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How wonderful to live in a country with freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Even when we're being fed lies, Hollywood can show us a version of the truth without repercussion. "Green Zone" is director Paul Greengrass's attempt reveal the truth about the lack of WMD's in Iraq during the 2003 invasion. Matt Damon, so good in Mr. Greengrass's "Bourne" films, returns to his action persona as Roy Miller, a soldier who becomes obsessed with learning the truth after his unit fails to find any WMD's on their patrols. As an action hero, Mr. Damon has found his niche and he's always enjoyable to watch. What's not credible is how easily he can go rogue and act on his own without any question from his superiors of his actions or whereabouts. The film has a pedigree cast including Amy Ryan as a journalist who finds herself being used as a pawn in a massive cover-up, Greg Kinnear as the sleazy government official manipulating the truth, Brendon Gleeson as the CIA officer who wants real answers, and an almost unrecognizable Jason Isaacs as a nasty Special Forces officer. The film doesn't pull punches of our government at the time but sometimes the truth hurts. Politics aside, the film hits the ground running and zips by at a frenetic pace, leading up to an exciting chase scene at the end. Mr. Greengrass is a terrific action director who loves hand held cameras but the headache producing dizzy action is the price you pay for "you are there" realism.

It's the one day a year you don't have to make an excuse for drinking like an Irishman! Here's what's going on in our beloved, Irish-filled neighborhood.Kegs, Eggs & Bagpipers Parade Kickoff at East EndWednesday, March 17th starting at 10:00amStart your St. Patrick's Day with a breakfast of Irish champions: a pint of Guiness, a shot of Jameson and a side of scrambled eggs before you head over to the parade.The East End is located on First Ave. between 86th & 87th St. (More Info)Irish Invasion at Tin Lizzie'sWednesday, March 17th starting at 10:00amBagpipers and Irish jigs welcome! "Early Bird" specials for those dedicating their holiday to staring at the bottom of a beer mug from morning 'til night. $4 Guiness pints, $4 Jameson shots and $5 Irish Car Bombs.Tin Lizzie's is located on Second Ave. between 85th & 86th St.St. Patrick's Day Party at SaloonWednesday, March 17thLive music, drink specials, giveaways, and a DJ all day! Who needs work when there's St. Patrick to celebrate?Saloon is located on York Ave. between 83rd & 84th St. (More Info)Live Irish Music at Dylan Murphy'sWednesday, March 17th at 8:00pmStop by the UES's true Irish pub for live music from a Pogues cover band. No cover and St. Patty's Day celebration in true "Erin Go Bragh" style!Dylan Murphy's is located on Third Ave. between 82nd & 83rd St. (More Info)Wine & Chocolate PairingWednesday, March 17th at 7:00pmFor those looking to avoid green beer and bangers & mash, the 92nd Street Y presents an evening of pairing wines with different chocolates from around the world. Learn the fine art of pairing these two indulgences.The 92nd Street Y is located on Lexington Ave. at 92nd St. (More Info)

Hello fellow Upper East Siders!

This is my initial installment in what I hope will be a weekly posting on technology related topics that should be of interest to the community. The first topic I want to cover is Anti-virus software.

