Quentin's Friends-the Human Way to Network Online

I wanted to expand my New York City knowledge base and shake things up a bit socially. A friend with the most rockin' social calendar I know was a member of Quentin's Friends, and had passed me information from that list from time to time. So I asked her to sign me up, and now I feel more 'in the know' than I know what to do with. Fabulous.

Quentin's Friends is a by-invitation-only, values based online community that operates on simple principles. You post information that can be useful to others (services, events, stuff for sale) or needs of your own (apartment searching is a popular one in here) and members of the list respond. It is extraordinarily useful at times, and at the very least entertaining and mind expanding. For example, there was a recent post for web copywriting in exchange for Reiki sessions. Bartering is big on Quentin's Friends.

To become part of the group, you have to be recommended by a member. They must attest to your 'good character' and you must in turn commit to the group's core values (honesty, respect, fun, etc.) The group is great for networking as well. At a recent Quentin's Friends Party at the Star Lounge (located under the Hotel Chelsea, so cool!) I met NYC dwellers that embodied such values and were just fantastically delightful, fun, interesting people (that is the back of my head in the pic.) Oh, and the founder of it all, Quentin English? A charmer!

Quentin's Friends is an invaluable service for anyone new to New York. Get hooked up and feel connected to the human side of the city.

Pushing Daisies and Free Pie in Times Square

Free pie in Times Square! Yes, ABC is being uber-inticing in promoting Pushing Daisies, that kookily cute TV show, by driving their Mobile Pie Hole right into the heart of NYC and giving out (I'll say it again) FREE PIE.

The Mobile Pie Hole is an RV-type contraption that is traveling the country this month to kick off the second season of the show. It will be in New York on Monday, 9/29 from 7-9am, in Times Square at Good Morning America's Broadway Studios. Cutiepie waitresses will be serving up spatulas, pie-cutters and more, in addition to the main draw of, yes, free pie.

For the technically current, more details are on Yelp or Twitter. How fun?

Spring '09 is here with Fashion Week New York

Its Fashion Week New York, with Spring '09 collections being shown around town, not just at Bryant Park. For textile art of the highest order, I hightailed it to the Jolibe collection being shown at the Hosfelt Gallery. Stunning, colorful modernist frocks with an homage to the ancient, this is clothing worthy of wear. Better yet, the collection was associated with Afghan Hands, the group that empowers Afghanistan women to support themselves through textile arts. View more photos here.

Where Does All the Time Go... In NYC?

Beware - your free time will dwindle to obscurity in New York City. I want to update my blog regularly, really I do. But what the heck happens to that thing called 'down time' in this town? Some strange clock warp happens here, as time just whips on by with nary a dillydally. Some days I feel I blink my eyes and the day is half gone. Why is that?

The pace of New York City is headspinningly fast and frantically frenetic. The commutes around the city are often loooong, so that eats up a few hours. Work life is notoriously stress-filled, taking over a good 10+ hours in many industries. There is always some out-of-towner visiting NYC that just has to see you, gobbling up precious weekend errand-running time. And with so much happening on the cultural and night-life fronts, evenings are packed with event after event after event. If you are lucky, you could be out every night of the week.

It took me about a year to get accustomed to the pace of this town, and I still have my days. But I am in no way complaining. After a lifetime spent in boredom, oh what a wondrous whirlwind this is.