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I’m plotting and planning to do something silly next weekend. That is, ride 1,600 miles in a weekend to go to Edisto Beach, SC and back to NYC, without taking any days off of work. Silly? Yes. Am I gonna do it? Well, probably. We’ll see how the weather is.

The point of this post is, google shows me in great detail each intersection where I need to turn or merge, etc. Click on one of the entries in the left column. It pops a small window showing the intersection in detail. Useful.

Here’s the map.

Watching Travel Channel last weekend, I saw two great shows:

Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations
Bordain is a famous NYC chef, has a sort-of bad-boy persona (cool) and is the author of the great chef culture read, Kitchen Confidential. His show takes him around the world on a alchohol infused culinary journey. I Saw a Japan episode and a China episode and I can’t waith to get back to that part of the world… to eat! 

Expedition Everest
A Walt Disney designer goes to Himalaya on a research trip so he can build some roller coaster ride at Disney World. Who cares about the coaster, the scenery in this show is fantastic.

Marc Ecko tagged Air Force One (via jk)

Sorry, but I really really like the everything bagel. It’s medley of tastes: garlic, onion, poppy, sesame, salt & bread, all toasted with generous spread of butter, is a delight for my tired tongue. Having a conversation with me must be torture. Please understand it’s not personal. From 9 to about 1PM, everyone in my sphere of contact gets it the same

Making Easter turducken is, fortunately, much easier than a traditional turducken, as it abandons all that pesky protein while fully embracing the empty carbohydrates and fat. While technically Easter turducken is a dessert and traditional turducken a main course, they should never be consumed in the same meal. That would be heresy. (via bb)

Want to sleep more?
Sleep Hacks

Merlin on Mindfulness
43 Folders

Scientists have developed a new light source to replace lightbulbs. “The new work exploits the properties of carbon-based polymers to produce the white light. These are already found in some mobile phone displays and MP3 players”

Yes, folks. 3 weeks without a cigarette. Seems like this 3rd week has been the hardest one. My cravings during the work day (stress from dealing with stupid shit) have been intense.

But I think I will make it. I breathe, and I breathe, and I breathe. Why do I have this craving? What good could possibly come from cramming several cubic feet of toxic shit into my body? Do I physically feel this craving? In what part of my body?

And as a gift to myself, I’m buying a new saddle for my motorcycle. Should be good for longer rides, and a lot better for a passenger… not that I have a passenger all that often, but it happens!

A colleague of mine, commenting on how hard the first days in a new job can be:

“Yeah the first week is rough. All you need to do is survive. You know, we have a saying in Russian..

‘Last week was hard… it’s OK. 
Yeah this week is hard.. it’s OK!’”

Written, it doesn’t carry the punch as when she spoke it, but I think there is some zen in that sentence.

I had a great and cultural weekend, and am reminded why NYC is really a great place to live. In no particular order, I did the following:

With C., went to the MOMA, and wandered around checking out the space. Our favorites were the design gallery, and On Site, a Spanish architecture exibition.

Enroute to a Noodle Bar I wanted to check out in the village, we walked by a bistro on Carmine street. The warm weather, and live jazz music flowing onto the sidewalk cafe changed our mind. So we sat there and had an fine dinner and a great time people watching and listening to good music.

Met C. in Brooklyn’s Chinatown in Sunset Park. We had a delicious Vietnamese lunch and a quick dash through Hong Kong supermarket so I could stock up on fish balls and dumplings.

Dropped in on some friends playing music in the West Village, and then bar-hopped with W. through the East Village.

Stopped on the way home for a $3 plate of Punjab curry and a Roti, and ate it standing up in the shop next to a couple taxi drivers with Punjab pop playing from a boombox behing the counter.

With L., saw the Rotterdam Philharmonic perform Shostakovich’s 3rd and 4th at Lincoln Center. I always fall asleep at these things, but the music really was fantastic.

Weekends like this are resons to live in a big city.