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Shortly after declaring my newfound Catholicism and deciding to abstain from pre-marital sex for the Lenten season, I found myself sitting with four of my dearest friends discussing dating and relationships over burgers and cottage fries at J.G. Melon’s. Three of the five of us were currently in serious, long-term, monogamous relationships, with two of those three having never experienced the dating cesspool of New York City.As I looked around the table, I noted that my three comrades in these long-term, monogamous relationships had met their most-likely, basically 100% future husbands outside of New York, two being relationships from college, one an instance of miraculousness, as having stemmed from a random encounter on a one week cruise to the Bahamas.That left Kay and me, single and sexless, annoyed and disgusted, and dismally discouraged with the current dating opportunities (or lack thereof) on the 22.7 square miles of this island.“I just realized something.” I declared. Four sets of eyes started at me, wondering if I was going to announce something profound or just that I had forgotten to take my birth control pill that morning.“True love does not exist in this town.” I stated bluntly.“OK, Debbie Downer,” Jenny Saurs started. “Just because you haven’t seen a penis for the past seven days except in the form of vibrating silicone does not mean your dating life is over.”“No I’m totally serious here, and by the way, I’m 100% ok with having my sexual companion as an inanimate object that resides in my nightstand drawer,” I began.“But really, can you name one couple who fell in love in this city and went on to wedded bliss? And I’m not talking about the majority of our guy friends who decided to get girlfriends this past winter solely to have a consistent source of vagina and a warm body to keep their heating bills down—I’m talking can’t-live-without-you, want-to-be-your-baby-Daddy, I-would-never-consider-screwing-my-secretary true love. Name one couple who defies my theory.”As Jenny Saurs, Annie Smalls, Pookie, and Kay went on to name couple after couple who were in happy, blissfully faithful relationships that were headed towards an altar and didn’t involve random drunken hook-up’s when their significant other was out-of-town, these couples were results of either high school, college, or hometown relationships or else another instance that placed them in the non-NYC couple category.After a good fifteen-minute roundtable dialogue on all of the non-city couples that existed within our network of friends and coworkers, we could only name one pair who challenged my theory —a duo of abnormally tall, verge-of-circus-sideshow lovebirds. And I wasn’t even sure they counted, considering they breathed in a different layer of the ozone than the rest of us Manhattanites.So the fact that between five girls listing every couple we knew that lived in the city, we could only come up with one, somewhat weak, example that proved my theory solid. Whether or not my theory derived from the lack of a male touch in the past few weeks or my pessimism regarding my zip code’s dating scene, one thing was for damn sure—I was right.But I sure hope that eventually I can be proven wrong, because let’s face it, all my hometown has to offer in terms of single men is a few mullets, some flannel, and Dairy Queen Blizzards. Oh, and Amish buggies.I won't be going back to find my true love at this point....

Is it Japanese? Swedish? Danish? This is a common question customers ask themselves as they browse the shelves of the vibrant Upper East Side store – Marimekko. Do not let the name confuse you, however. Marimekko is a staple and proud national treasure of Finland. As an Upper East Sider with Finnish roots, I hold a special place in my heart for this bold and beautiful textile, clothing, and home goods store. As the only Marimekko store in New York, and one of the few in the United States, we are lucky to have a neighborhood outlet to unleash our inner Finn.

While many Upper East Siders admire Marimekko for its quality of clothing, array of modern textiles, and practical home goods – there is another important reason locals should be lucky to have a foreign gem in our neighborhood. When Armi Ratia (1912-1979) began to commission young artists to design fabrics in 1951 with her husband’s textile firm, people admired the boldly colored prints, yet did not know how to use them in everyday life. In order to demonstrate the use of these new fabrics, a small collection of clothing was put together for a fashion show. The effervescent colors and fresh styles gave new life to Finland as people were still recovering from the somber and gray post-war years.

The Marimekko mission is to give people hope and joy by making everyday life beautiful. As New Yorkers, we know all too well that the hustle and bustle of the city can be overwhelming. But the moment you step into this Finnish wonderland on the Upper East Side, the colors will transport you to a place of nature, dreams, and memories and you will leave the noise of the city outside.

Now that New York’s tough winter weather is almost behind us, there is no better way to jump into springtime than with a trip to Marimekko. Starting this Friday, March 12, New Yorkers will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to indulge in a “Spring Cleaning” sale with items up to 70% off including clothing, home and bath items, kitchen ware, shoes, bags, and more! All Marimekko aficionados should travel to the Upper East Side and take advantage of this incredible sale until March 22.

How will you express your inner Finn this season?!

Visit Marimekko at 1262 Third Avenue between 72nd and 73rd Street or on the web at http://www.kiitosmarimekko.com

