DAY ONE, FRIDAY 11/13

• Left our humble Chicago home while it was still dark. Our bags were packed with DVDs, posters, postcards, and business cards.  And a couple of pieces of clothing. Once at O’Hare, we found out our flight to LaGuardia had been cancelled due to high winds. Caught first available flight to Newark, NJ.

• In Newark we took an air tram to the train. The tram was so slow that we decided it was propelled on the backs of hundreds of crawling babies. Completely abomidable AND inefficient. (DISCLAIMER: We neither saw nor heard anything that confirmed out baby theory.)

You lookin' at Jess?

• Made our way to Manhattan, walked to Times Square, got sneered at, got over it, then took train to Queens. Also started getting hilarious updates about the film fest from friend Matt Shea (@MattOfAllMedia on Twitter).

The Verve Hotel, Queens

• Checked into The Verve Hotel on the recommendation of travel expert / cell phone afficianado / lifetime New Yorker Sascha Segan. Clean, quiet, pretty, healthy treats in the vending machines, free espresso drinks. Everything we wanted and more.

Julie @ QIFF

• Headed to the QIFF Film Fest headquarters (Cafe Bizarre) to get our QIFF Filmmakers All-Access passes: “They’re not here right now,” we were told with a smile. Weird. Maybe our passes were taking a walk around the block? Odd for the 2nd day of a festival in its 7th year, but anyhoo…

Jess & Leontine, probably making fun of Julie

• Met our friend (artist Leontine Greenberg) for dinner before heading to her art opening on the lower east side at MyPlasticHeart. She sold almost all of her paintings. We’re pretty sure we’re her good luck charm.  She might also be a beautiful and amazing painting genius.

Art Show @ My Plastic Heart

wine + gourds = fancy

The goods at the show

• Got a snack at the gigantic Whole Foods mothership across the park. Fell in love with it even before we found out that it’s where they film NY Top Chef shopping scenes.  Took turns breathing in the air that Padma Lakshmi might have once exhaled.

• Julie’s high school friend, NYC theatre director Justin Donham, dropped in for a moment, then we grabbed drinks & apps w/ Leontine. Headed back to the Verve way past our bedtime, but when in New York…

Ready for Day #2 of our QIFF / NYC Adventure? Click here to find out what we did and why Jessica made this face:

"What the what?" Jess on Day 2 of QIFF