Punch me if I ever call it "the Vineyard"

Last year for Brian's birthday we went to Shelter Island, the laid back alternative to the Hamptons. It was as lovely and unpretentious as promised. So this year, when I got a tip from a co-worker that Martha's Vineyard was a prime location for fly fishing I was torn. Brian likes fly fishing a lot. But fanciness, not so much. Would Martha and her vineyard be too snooty for the likes of us?

The answer was no. I mean, there was some showiness afoot, but nothing overt or bothersome. Mostly we found cute little seaside towns with great food, shopping, and lots of beaches.

This was the ferry ride over when we were still a little suspect.

We stayed at a wonderful B&B in the town of Oak Bluffs. They were very nice to Casey so she asked me to take this picture.

Casey loves swimming at the beach. Actually, she loves standing in the water and staring at you until you throw a stick that she can swim after and decide at the last minute not to retrieve.

A boy and his dog.

We miss having a porch.

On Saturday night we had a grocery store picnic in the tradition of the Watkins family.

Sunday we took a bus to nearby Edgartown, passing over the bridge that was in the movie "Jaws." And then we got in the water. Eeek.

I will let you all guess whether or not Brian said "Ahoy matey" while posing for this picture.

All of the houses on Martha's Vineyard are beautiful

and so many of them are lined with overgrowing hydrangeas.

One of the most popular attractions in Oak Bluffs is the colony of "gingerbread houses" built after the civil war by Methodists who would come here for annual tent revivals. Apparently, they got tired of setting up their tents and taking them down each time. I bet the wives just threatened to check into a pricey hotel and so the husbands started building.

The funny thing was, the houses were about 85% the size of a normal house. At first glance you were like, "okay, this is just a bunch of houses." And then you get closer and you're like, "wait a tick, did I just grow a foot?"

Other notable highlights were:

• the arcade where we spent an hour bringing the median age up to 13. Brian is really good at the punching bag and I am amazing at the dancing game.
• an old movie theater where we saw Inception after a few drinks. Bad idea. I had no idea there was any sort of cliffhanger ending until we got home.
• an amazing fight we saw between a young Russian couple on the beach that involved the girl taking off her flip flops to hit her boyfriend with them, grabbing his sunglasses off his head and breaking them apart, and tearing his shirt in half as he tried to walk away. But the most impressive part was when he came back and started apologizing to her. Then they started making out. It was delightful beach theater.

MTV (Minstrel TV)

Here are a few of my latest subway music videos...

I'm not sure which I admire most- his violin playing, dance moves, or luxurious hair. Keep watching until he does the fencing moves.

Subway Opera: subterranean refinery.

Subway jam band featuring the often underused pan flute.

This wasn't shot in the subway but I had to include it. There was a piano from the piano project in McCarren Park and I shot this video on the way to one of the 4 soccer games that we've lost this season. It's funny when the guy behind him sniffs his plastic bag.

Fancy Pants Polo Match

What: Veuve Clicquot Polo Match (my very first one!)

Where: Governors Island (a tiny island half a mile from the tip of Manhattan)

Who: Me, Brian, and Prince Harry (although after seeing that red hair in person I am seriously questioning his royal paternity)

Why: I'm not sure because it was painfully hot outside

We took a ferry to Governors Island to discover grassy lawns and beautiful old military barracks from nearly 200 years as an army outpost.

There are no cars so it's the perfect place for bicycles.

Why do all horse sports require ladies to wear hats?

We sat in the free section with the rest of the peasantry. Across the field general admission was $250 and tables were as much as $50,000.

I swear that is my face lurking in the shadows. And I apologize if you are experiencing fashion deja vu. This is my only "uppity sporting event" outfit.

When you're on Governors Island with lots of green grass and wide open space it's hard to believe you're still in NYC. Until you see the view.

Walking Behind Models

A few weeks after I started working on Park Ave I noticed an oddly high number of gazelle women strolling around carrying the same black portfolios to and fro. I did some googling and it turns out my office is located precisely 325 ft from the Elite Modeling Offices.

So at least once a day I find myself walking behind a model. It's fascinating. And because they're models, and not real people, I have started doing inappropriate things like running up behind them and taking their picture without permission.

This was my first picture before I gained the confidence to get up close. Luckily, the vast amount of space between her thighs is visible from a mile away.

This one is deceptive because she looks slightly regular in the photo. I think her shoulder-to-waist ratio could be used to shush up all of those feminists who claim Barbie's measurements are unrealistic.

This is outside the Starbucks between my office and the Elite office. It is a good place to spot models ordering non-fat items in eastern european accents. This one must have just received some bad news because she was crying and studying her reflection.

This was a midwestern girl and her mother. They were smiling as they walked out so I assume her meeting went well. Maybe a 37-inch inseam would make my meetings go more smoothly.

This photo hardly relays how super tall this girl was. Her shoulder blades make me nervous. They look sharper than scissors. She shouldn't run, ever.

Most of the models I see are dressed very casually. This girl must have had an important meeting with the other 7 women who look good in white skinny jeans.