I constantly find myself defending the safety and security of New York to all of my friends and family. Fortunately, I have never been scared or uneasy about anything here (maybe with the exception of the first time I drove through the Bronx alone). As a matter of fact, I recently saw a statistic listing NYC as one of the top 10 safest cities in the country. When I initially moved here, people from home warned me about all sorts of danger I may find myself in. What they failed to mention was the attack of an elevator.
It really is no laughing matter that just last week, a woman was crushed and killed while boarding an elevator just a few blocks from my house. Apparently the building was very old, and the elevators were off balance causing this fatal malfunction. Since that time, I have been literally jumping on and off the elevator in my building with all of my limbs tucked nicely into my body, as if I was about to cannonball into a swimming pool.
Additionally, this past weekend, there was an elevator situation in Brooklyn. As a 75 year old woman was coming back from the grocery store, she was about to step off the elevator onto the floor of her apartment when a 40 something year old man doused her with a flammable liquid and lit her on fire. Apparently, he had done some maintenance around her apartment and she neglected to pay him (she claimed he was stealing from her). Horrifying.
Both of these instances are obviously tragic, and my heart goes out to the families involved. I am very lucky to work in a modern building, and live in a great part of town in an apartment that is maintained by the property management company and offers 24 hour doorman service. They have been very good to us. I'm not sure if I mentioned that we recently painted and bought furniture for the living room, and they were incredibly helpful throughout that process. I continue to be grateful for my safety, security and peace of mind while living here.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Christmas in New York
New York is known for many things this time of year. The 74' tall Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, ice skating rinks all around the city, window displays in shops all along Fifth Avenue....tourists EVERYWHERE. Even the subway performers have stepped up their game lately. Now they bring their entire family (babies included) with them, and typically it is the father who is doing the serenading and the mother/child combo collecting the money. This child may be strapped to the mother's body. If they are able to walk, they are also able to give you the most heart wrenching look that prompts you to hand them all the cash in your pocket. Gets me every time.
A few things to look forward to over the next several weeks include a. Santa Con (this coming weekend, thousands of Santas will be scattered about the city acting like complete fools) b. ugly Christmas sweater party in New Jersey c. more Christmas shopping and d. going home again.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Breaking Faces at Breaking Dawn
In case I didn't mention it in previous posts, my office is located directly across the street from Zuccotti Park, which has been the home of the Occupy Wall Street protestors for the last few months. From my desk, I watch them off and on all day, banging their drums and holding up their home made signs. For the most part, they have pretty much stayed in the park and out of our way. Thursday was a different story. Not only could I not get into my building using my normal path (because there were around fifty or so SWAT team cops blocking off my street), I couldn't get into the grand opening of TJ Maxx Wall Street (shame, shame OWS). I think that is what irritated me most. There were hundreds of people swarming around the NYSE, trying to prevent the traditional 9:30 bell from being rung. They were chanting, screaming, and behaving like maniacs. All I wanted to do is shop at my favorite discount store. Fail.
I also got to witness the fight with the police that occurred later that afternoon in the park. Sirens flooded our office, which is rare since we are on the 21st floor and can never hear anything. We saw people running from police, and being taken down and some beaten. It was quite a sight to see. Thankfully, everyone cleared out a little later and didn't come back on Friday. I would say that I have been indifferent, for the most part, with the initiative as a whole. I don't believe these people will change anything without a distinctive purpose and action plan, but I also believe that they have a right to protest. Most of the people I have seen are younger than me. I often wonder who is paying their bills. Is it mothers and fathers, who potentially work for the companies/industries they are protesting? My first reaction is to call them spoiled and unorganized, but I do respect, to some degree, their dedication.
In other news of brutality, I saw Breaking Dawn this past Friday night with my favorite coworker. As she and I were entering the theater, we heard screaming and yelling and thought "have the protestors relocated to AMC Kips Bay?". No, no, no. It was simply a "Twihard" punching another "Twihard" in the face for taking her seat front and center of the screen. They were in a legitimate cat fight, and eventually had to be taken out by security and not allowed to see the movie. Which resulted in both of them crying hysterically on the floor in the hallway. I must say, I'd never seen such a thing while watching the previous three movies in the series back in Nashville. But we ain't in Kansas anymore. This is how we do in the NYC. I would be willing to bet that we had a classic case of Team Edward vs. Team Jacob in the theater that night.