This week it was hard to settle on just one thing to write about. So much is happening right now for the family and myself. I could have written about the ups and downs of moving. I could have written about the absurd amount of birthday parties my kids attend and that we have to buy gifts for(which I am sure will come up again sometime in the future). I could have written about the days upon days of rain and wind that keep us cooped up inside and make us all stir crazy. I could have even written about the toy helicopter that was tangled into my hair for a while the other day.(Don't ask....still not sure how my little one managed that!) Then, as I sat and looked out the window of the nail salon while I got my spa pedicure, I thought of something I was extremely compelled to talk about. The Second Avenue Subway construction project.Let me start by saying that while spa pedicures are one of the most amazing things you could ever experience, I am no regular to them. It was a gift for my birthday next week from one of my dearest BFFs in the world. It just so happens that one of my preferred salons is Eve's Nail and Spa on 2ND Avenue and 93rd st. While sitting with my feet in the borderline-painfully-hot water, our view was that of humongous cranes and "diggers" of all sorts. It just got me to thinking that it didn't even affect me one little bit. We have been dealing with this and looking at this for years now, and sadly enough, we are getting used to it! A good majority of us on the UES have been feeling the same way. Many of us deal with the chaos on a daily basis. I happen to live and work only steps away from where all the digging and blasting happens. I can remember a time when my son was amazed by looking at bulldozers, cranes, and dump trucks. Nowadays, they are old hat to him. He is more excited these days by the "sweeper guy". Now that is something we don't get to see every day!The one thing that I can't seem to get over is the number of businesses that are closed or closing due to this chaos. I live it everyday. I work at a place that struggles, and has been struggling, to keep people coming back. It is a scary thought that one day the "for sale" or "everything must go" sign could be up on our door. I feel for those businesses. I also feel for the people who have had to relocate due to the integrity of their buildings being compromised by all of the tunneling. And let's not forget the people whose homes have lost their value since the construction had begun. Sad.In more recent days, I have been more concerned for the parents who have to calm scared children when the blasts go off! This came to a head when, the other evening, I was at work and I heard the horn warning that a blast was imminent. We then heard the double horn warning that it was about to go off. Then we heard and felt a blast that both shook the ground and our nerves, and gave many people the feeling that there was a mistake with the dynamite....or a place crash.People were making calls all over the place and people on the streets came inside. I ventured a short distance to the site of the blast and watched as orange vests gave each other high-fives and hand-shakes to a job well done. Didn't seem like an accident to me.I spoke to my husband at home who informed me that my little guy came running out of his bed into our bed, scared out of his mind! My older two were very nervous and uneasy. After-all, we had begun to get used to the blasting and now this extraordinary boom?!?! My poor little ones. I am almost 31 years old, and I was scared out of my noodle! Imagine what they felt like!Within minutes of the blast, an orange vest walked in. I immediately helped him, then dove right in and asked about the ground-shaking activity. Boy, was I one of the lucky people that evening. This wonderful gentleman spoke to me for 5 to 10 minutes and explained why the boom was so stretched out and loud. Apparently, the blasting that we had all grown to know and love was vertical blasting. These baby blasts were the ones that made holes from the surface going down. That explains why they were short, loud, and sometimes seemingly weak. This new, horrifying blast was what is known as horizontal blasting. This kind of blasting makes the holes underground, going for a short distance, to clear out tunnels going lengthwise. Makes sense, I guess. He also reassured me that this kind of blasting is scary sounding but that once that area is cleared, they move on. Of course my next question was about how the buildings don't fall. I can be obsessive and tend to carry anxiety! He immediately jumped in to how the buildings are reinforced so that they stay strong. Wow. It was just what I needed. I went home and explained to my little ones.The next time the horn went off, 3 children and I waited patiently for the booms and somewhat cheered at how cool it was. All they needed was a little explanation. Fear of the unknown can be a devastating fear. Mommy needed the explanation too! One day, we will all take rides on that new subway line and the memories of blasting, and machines, and orange vests will be distant. One day. For now, we have lost sight of how impressive our building processes and machinery can truly be. Perhaps one day "diggers" will be exciting to watch again too. Perhaps not.For those of us mommies who have little ones who are into watching construction vehicles and have the pleasure of living AWAY from it all, 2ND Avenue is a free and interesting walk when the weather gets nice again. You could even stop in to one of the struggling restaurants along the way to have lunch, and feel good about supporting a business that desperately needs all the support it can get. Although it gets to be tiring to see, I feel good crossing the avenue once in a while to do my part to keep some of those businesses alive....especially when there is a spa pedicure waiting for me on the other side!

86th street is looking more and more like 125th street every day ...

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Happy Hour in the 'HoodTin Lizzie's Weekend Kick-Off PartyFriday, March 12th from 8:00-10:00pmStop by one of the neighborhood's favorite hangouts to celebrate the grand re-opening of Tin Lizzie's for their customer appreciation happy hour! A few fresh coats of paint and a little artistic vision by a few tipsy Irishmen gave this classic hangout a bit of a face lift for the good times to come in 2010. FREE happy hour for the best patrons on the UES!Tin Lizzies is located on Second Ave. between 85th & 86th St.Vino AfficionadosWine Tasting: South American WinesThursday, March 11th from 6:00-9:00pmStop by your favorite neighborhood lounge to enjoy the wines of South America. Experts from various wineries and vinyards will be in attendence to provide you with insight into each of your wines. A great night our for couples, friends or co-workers!Stir is located at 1363 First Avenue at 73rd St. (More Info) Cheers to BeersHistory of Beer & TastingFriday, March 12th at 6:30pmSam Merritt, founder of the Civilization of Beer, will lead a lively discussion followed by a tasting of that traces the hostoric roots of one of the world's favorite beverages. Beer provided by Brooklyn Brewery.Mount Vernon Museum & Garden is located at 421 East 61st St. (More Info)The Next Generation of Great ArtArt Dialogue: Young ProfessionalsFriday, March 12th at 6:30pmDesigned for young professionals living and working in New York City, Art Dialogue: Young Professionals offers the dual pleasures of looking at great works of art with the chance to meet like-minded art lovers.The Frick is located at 1 East 70th St. (More Info)Saturday StimulationJr. Junior League's Next Generation Philanthropy ProgramSaturday, March 13th from 1:00-4:00pmThis program is designed as a comprehensive introduction for children to the principles of philanthropy--it's never to early to tech your kids how to give back!The New York Junior League is located at 130 East 80th St. (More Info)

