MELISSALAND

Interior Designer Anjali Pollack, whom the gallery has worked with in the past, was with her husband Michael Pollack at the Taj when it was attacked. They appeared on Charlie Rose monday night to tell their story. It’s pretty incredible and moving….especially hearing Anjali speak towards the end of the piece. I can’t imagine what it must be like to experience something like that. I was reading a letter her husband wrote that was forwarded to me from a co-worker and it just brought tears to my eyes.

For the next seven hours, I lay in the fetal position, keeping in touch with Anjali via BlackBerry. I was joined in the stall by Joe, a Nigerian national with a U.S. green card. I managed to get in touch with the FBI, and several agents gave me status updates throughout the night.

I cannot even begin to explain the level of adrenaline running through my system at this point. It was this hyper-aware state where every sound, every smell, every piece of information was ultra-acute, analyzed and processed so that we could make the best decisions and maximize the odds of survival.

Was the fire above us life-threatening? What floor was it on? Were the commandos near us, or were they terrorists? Why is it so quiet? Did the commandos survive? If the terrorists come into the bathroom and to the door, when they fire in, how can I make my body as small as possible? If Joe gets killed before me in this situation, how can I throw his body on mine to barricade the door? If the Indian commandos liberate the rest in the other room, how will they know where I am? Do the terrorists have suicide vests? Will the roof stand? How can I make sure the FBI knows where Anjali and I are? When is it safe to stand up and attempt to urinate?

You can read Micheal’s full letter on Forbes website

Yesterday this cute little car was parked in front of the gallery and I had to take a photo. It’s an older model mini van in amazing condition. Seeing this car has further solidified my wanting to own my very own mini. I have two friends that own the cooper and they both love it. Since I have been doing a little car-hunting, some of you may know that I also recently wanted to buy a Jeep — well, look what I found! The Mini Moke!

Apparently it was a prototype for a light military vehicle in the style of the American Jeep. A tad impractical for around here….but not if say, one were living on an island

And since I am on the subject of all things mini, I had to post this photo of a house up the street from where I live in Hudson:

The mini house.

I’ve started drinking coffee again.

Tomorrow morning, I plan on getting out of bed very (very) early, way before the sun. I plan on drinking some really strong coffee. I plan on making my way down to the river and back. I plan on lots of writing. I plan on a day so exhausting of possibilities that by the time I lie myself back down in bed at the end of it, my body aches of use.

I would like one more grand morning of thick fog, the thicker the better. The kind that swallows and envelopes you, that forces you to be comfortable with not seeing, that asks you to trust the unknown.  I spent the weekend in this kind of fog - and let me just say for the record - there is nothing like it.

Photo: The Shawangunk Mountains (trust me, they are there, just hidden)

Hard to be upset about your car that died on the interstate last night when these beauties sit so near by.  In fact, hard to think about much at all lately….

So, I resign myself to grinning

Olana a few days ago. Did I mention how happy I am

Sorry for the silence lately. Lots happening such as: a.) I am not moving to London and b.) we are opening a second gallery (!) in Hudson, which I will run. Slated to cut the red ribbon sometime near the beginning of November and I promise that you will be well informed of all the details. I am super excited!!

I am also getting ready to move in a few days to a new apartment . In case, you know, you were looking to buy me any um, gifts to mark the occasion - I draw your attention to these fabulous finds:

Woofers

Tea Cups

A girl has to try, right

It’s just after midnight. Welcome to the new blog.