Last night was our small group outing to Korea Town for some much anticipated karaoke. As I was trying to make it there, I ran into someone I should probably consider an acquaintance by now. Zach Woods, "Gabe", from the Office. This is the fourth time I have run into him in public in the last 5 months. This place can really feel like a small town at times. The karaoke place was awesome! There is a $70 per hour fee, and for that amount you receive a private room, a waitress and a few thousand songs to choose from. We spent two hours singing some of the greats, such as Baby Got Back, Bohemian Rhapsody (I contributed the interpretive dance), and my all time favorite...Amy Grant's Baby Baby. Still in the mood for Asian influence after our time with the room had expired, we headed over to a Korean Fried Chicken restaurant and went crazy. And I do mean crazy.
I also got to witness the fight with the police that occurred later that afternoon in the park. Sirens flooded our office, which is rare since we are on the 21st floor and can never hear anything. We saw people running from police, and being taken down and some beaten. It was quite a sight to see. Thankfully, everyone cleared out a little later and didn't come back on Friday. I would say that I have been indifferent, for the most part, with the initiative as a whole. I don't believe these people will change anything without a distinctive purpose and action plan, but I also believe that they have a right to protest. Most of the people I have seen are younger than me. I often wonder who is paying their bills. Is it mothers and fathers, who potentially work for the companies/industries they are protesting? My first reaction is to call them spoiled and unorganized, but I do respect, to some degree, their dedication.
In other news of brutality, I saw Breaking Dawn this past Friday night with my favorite coworker. As she and I were entering the theater, we heard screaming and yelling and thought "have the protestors relocated to AMC Kips Bay?". No, no, no. It was simply a "Twihard" punching another "Twihard" in the face for taking her seat front and center of the screen. They were in a legitimate cat fight, and eventually had to be taken out by security and not allowed to see the movie. Which resulted in both of them crying hysterically on the floor in the hallway. I must say, I'd never seen such a thing while watching the previous three movies in the series back in Nashville. But we ain't in Kansas anymore. This is how we do in the NYC. I would be willing to bet that we had a classic case of Team Edward vs. Team Jacob in the theater that night.
Last night was our small group outing to Korea Town for some much anticipated karaoke. As I was trying to make it there, I ran into someone I should probably consider an acquaintance by now. Zach Woods, "Gabe", from the Office. This is the fourth time I have run into him in public in the last 5 months. This place can really feel like a small town at times. The karaoke place was awesome! There is a $70 per hour fee, and for that amount you receive a private room, a waitress and a few thousand songs to choose from. We spent two hours singing some of the greats, such as Baby Got Back, Bohemian Rhapsody (I contributed the interpretive dance), and my all time favorite...Amy Grant's Baby Baby. Still in the mood for Asian influence after our time with the room had expired, we headed over to a Korean Fried Chicken restaurant and went crazy. And I do mean crazy.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Samuel L Jackson loves Pottery Barn
When you sit at your desk in your home on a Monday night, excited for the peace and quiet, and you hear a jackhammer outside your window for hours on end instead, it is very difficult to find positive things to say about city life. Thank goodness for the little jewels scattered throughout my weekend to outshine the obnoxious sidewalk improvements in front of the Bank of America downstairs.
Friday night I was invited over to a friend's house to watch all three of the movies in the Twilight series, as a precursor to the Breaking Dawn premiere this weekend. On the 4/5 uptown, I got the privilege of hearing one of my favorite subway performers sing between 59th and 86th streets. He always does "Under the Boardwalk", but that night he pulled "Devil Went Down to Georgia" out of his bag of tricks. I never donate to these people, but I pulled out a few bucks after this guy made a very entertaining observation. He said "I LOOOVVVEEEE New York City. Where the women are pretty, and they all have jobs." Well said, my friend. Well said.
Saturday was fairly uneventful, but nice to be able to stay home for the majority of the day. Sunday after church, Brian and I made the trek down to the Brooklyn Target (there is only one in the city, and Spanish Harlem is not a place I care to venture much). We got to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch, which I was very excited about since there are none in Manhattan. The Target trip was relatively brief, and successful. After dropping off about a 100 lb box of a bookshelf (Brain carried it. I, of course, did nothing but watch), we headed to Lincoln Center for Pottery Barn and Bed, Bath and Beyond. As we were leaving Pottery Barn, the streets packed, I sort of ran into a very tall African American gentleman. As I turned to my right to apologize for hitting him with my huge bag of pillows (I had like 5), he smiled at me and I just kept walking. Until I realized that it was Samuel L Jackson. At that point, all I could do was turn around (very obviously, I might add) and smile. And I did that a few times. Very cool moment.