In October, victory was won for some Yorkville residents of the East 70’s and East 80’s who use the post office at 1483 York Avenue, otherwise known as Cherokee Station. Back in the summer, the USPS toyed with the idea of closing the Post Office and moving the services centered there to another location, in an attempt to consolidate Post Offices due to a $7 billion deficit caused by low revenue and decreasing mail volume. At the time, there were more than 3,000 offices under review nationally, including 14 throughout the city, and 5 in Manhattan. The USPS considered moving services to Gracie Station, Lenox Hill Station and Yorkville Station, and even Roosevelt Island. Under the USPS proposal, residents would have been forced to travel at least half a mile from the original Cherokee station, and perhaps a river away! Keeping Cherokee station is especially important to our community because many of our senior citizens rely upon its services; they would be severely inconvenienced by having to travel further to the post office.Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has been instrumental to the development of Cherokee station. Back in 1994, Congresswoman Maloney successfully advocated for expansion of Cherokee station. She secured a space twice the size of the former station, with seven full service windows and 800 more boxes, resulting in a total of 1,000 boxes at the station.Back in the summer, the community rallied to keep the post office open. The East 79th Street Neighborhood Association collected almost 1500 signatures on a petition to keep the post office open. Several elected officials, including Carolyn Maloney, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, State Senator Liz Krueger, State Assembly Members Micah Kellner and Jonathan Bing, City Council Members Jessica Lappin and Dan Garodnick, joined together and wrote a letter urging the USPS to save Cherokee Station. At the end of November, the USPS announced that it would not close Cherokee Station. Congresswoman Maloney proclaimed, “Since New Yorkers can’t walk on water, I am delighted that the Postal Services won’t be closing the Cherokee Station and moving its operations across the East River.”This is just one example of how residents of the Upper East Side, paired with our elected officials, can work for the best of the community. What other issues are you advocating in the community that you’d like to bring to the attention of this blog and the community?

Ooooh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is sooo delightful! Living on the Upper East Side for now 6 years, I had never known some of the charming hidden treasures that our community holds close to heart. You see, I had this preconceived notion that in order to entertain or “be cool” it was imperative that I put my little booty into a yellow cab or make the 6 block trek in my high heels over to the subway and make the journey down town. Friends in town? Lets meet at this hard to get in place on avenue A. Dinner date? Fabulous little place in Soho. Parents in town? Great family style nook in Nolita…You get the point.However, lately, it has been well, cold. Quite frankly with this economy who wants to incorporate $40 in cabs into the night of entertaining? Even worse who wants to wait and wait for that 4 or 5 express train to come and then hear, “All express trains are running on the local track and with limited service”. I can definitely tell you that I for sure do not want to hear this as it is 20 degrees on the platform. Recently in an effort to save money, body heat and valuable night time, I started looking at some of the bars and dinner places here within the Upper East Side, and began to explore other alternate places to meet up with friends and family or go out for my treasured date night with my husband. The results have been unbelievable! I cant even begin to think about the money I have spent hauling it down town or the shoes ruined making that long journey over to the subway to wait and then end up being late!My entertainment explorations were put to a test this past weekend. Originally, I had plans to head south and meet up with friends that were coming in from the ‘burbs and wanted a “swank” night out in the city. Out of habit I thought, perfect, there is this great place in Gramercy with a fireplace and where you can reserve a table for drinks. Phone number in mid dial, I stopped, paused and reassessed the situation. They also are cigar smokers and I immediately remembered one of the very few almost unknown places in the city that allows patrons to smoke inside. Yes, inside.Lo and behold, the place that still allows you to smoke is, no not downtown…. but uptown, on the lovely Upper East Side. Lexington Bar and Books on 73rd and Lexington is one of the very few bars within NYC that still allows you to smoke cigars inside. Your friends will be impressed with this classy find and little known fact all the while having great conversation in an appropriately filled dimly lit loungey space holding either a delicious glass of wine, cold beer or a concoction of your choice. Even better on these cold nights mosey on over to the fireplace and carry your laughs and talks while being warm!Who would have thought that a great and rare find could be found in the baby stroller filled, dog walking enclave that is our community. Entertaining is a blast but doesn’t mean that we northern Manhattanites have to venture down south to show friends, family even ourselves a cool night out on the town.Lexington Bar and Books is just one of the many little finds to be found and depending on your evening outlook or entertainment purposes there is something to be ventured to on the Upper East Side.

