a gorgeous crepe cake. There is an insane selection of cheeses from Murray's (only THE most amazing cheese shop, found in the beautiful West Village of NYC). And last, but certainly not least, they're offering an exclusive deal on a Chef's Garden basket (available til 10 pm tomorrow night). Oh, and they'll be offering wine soon! I don't know about you, but I'm sensing a serious dent in my bank account this week. Check it out (and if when you purchase something, please be a darling and use my link...)

It's gettin' real...

Happy weekend, loves. (You can thank me later.)

The 27 Club

It's been a whole week since Amy Winehouse passed, yet I can't get her off my mind. Our media makes it seem like she got was coming to her, but I don't agree. Sure, she made a lot of bad decisions, but she's no different in that respect than I am. I wasn't familiar with the 27 Club until her death, and I'm not exactly happy to have attained such knowledge. It makes me so sad. I'll be 27 in a few months myself.