Friday night I was invited over to a friend's house to watch all three of the movies in the Twilight series, as a precursor to the Breaking Dawn premiere this weekend. On the 4/5 uptown, I got the privilege of hearing one of my favorite subway performers sing between 59th and 86th streets. He always does "Under the Boardwalk", but that night he pulled "Devil Went Down to Georgia" out of his bag of tricks. I never donate to these people, but I pulled out a few bucks after this guy made a very entertaining observation. He said "I LOOOVVVEEEE New York City. Where the women are pretty, and they all have jobs." Well said, my friend. Well said.
Saturday was fairly uneventful, but nice to be able to stay home for the majority of the day. Sunday after church, Brian and I made the trek down to the Brooklyn Target (there is only one in the city, and Spanish Harlem is not a place I care to venture much). We got to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch, which I was very excited about since there are none in Manhattan. The Target trip was relatively brief, and successful. After dropping off about a 100 lb box of a bookshelf (Brain carried it. I, of course, did nothing but watch), we headed to Lincoln Center for Pottery Barn and Bed, Bath and Beyond. As we were leaving Pottery Barn, the streets packed, I sort of ran into a very tall African American gentleman. As I turned to my right to apologize for hitting him with my huge bag of pillows (I had like 5), he smiled at me and I just kept walking. Until I realized that it was Samuel L Jackson. At that point, all I could do was turn around (very obviously, I might add) and smile. And I did that a few times. Very cool moment.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Creme De La Creme of Outlet Malls
There is nothing like a good outlet mall to whip you into a cheerful mood after a long week at work and a major weather change. I had heard of this place called Woodbury Commons, so this weekend I decided to check it out for myself. About an hour's drive north of the city, this place is nestled among some beautiful rolling hills (I almost want to call them mountains) which happened to be at their peak in leaf changing season.
This outlet is unique because it features just about all of the major designer labels. Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Prada and Coach are just a few of the stores I went into where I knew I couldn't afford anything just by looking in the window. Even at outlet prices, the cheapest thing I saw was around $1000. The trip wasn't entirely wasted though, because they at least had an Ann Taylor and a J Crew where I had some pretty serious success.
Since I walk all the time now and need comfortable shoes, and since I now have a bunion on my right foot at the ripe old age of 29, Naturalizer has now become my shoe store of choice. It used to be Nine West, by the way. As I was searching around for just the right pair of brown flats, size 9, wide width (thanks to the bunion) I stumbled across some that were in my price range. After putting them both on, a woman about the age of 75 walked by and said "Those are beautiful, dear." Now, I was grateful for the compliment. But because I seemed to be the only person in the store who wasn't retired and she was wearing some sort of Dr. Scholls loafer herself, I pulled those suckers off as fast as I could and ran out.
Today I got to see the musical "Memphis", which won the Tony last year for best show. I definitely recommend it for anyone making a trip to the city soon. The student rush tickets are $27.50 and we were able to sit in the box. I loved everything about it, from the story to the costumes, and of course the music. Put it on your list!
This outlet is unique because it features just about all of the major designer labels. Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Prada and Coach are just a few of the stores I went into where I knew I couldn't afford anything just by looking in the window. Even at outlet prices, the cheapest thing I saw was around $1000. The trip wasn't entirely wasted though, because they at least had an Ann Taylor and a J Crew where I had some pretty serious success.
Since I walk all the time now and need comfortable shoes, and since I now have a bunion on my right foot at the ripe old age of 29, Naturalizer has now become my shoe store of choice. It used to be Nine West, by the way. As I was searching around for just the right pair of brown flats, size 9, wide width (thanks to the bunion) I stumbled across some that were in my price range. After putting them both on, a woman about the age of 75 walked by and said "Those are beautiful, dear." Now, I was grateful for the compliment. But because I seemed to be the only person in the store who wasn't retired and she was wearing some sort of Dr. Scholls loafer herself, I pulled those suckers off as fast as I could and ran out.
Today I got to see the musical "Memphis", which won the Tony last year for best show. I definitely recommend it for anyone making a trip to the city soon. The student rush tickets are $27.50 and we were able to sit in the box. I loved everything about it, from the story to the costumes, and of course the music. Put it on your list!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Late Night Effects of a Late Afternoon Coffee Break
Why on earth do I drink caffeine after 2:00 p.m.? I certainly know better, but obviously decided against common sense today and had a cup at 4:30. So this is what you get, folks. My brain is not tired, so let the rambling begin.
