Summer Drinks

Baby's summer drink is the frozen cosmo. Delightfully whipped, creamy, icy vodka with cranberry juice. He buys them at The Viceroy on 8th Avenue and 18th Street. Hopefully we can get the recipe so I can pack a CosmoCooler in his lunch bag each morning.

Bad Hair

Joseph's hair was fashioned into a perfect fop this morning, but he claims it was ruined before he made it down the stairs to the sidewalk. Humidity! It is hot in the city, people. Now he's thinking of skipping Italian class to prevent others from seeing the dampened fop. How can he preserve his coif in this weather? Any tips?

Pride Day, NYC

(r-l) Joseph, Charlotte, Clare and Sean

Jury Duty

Joseph showed up for Jury Duty today. "This never would have happened if you didn't make me register to vote," he chided me. Last night, in preparation, he was practicing the word "guilty, guilty, guilty," until he got the cadence right. Since beginning his service, he's already joked to a woman that he was convicted as a felon on drug charges. Do you think he'll be kicked out of the courthouse?

Joseph's portrait, which hangs over the bed in our Chelsea studio 

Italian Classes

Joseph started his Italian Classes tonight. He's already declared one of the three classmates his "bitter rival." After the class re-organized their meeting schedule acording to Joseph's time constraints, his rival voiced minor frustration. Of course this led to all-out war, culminating in his yelling at her (after class) about the proper ways to fill in the "memo" field when writing a check.
After class he bought his new text books with our neighbor Clare, who also joined him for drinks at one of our favorite Union Square hangouts, L'Express (awesome French Onion soup).

How should Joseph handle his new rival?

Mentos

Despite his slim figure, Joseph loves his candy. Today he had a mishap. "There are new pink grapefruit mentos," he said. "I ate a pack and feel totaly ill. Plus I washed it down with a Three Musketeers and Cherry soda. Total yack town." Avoid this candy combination, people.

The Name of This Blog

Tonight, while tossing an apple and cucumber salad in blue cheese dressing, Baby commended me on my choice of Blog Title. Simple. Easy. Herman. "It's the new us. We just are."

Baby's Books

As he finishes reading "We the Living" by Ayn Rand, Joseph is looking for new book suggestions. I offered a short story collection by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but I think he's looking for something British. He loved "Jane Eyre," "Villette," and "Wuthering Heights," but he didn't like "Pride & Prejudice" as much. I'll have to think of possisiblities.

A brief note: Joseph is going to use his library card for the first time this week. While he still maintains that libraries are unsanitary, he's willing to give the public system a try.

Introducing Joseph Stuart

Allow me to introduce Joseph Stuart, whom I will also refer to as "Baby." Joseph is my boyfriend. We live together in a cozy studio in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. Joseph is currently penning a novel about his tragic days and small triumphs over adversity. He is 24 years old and quite a talented designer. By day he's an advertising assistant, but at night he dons his kaftan and wafts around our apartment, making it more fashionable and clean. More on Baby to come...

Joseph at Navy Pier, Chicago 

Joseph at the Kremlin wall, Moscow