This once-a-month posting is starting to get kinda sad. I just can't seem to motivate though. I haven't even really been getting much crafting done...I'm really not one of those people that should be busy all the time. I mean, I don't have kids, I have a very small apartment, I don't work crazy overtime at my job. Yet it seems like my hours just get eaten up nonetheless.

Oh well. I did manage to create a finished object--the Gentleman's Fancy Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks, for my dad's birthday:These were a pretty basic little pattern--lots of k2 p2! But they went quite quickly and came out great. I used a new sock yarn (to me, I mean)--Knitivity superwash sock yarn (75% wool) in a dark variegated brown. The above photo doesn't really show the color well, this is a better representation:I was glad to find a "guy" color as so many of the hand-dyes tend to be super bright or girly. The yarn was quite soft after washing and knits up well, although a bit splitty as 75% wool yarn tends to be. It was definitely on the pricey side for sock yarn but I think the dyer uses only American wool.Project Notes: "Gentleman's Fancy Sock" from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Wise. Yarn is Knitivity Down Home Art Yarns Sock, color "Supreme Dark Roast". Knit on 2 mm needles.

Meanwhile, I am still plodding along on the Orchid crocheted cardigan.

Last weekend was very fun, two of my friends and I went down to New York for my long-delayed birthday weekend. We had tickets to see The Little Mermaid back on Thanksgiving weekend but the stagehand strike nixed those plans. Finally we ended up getting tickets again for this past weekend. It was nice to see New York at this time of year because I always seem to go in the fall. The show was cute, not great or anything. Mostly we had fun getting lunch and "beverages" in Bryant Park prior to the show:Unfortunately right as we were finishing up it decided to thunderstorm and downpour! We hightailed it for nearest scaffolding (luckily there is plenty of that in the city). I got a laugh at these people's unique rain gear:After the show we decided we would see what Little Italy looks like these days. Little Italy is only a few blocks long (almost completely taken over by Chinatown, it seems), and full of kitchy little restaurants. The weather had cleared up by then so we had our dinner al fresco (yummy, I just had ravioli with a marinara sauce and the sauce was quite delicate). It was lots of fun because every Saturday they block off the street and have a little street fair. We walked around gawking at all the fried food and Italian cookie stands and games.

Love the old-school sign!

On the way home I could not resist taking a picture of this photo of a sticker on a gas pump I was using:I guess the store owner was tired of people whining to them about price gouging? ;)