I've been in conversation a lot lately with some of my fellow single ladies. I think the first signs of fall (or in my case here, winter) always triggers a mood swing for our kind. The question has been posed in every discussion "When will it be my turn?" I must say, I ask that quite often myself. I have no idea what lessons I am supposed to be learning during this time, and sometimes I grow very weary because of uncertainty.
In these same conversations, we also spoke about what the world, through the media (mostly), tells us what is normal. What is acceptable. What our life SHOULD be. These messages are all around us, and despite what we would like to think, influence our patterns of thinking.
Take, for example, any of the movies in the Disney Princess collection. My personal favorites were always Cinderella and the Little Mermaid. The messages in both of these movies are the same. A woman changes something about herself to be with the man of her dreams (who is perfect in every way). No matter which movie it is, there is always some dramatic, unrealistic path to the relationship, which always ends "happily ever after." As a young girl, you begin to think this is normal (or at least I did), attainable and that the only other option is to be the wicked witch/evil stepmother. This HAS to happen to you at some point. And then it doesn't....
I've been in conversation a lot lately with some of my fellow single ladies. I think the first signs of fall (or in my case here, winter) always triggers a mood swing for our kind. The question has been posed in every discussion "When will it be my turn?" I must say, I ask that quite often myself. I have no idea what lessons I am supposed to be learning during this time, and sometimes I grow very weary because of uncertainty.
In these same conversations, we also spoke about what the world, through the media (mostly), tells us what is normal. What is acceptable. What our life SHOULD be. These messages are all around us, and despite what we would like to think, influence our patterns of thinking.
Take, for example, any of the movies in the Disney Princess collection. My personal favorites were always Cinderella and the Little Mermaid. The messages in both of these movies are the same. A woman changes something about herself to be with the man of her dreams (who is perfect in every way). No matter which movie it is, there is always some dramatic, unrealistic path to the relationship, which always ends "happily ever after." As a young girl, you begin to think this is normal (or at least I did), attainable and that the only other option is to be the wicked witch/evil stepmother. This HAS to happen to you at some point. And then it doesn't....
I am a huge fan of the chick flick, romantic comedy genre of film. For some reason, they always make me feel like everything is going to be alright. Among my favorites are 27 Dresses (probably because I have like 12 myself), 50 First Dates and the Proposal. Whenever I have a bad day, my therapy is one of these movies and a bucket or tub of something that is incredibly bad for me. I really don't know what I gain from doing this. Once again, they make me feel that I will find my prince charming someday and then my life will be perfect and complete. But what if I don't...
Watching the ones I love get married one by one and hearing about the men I used to love marrying women who aren't me, will take a toll on the heart, especially when you are watching it alone. Of course I am very happy that they are happy and it brings me joy to see them fulfilled. But you do begin to wonder if there is some repulsive flaw about you that you are blind to. And there is also a sense of abandonment when you realize you are the "last man standing" among your circle.
The thing is this. We are not promised anything that movies or television or magazines tell us we need, just because we are born and breathe and live here on earth. Fulfillment does not come from constantly trying to keep up with these messages. I wish they would make a movie, write a book or create a television show about a woman who lives a full, complete, love-filled life as a single individual. Paul himself was single, and said that if one could handle the lifestyle, that it was preferable.
Obviously your relationship status is not the only thing we are "told" should be a certain way. There are messages about children at a certain point in your life, or adding another child to the family, having your "dream job", being anything you want to be, etc. Everyone is affected. Singleness just happens to be the life situation I relate to the most. I want to believe that if I live for the next 60 years as a single woman, that I can give my whole heart to those people around me who will become my family. I can dedicate my life to serving them, and to experiencing the world to the greatest degree. I want to believe that this is enough. And maybe, if I stop filling my mind with things that suggest the contrary, I will be able to accomplish that.
Thank you, as always, for listening.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Freddy Krueger Meets Frosty the Snowman
That's right folks...snow on Halloween weekend here in New York. I think we are all a bit confused about which holiday we are actually supposed to be celebrating. It is very difficult to be scared and freaked out about anything when the entire ground is white and flakes are cascading down from the sky.