Over ten years ago, clinical aesthetician Jillian Wright opened Glow Skin Spa right here on the Upper East Side, much to the delight of UES residents. Just this past September, Glow moved to a townhouse on East 66th Street and was transformed into the Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa, where clients now receive a variety of premium spa treatments under the direction of the owner and namesake herself. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jillian Wright, and she gave me the inside scoop on her spa, its specialties, and her own favorite treatments. Read on, then make yourself an appointment.Located on the second floor of 22 East 66th Street (between 5th and Madison), the Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa offers a comprehensive spa experience designed to both pamper and improve the functionality of your skin. Including Jillian, the spa has five clinical aestheticians, all with over ten years experience, as well as five licensed massage therapists, plus a manager and front desk staff to accommodate guests. There are four well-appointed treatment rooms that Jillian describes as “comfortable and relaxing.” All of these elements work together to create a personalized, boutique feel to Jillian’s spa, allowing staff to cater to customers’ individual needs. With the needs of her customers in mind, Jillian has developed a wide variety of spa treatments, explaining that her “role is to play skincare detective in order to achieve your skin’s greatest health.”Clients can treat themselves to several different types of facials, which include elements like microdermabrasion, aromatherapy facial massage, LED light therapy, customized masks, and homecare recommendations; massages such as the Swedish, relaxation, aromatherapy, hot lava shell, or detoxifying massage; and body treatments for areas like the back, legs, neck, and eyes. Specialty products from Somme Institute, Bioelements, and Environ are used, many of which can be purchased from the spa for home use. And the names of some of Jillian’s treatments are almost as satisfying as the treatments themselves: the Muscle Melting Deep Tissue Massage, Herbology Body Retexturizer, and Wine or Blueberry Extract Crystal Eye Mask are just a few that caught my eye.Though the spa clearly has expertise in a variety of areas, their particular specialties are facial massage and extractions, which are included in all of their facials. The spa has also become known for its Signature Massage, which Jillian describes as “a combination of Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Thai, all within a choreographed massage experience.”All of these treatments have been developed with Jillian’s personal skincare philosophy in mind. Jillian aims “to incorporate a trilogy of the heart, hands, and mind to encompass all aspects of aesthetics.” This means that she focuses on both internal elements, such as emotional and spiritual health, as well as the external goal of maintaining healthy, well-balanced skin. Jillian explains that, “If you feel good about your skin, you will feel more confident and have greater self-esteem. It’s a snowball effect that positively grows with every step accomplished.”  So, you may be wondering, which of the Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa’s treatments are its founder’s favorites? “I love, love, love the LumiFacial!” Jillian says. “I’m all for getting the most out of your time spent at my spa and this is the way to do it. The results are instantaneous.” Jillian explained that, during the 105-minute LumiFacial, “we choose an exfoliation process suited for your skin type and texture such as enzymes, microdermabrasion or dermaplaning, use steam, do extractions, put you under the light for 30 minutes and then use a polarized current to penetrate active key ingredients into the skin.” The result? “The client leaves with radiant skin.”As for massages, Jillian says she loves the Hot Lava Shell Massage, a 60- or 90-minute treatment in which Swedish and Deep Tissue massage elements are combined with the use of lava shells, each with their own temperature control. Jillian explains that it's like a hot stone massage, but safer for both the client and the massage therapist, and a truly indulgent experience.Visit Jillian’s spa online at http://www.jillianwrightclinicalskinspa.com/ to learn more about her treatments and to make an appointment for what promises to be a delightful and invigoration spa experience.

It's about time this project is actually getting off the ground. It's been eight years in the works but Community Board 8 got one step closer to finishing the Andrew Haswell Green Park when it approved the final phase of the project last week. Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20100222/upper-east-side/upper-east-side-riverfront-park-gets-final-green-light#ixzz0gVIyqS9O