June 10, 2007

Brooklyn Pride

Proud Brooklynite dances with flair

Last night I was proud for 15 minutes. That's about how long the 10th Annual Brooklyn Pride parade lasted, as the local gay and lesbian community and supporters gathered along 7th Avenue here in Park Slope to share in the festivities for Brooklyn Pride Week.

It was nice to see the churches and synagogues participating, as well as a special appearance by borough President Marty Markowitz in his Martymobile!

The Metropolitan Community Church of New York

Park Slope Jewish Center

Congregation Beth Elohim of Brooklyn New York

I am proud to be a part of such a welcoming and diverse community here in Brooklyn!

June 02, 2007

London Blog

I think that's Baby Spice crossing the street behind me in the West End theatre district of London

After eleven days in Canada, I returned home for just one night before repacking and heading straight back to Newark International Airport, this time for a ten day business trip in London. I'm helping my longtime friend (and occasional Simon Cowell voice impersonator) Paul Barnett with a a marketing research project for his company, Now What Research. I'm not doing any cartooning on this trip. Instead, I'm helping with the technology end with a product so cutting edge that I'm not at liberty to discuss it here ... seriously!

Fellow blogger and Now What Researcher Esther K. and I in a large tube-like underground transportation system that simply I cannot remember the name of

I'm also traveling with friends and co-bloggers Esther K., who is here with me in London, and Paul Berger, doing research in his hometown of Leeds. When I'm not doing tech support, I'm accompanying Esther on research interviews throughout the city.

My relatives across the pond, Ida and Dave Lawrence

So far the trip has been a fantastic experience, helping my old friend and his team of writers with a revolutionary marketing research project. And, as an added bonus, I got to visit my relatives, Ida and Dave Lawrence, and spent shabbat with them in their home in Snaresbrook in north-east London. Ida's mom was my bubbi's first cousin, and left Poland to live in the UK in 1914. Ida lost contact with the rest of the family until around 1994, when she finally found us in New Jersey. More on the story of our family reunion in a future post.

My mate Paul Barnett and I, out for dinner

We have three more days of work, and then I'm back in Brooklyn on June 6. And for friends of Shabot, thanks for being patient, the weekly comic strips will return when I do.