Despite the crazy weather that has been incredibly inconvenient, there have been a few highlights from the weekend. On Friday night, my roommate and I went to Ikea in Brooklyn to buy new furniture for our living room. This was an experience within itself, as you have to take a boat to get there. The store is located along the water in Brooklyn, and isn't convenient by mass transit. Once we made all of our purchases (I am VERY excited about our white couch!) we headed to the cafe for one of their famous cinnamon rolls. Also, I ate 2 hot dogs, chips and a drink and I paid a total of $5 for everything. This is unheard of in the city, so you can imagine how happy we were to do it. As we boated back to Manhattan, we noticed a very impressive fireworks show going off around the Statue of Liberty, and decided it was in celebration of its 125th birthday. They lasted for our entire trip back, and we had such a great view. What perfect timing!
Everything is being delivered tomorrow, and we had painters in over the weekend to cover the entire apartment in blues, yellows and tans. I am so excited to see the final product tomorrow night after everything is done. It is finally starting to feel like a home, as opposed to my college dorm room. Not that there is anything wrong with sitting on a futon or eating on a tray table when you are almost 30 years old. Now all we have to decide on is new wall art and other accents for the room, and then I will be ready to post pictures.
Another exciting aspect of the weekend was the musical I got to see yesterday. "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is currently starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and has been quite the sensation due to his extreme popularity from the movie series. So much the sensation, that the line for Rush tickets typically starts forming around 8 a.m. for the 10:00 opening of the box office. I have tried once before to get these $30 tickets, and they sold out before I made it to the front. But not yesterday. I was probably the fifteenth person in line and was able to secure two FRONT ROW BOX tickets to the matinee for $30 each! We were so close you could almost see the zits on little Danny's face. My favorite part was John Larroquette, who won a Tony for his performance in the show. Hilarious!
Despite the crazy weather that has been incredibly inconvenient, there have been a few highlights from the weekend. On Friday night, my roommate and I went to Ikea in Brooklyn to buy new furniture for our living room. This was an experience within itself, as you have to take a boat to get there. The store is located along the water in Brooklyn, and isn't convenient by mass transit. Once we made all of our purchases (I am VERY excited about our white couch!) we headed to the cafe for one of their famous cinnamon rolls. Also, I ate 2 hot dogs, chips and a drink and I paid a total of $5 for everything. This is unheard of in the city, so you can imagine how happy we were to do it. As we boated back to Manhattan, we noticed a very impressive fireworks show going off around the Statue of Liberty, and decided it was in celebration of its 125th birthday. They lasted for our entire trip back, and we had such a great view. What perfect timing!
Everything is being delivered tomorrow, and we had painters in over the weekend to cover the entire apartment in blues, yellows and tans. I am so excited to see the final product tomorrow night after everything is done. It is finally starting to feel like a home, as opposed to my college dorm room. Not that there is anything wrong with sitting on a futon or eating on a tray table when you are almost 30 years old. Now all we have to decide on is new wall art and other accents for the room, and then I will be ready to post pictures.
Another exciting aspect of the weekend was the musical I got to see yesterday. "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is currently starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and has been quite the sensation due to his extreme popularity from the movie series. So much the sensation, that the line for Rush tickets typically starts forming around 8 a.m. for the 10:00 opening of the box office. I have tried once before to get these $30 tickets, and they sold out before I made it to the front. But not yesterday. I was probably the fifteenth person in line and was able to secure two FRONT ROW BOX tickets to the matinee for $30 each! We were so close you could almost see the zits on little Danny's face. My favorite part was John Larroquette, who won a Tony for his performance in the show. Hilarious!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
On Broadway...
I can officially check off one of the items from my New York bucket list. Today, I walked the entire length of the island, all along Broadway. Although 13.4 miles didn't initially sound like a lot in my head when I first came up with this idea, my feet have a different opinion. This morning around 9:00, I took the 1 train to the last stop on the island at 215th street. I had to walk a few blocks to actually get to the river, but did so gladly. I wanted to share a few highlights from the day.
Within five minutes of my journey, I passed a man wearing a University of Alabama sweatshirt. Since this type of garb isn't very commonly seen around town, and also since my father is always speaking to people sporting the crimson, I decided to say "Roll Tide." He turned around with a smile on his face, and we proceeded to talk about the south for probably five minutes. It was a great start to the day.
I met up with my friend Rich around 181st street. He lives in that area, loves to walk and I hadn't seen him in a while so he decided to join. The weather was absolutely perfect for such an activity...sun was bright and the temperature was appropriate for a light jacket. Eventually, we made it to the upper 90s and decided to stop for brunch at Big Daddy's Diner on 91st. We each got the same thing...pancakes, toast, hashbrowns, eggs, bacon, sausage and coffee for $15 each. This place ended up being similar to a Chucky Cheese and we were surrounded by giggling children. My legs were grateful for the break, even though the balloon man blocked me into the booth for about 15 minutes while he created Halloween characters for a table of about ten kids.
