yes, we look exactly alike

I haven't really been in the mood to contribute to this little blog that maybe 20 people read, but I'm going to be better about this and even try to write something everyday!

So, to start I have a twin story that happened a few weeks ago. Some find it amusing so here it is for you to decide.

Here is some background info first. Heidi and I are really into music and we really love to go gigs as often as possible and we have no problems with traveling to see a band (The Man mostly, but others too). Well, back in February a band I'm totally into was doing a tour of the US and we decided to do a weekend of three shows starting in NYC, then to Philadelphia, then to Washington DC. Three shows in three days may sound nuts to some but its what we like to do. Winter had been bringing us down and we needed this little pick me up. Since Heidi is a master at finding cheap travel deals, I left her to do all the planning while I enjoy her hard work and go along with it.

So, we were in Washington DC to see this band at the 9:30 club and here is the twin part to the story.

There weren't a lot of people outside when we got to the venue and I walked up to this girl (boring and conservative looking-not really relevant but it has to be said anyway) and this is how it went down:

Me: "Is this the line to go in?"

Her: "Who's playing tonight?" (Errrrr thanks for answering my question)

Me: "Band 1, Band 2, Band 3."

Her: "Oh, do they have bangs and glasses?"

A moment of silence since Heidi and I had no idea how to respond since we didn't know what she was talking about.

Heidi: " I don't know, since I don't know what you mean." She thinks a bit and says "Noooooo, no one in any of the bands wear glasses." And they were a bunch of guys, so no bangs either.

Her: "Oh, well I thought you were emulating someone in the band"

Heidi then gives this girl a death stare that only she can give and says rather firmly. "We are identical twins, we were born this way,I'm just being me."

Her: Stammering and backing up away from us since she knew she was an idiot and simpering "oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend" repeatedly. Then she disappeared and we didn't see her again. I totally lost it and kept laughing over Heidi's "just being me" comment. I kept teasing Heidi about it and her look to the girl and how she must have thought we were going to kick her ass. Heidi can get pretty tough and NY on you when she needs to. She's protected me at many a gig when people have been rough on me. Not that I can't defend myself-I did palm a guy in the nose once who grabbed me inappropriately. We've decided to start a girls gang (like the Pink Ladies) called "Sweet and Vicious". So far it's just the two of us.

I guess if I'd thought about it a little bit more I would have picked up on her stupid question but I guess I was just a little annoyed that she wasn't answering my original question. And really our look isn't that unique-girls with bangs and nerd glasses are a dime a dozen in Brooklyn. We think we're different enough but I guess we could do something more about looking so much alike. Yet, neither of us really wants to change our styles so I guess we'll just have to put up with the constant staring, questions, and my favourite-when some people find out we are twins and say to us "god bless you". Um, thanks? I really don't have any special powers because I was born with someone else that looks just like me but that's sweet.

The final gig was great but I think Philly was my favourite since I spent a lot of time during the DC show feeling self conscious about being so bloody identical. While we were waiting for the final band to play I was tapped on the shoulder and a girl said she's seen us at all the shows. I think she thought we were "cute".

--Katie

music is my drug

Last Sunday night Heidi and I saw The Presets and Cut Copy at Webster Hall. This is the third time we have seen Cut Copy in the last six months and it just gets better and better every time. We also saw The Presets a few months ago and they were just as brilliant this time as the last-we danced our legs down to the knees for both of them.

It's not a secret that we are really into music (a certain someone in particular) and I was just struck again last weekend over how much I love, love, love music and how much it is involved in my life. So many experiences and friends have been the result of my passion for music.

When I was fourteen you could say I discovered the "alternative" scene. That was when it really was alternative (now you'd call it indie) and growing up in Idaho there wasn't anything to aide in our quest for music other than some British music mags, zines and MTV's 120 minutes. Heidi and I lived for this show and recorded it religiously every weekend (what were we going to do with all those videos? I can't even remember). There was also a local band that did mostly covers of the alternative "classics" that we would go see play whenever we could (they played bars mostly-bummer) and that had a great impact on our love of going out to see bands play. We were also lucky that our mum would humor us and took us to see some concerts in the big city once or twice. Such adventure!

When you hear a song that you love there is nothing better-pure brilliance. Great music is all consuming to me and I can shut out everything and as I feel the rhythm flow through and warm me. It makes me feel so alive and happy that I am always looking for more to give me a fix (not to say that I don't still love the rest of my beloved collection).


--Katie

** Heidi had a nice laugh at me last night while I washed the dishes. She thought I was ignoring her while she talked to me from across the room but I had my ipod on and I was in a zone. Apparently it was humorous...

psst... is that a pig?

This morning we went to the DUMBO district of Brooklyn to check out Brooklyn Designs. It was a rough start since Heidi discovered that her wallet had fallen out of her purse and I don't have a pin # for my debit card, since it was $10 to get in-I didn't get in (at first). Heidi got in for free since she's a designer with a fancy interior design firm and had an email confirmation to get her in on the guestlist. It was in four different buildings and the first two were really small and people weren't really set up yet since it was only 10 am. so I wasn't really bothered about not getting into those and I could basically see it all from the door anyway. Heidi said rather sheepishly, "Yeah, designers tend to be late a lot."

The next space was much larger and, while being twins had nothing to do with this other than we've done stuff like this before, I really wanted to go into this one so I took her email confirmation to the ticket box and got in for free too! I'll let Heidi talk about the various designers but after we were done and walking back to the subway we walked over to a really cool bookstore (and we do LURV bookstores). The bookstore is on a corner and there was a girl standing there on her phone that I didn't think about her much since we were in deep conversation about some items we had just seen when she whispered to us "Are those PIGS? Are THOSE pigs? Hey, are those pigs?" At first Heidi and I had no idea what she was going on about as I didn't see anything and I was wondering if she was referring to policemen or something. That's when I noticed across the street a guy with TWO pigs on leashes. Yes, they were pigs but how is it this guy has two for pets in Brooklyn? Maybe he thinks he's George Clooney? They were so cute and just sniffing/snorting around on the ground-it just fits in with the crazy things that we encounter when we're not even looking for it.

-Katie

the glamorous life

Last night I went to a fancy dinner party at Asia de Cuba. It was a celebration for the great business my store (work at- not own) had at Christmas and this last weekend was phenomenal too so Glen Senk (CEO of Urban Outfitters) and Wendy Brown (Director of stores) wanted to treat us to a special evening. They were so lovely and even though I didn't really want to go, since I'm getting sick, I'm so glad I did. If you go to the link for the restaurant there is a picture of a long table with a photo of a waterfall at the end and we filled up that entire table (I was at the end by the waterfall picture). I've seen/met Glen and Wendy before but this time they came and talked to everyone which is so impressive, this is why I love working for Anthropologie. They genuinely care and love to know the employees, it's refreshing because all too often the big "important" people won't even acknowledge you. Glen sincerely wanted to know about everyone and we talked for about ten minutes about my move etc. then Wendy came over and had dessert with our end of the table. She was talking about the beginning of the company and I found out amazingly that a long time ago Urban employees would smoke as they worked in the stores. How funny to have someone smoking while they ring up your purchase. Glen came up to me as he was leaving and patted me on the back and gave me a big welcome to NY.

It was a great night and as I walked to the C train I got to enjoy mostly empty sidewalks and really enjoy being in NY without a bunch of people surrounding me.

-Katie

**totally off topic but while I was reading in Bryant Park Saturday afternoon I got hit on by TWO "homeless" guys. Lucky me.