After meandering through Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle, we eventually made it to Times Square. I have to say that up until this point, this area has been my least favorite in the entire city. There are ALWAYS way too many people who don't know where they are going, and it's just incredibly stressful to be there. But today, Herald Square, Union Square and SOHO made Times Square (that's a lot of squares) look like the backwoods country. I have never seen so many "non touristy" people gathered in one area, with the exception of the line outside of Trader Joes wine shop the day before Hurricane Irene. Needless to say, we were glad to get out.
We ended the day walking through the protestors in Zucotti Park (something I can see right outside my window at work) and all the way down to the water where you board for the Statue of Liberty. It took a total of seven hours, but if you take out the time we stopped to eat and shop, I would say about five and a half. I really don't see how I am going to move my body out of this bed to go to a pre-Halloween party tonight, but I am very glad I can now say that I have seen every inch of Broadway.
In other news, I was able to fulfill another life long dream of mine here recently. Bush came to the city for a concert this summer, but unfortunately it sold out in less than two minutes. So when they announced they planned to play a show in Long Island, I bought two tickets immediately. My concert buddy coworker and I headed out a few weeks back on a random Tuesday night to Huntington, New York. The show opened with Filter (I caught...no...grabbed the drumstick being thrown into the audience), Chevelle (a little after my time) and of course the gorgeous Gavin Rossdale reunited with his band. Since it was general admission, we made sure to be on the front row!
Three noteworthy things about their portion of the night: 1. At one point, he was standing right in front of me on stage, I reached my hand out and got pushed from behind and Gavin himself grabbed my hand. It was magical. 2. They blew the speakers out three songs from the end of their set, and he proceeded to come mingle with the audience and give us bottled water. When he made it to our section, I told him I had loved him for 15 years and we took a picture. AMAZING. 3. After singing Little Things, he asked the crowd surfers to please be careful because they had just hurt his "friends" in the front row (me and Michele) and he looked and pointed straight at us and asked if we were okay. Unbelievable.
I also was able to take a very random, and very last minute road trip to Vermont last weekend. Gina was in town for a family member's funeral, and we decided it would be best to get away for a bit. Even though it was kind of rainy, we still saw some gorgeous scenery. Portions of Highway 100 remain closed off from damage done during Irene, but the section we got to see was my favorite part of the trip. Also, the town of Woodstock is very popular for a reason. Lots of very old, incredibly beautiful buildings, great shopping and restaurants and lots of cheese. We may or may not have broken into an old church here to go to the bathroom. Aside from Woodstock, we stayed in Rutland, and went to Killington (ski resort area), Stockbridge (woo hoo!), Pittsford (we stopped here for syrup...lots of damage and a covered bridge which was washed away), Hanover NH (where Dartmouth University is located), White River Junction and Londonderry. Leaves were gorgeous everywhere!
Next weekend is my Bear Mountain cruise up the Hudson, followed by Halloween festivities and Georgia/Florida football. The following weekend I plan to make a trip near Westchester for some designer clothes outlet shopping. Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here and I will be making my way to Georgia!!! This fall is flying by!
Within five minutes of my journey, I passed a man wearing a University of Alabama sweatshirt. Since this type of garb isn't very commonly seen around town, and also since my father is always speaking to people sporting the crimson, I decided to say "Roll Tide." He turned around with a smile on his face, and we proceeded to talk about the south for probably five minutes. It was a great start to the day.
I met up with my friend Rich around 181st street. He lives in that area, loves to walk and I hadn't seen him in a while so he decided to join. The weather was absolutely perfect for such an activity...sun was bright and the temperature was appropriate for a light jacket. Eventually, we made it to the upper 90s and decided to stop for brunch at Big Daddy's Diner on 91st. We each got the same thing...pancakes, toast, hashbrowns, eggs, bacon, sausage and coffee for $15 each. This place ended up being similar to a Chucky Cheese and we were surrounded by giggling children. My legs were grateful for the break, even though the balloon man blocked me into the booth for about 15 minutes while he created Halloween characters for a table of about ten kids.
After meandering through Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle, we eventually made it to Times Square. I have to say that up until this point, this area has been my least favorite in the entire city. There are ALWAYS way too many people who don't know where they are going, and it's just incredibly stressful to be there. But today, Herald Square, Union Square and SOHO made Times Square (that's a lot of squares) look like the backwoods country. I have never seen so many "non touristy" people gathered in one area, with the exception of the line outside of Trader Joes wine shop the day before Hurricane Irene. Needless to say, we were glad to get out.
We ended the day walking through the protestors in Zucotti Park (something I can see right outside my window at work) and all the way down to the water where you board for the Statue of Liberty. It took a total of seven hours, but if you take out the time we stopped to eat and shop, I would say about five and a half. I really don't see how I am going to move my body out of this bed to go to a pre-Halloween party tonight, but I am very glad I can now say that I have seen every inch of Broadway.
In other news, I was able to fulfill another life long dream of mine here recently. Bush came to the city for a concert this summer, but unfortunately it sold out in less than two minutes. So when they announced they planned to play a show in Long Island, I bought two tickets immediately. My concert buddy coworker and I headed out a few weeks back on a random Tuesday night to Huntington, New York. The show opened with Filter (I caught...no...grabbed the drumstick being thrown into the audience), Chevelle (a little after my time) and of course the gorgeous Gavin Rossdale reunited with his band. Since it was general admission, we made sure to be on the front row!
Three noteworthy things about their portion of the night: 1. At one point, he was standing right in front of me on stage, I reached my hand out and got pushed from behind and Gavin himself grabbed my hand. It was magical. 2. They blew the speakers out three songs from the end of their set, and he proceeded to come mingle with the audience and give us bottled water. When he made it to our section, I told him I had loved him for 15 years and we took a picture. AMAZING. 3. After singing Little Things, he asked the crowd surfers to please be careful because they had just hurt his "friends" in the front row (me and Michele) and he looked and pointed straight at us and asked if we were okay. Unbelievable.
I also was able to take a very random, and very last minute road trip to Vermont last weekend. Gina was in town for a family member's funeral, and we decided it would be best to get away for a bit. Even though it was kind of rainy, we still saw some gorgeous scenery. Portions of Highway 100 remain closed off from damage done during Irene, but the section we got to see was my favorite part of the trip. Also, the town of Woodstock is very popular for a reason. Lots of very old, incredibly beautiful buildings, great shopping and restaurants and lots of cheese. We may or may not have broken into an old church here to go to the bathroom. Aside from Woodstock, we stayed in Rutland, and went to Killington (ski resort area), Stockbridge (woo hoo!), Pittsford (we stopped here for syrup...lots of damage and a covered bridge which was washed away), Hanover NH (where Dartmouth University is located), White River Junction and Londonderry. Leaves were gorgeous everywhere!
Next weekend is my Bear Mountain cruise up the Hudson, followed by Halloween festivities and Georgia/Florida football. The following weekend I plan to make a trip near Westchester for some designer clothes outlet shopping. Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here and I will be making my way to Georgia!!! This fall is flying by!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Ray, Radiohead and Grannys for a Greedless America
Fall is off to a great start in the city! We went from 80s to 50s within a matter of days, so there hasn't been much time for that period of transition. I am certainly not complaining though. I love this weather.
Last weekend I decided to explore the villages a bit, and it ended up being a great idea. I found the apartments that Friends and The Cosby Show were based on, and I'm sure looked like a crazy person standing outside them both taking pictures. As I meandered throughout these adorable little neighborhoods, I stumbled upon my very first "yard sale." Basically, it was a blocked off section of the street where people had set up card tables to display all of their junk. And when I say junk, I mean junk. However, apparently New York junk is worth more that junk in other places because there were no items under $5. There was a tiny mirror that looked like it had been bought at Wal-Mart that they wanted $75 for. I did enjoy looking though. By this point, I was in a major thrift store mood so I found the nearest Goodwill to browse around in. Cheapest thing in there was $15! Shocking.
Last Monday night a friend of mine at work and I made a very last minute decision to go to the Ray Lamontagne concert in Central Park. It was a part of a series called Summerstage, and it really was a great show. The band Punch Brothers opened for him, and the lead singer is Chris Thile who once played mandolin for Nickel Creek. Ray was incredibly awkward with the audience, but an AMAZING performer. It really was a perfect night...not a cloud in the sky, perfect weather and third row from the front. While in line for pizza, I realized I was standing behind two reality TV stars from the Bachelor Pad...Michelle and Graham. Normally, I wouldn't have a clue who these people were, but my roommate has kind of gotten me hooked on the show. So...in my typical fashion...I inconspicuously snapped a photo of their backs. : )
As you probably know, there have been protestors downtown (right by my office) for the last two weeks. They are expressing their disgust in the influence of corporate America/money and greed on our political system. Friday it was announced that Radiohead would be playing a free show amongst the crowd around 4:00, so of course I made my way down. After waiting for almost an hour, with no sign of Radiohead, I went back to the office. But I did get to witness a. a girl who hadn't shaved her armpits in weeks, b. someone having their ear pierced in multiple places with a needle and nothing to ease the pain, c. a guy who wanted to end the fed and d. a group of "Grannys for a Greedless America." It was quite a spectacle.
Lots of trips coming up...church retreat in the Catskills, a drive through Vermont and possibly Niagara Falls. Excited to see the leaves changing!
Last weekend I decided to explore the villages a bit, and it ended up being a great idea. I found the apartments that Friends and The Cosby Show were based on, and I'm sure looked like a crazy person standing outside them both taking pictures. As I meandered throughout these adorable little neighborhoods, I stumbled upon my very first "yard sale." Basically, it was a blocked off section of the street where people had set up card tables to display all of their junk. And when I say junk, I mean junk. However, apparently New York junk is worth more that junk in other places because there were no items under $5. There was a tiny mirror that looked like it had been bought at Wal-Mart that they wanted $75 for. I did enjoy looking though. By this point, I was in a major thrift store mood so I found the nearest Goodwill to browse around in. Cheapest thing in there was $15! Shocking.
Last Monday night a friend of mine at work and I made a very last minute decision to go to the Ray Lamontagne concert in Central Park. It was a part of a series called Summerstage, and it really was a great show. The band Punch Brothers opened for him, and the lead singer is Chris Thile who once played mandolin for Nickel Creek. Ray was incredibly awkward with the audience, but an AMAZING performer. It really was a perfect night...not a cloud in the sky, perfect weather and third row from the front. While in line for pizza, I realized I was standing behind two reality TV stars from the Bachelor Pad...Michelle and Graham. Normally, I wouldn't have a clue who these people were, but my roommate has kind of gotten me hooked on the show. So...in my typical fashion...I inconspicuously snapped a photo of their backs. : )
As you probably know, there have been protestors downtown (right by my office) for the last two weeks. They are expressing their disgust in the influence of corporate America/money and greed on our political system. Friday it was announced that Radiohead would be playing a free show amongst the crowd around 4:00, so of course I made my way down. After waiting for almost an hour, with no sign of Radiohead, I went back to the office. But I did get to witness a. a girl who hadn't shaved her armpits in weeks, b. someone having their ear pierced in multiple places with a needle and nothing to ease the pain, c. a guy who wanted to end the fed and d. a group of "Grannys for a Greedless America." It was quite a spectacle.
Lots of trips coming up...church retreat in the Catskills, a drive through Vermont and possibly Niagara Falls. Excited to see the leaves changing!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
The New York Men In My Life
When I wake up in the morning on a work day, I know I have at least five things to look forward to over the course of the next five hours. Five men, that is.
My 47th street doorman always knows how to start my day off right. When I am leaving the building on my way to the subway, I look to my left, and there he sits. He always waves and wishes me a great day at work, and no matter how much of train wreck my outfit may be, his smile makes me feel like a runway model. Every woman should have a little Jose ego boost in the morning.
My AM New York newspaper man catches my attention next as I walk between 44th and 43rd street. I must say that I only take the newspaper when he is passing them out. I believe he may be partially deaf, and there is something about him that makes me so happy. His demeanor is ALWAYS pleasant and encouraging, and no matter how menial of a task it may be to pass out newspapers to uptight, rushed New Yorkers, he never fails to do it with a smile on his face. So I gladly take my newspaper (even though the only thing I really read is the horoscope and latest celebrity gossip), he wishes me a great day or weekend, and I proceed to the subway.
My Dunkin Donuts man knows exactly what kind of coffee I like to have every morning. Since I have been visiting him every day for the last year, the process is quite simple. I walk up to the counter, he sees my face, and proceeds to make a medium coffee with cream, sugar and caramel. He never judges me for starting off my day with something so fattening. The cashier doesn't even have to tell me the price anymore. I hand her my $2.00, she hands me my nickel, and our transaction is complete. It's that simple. Two blocks to the office, and I've already had a great morning.
My security guard man in the Brown Brothers Harriman building where I work loves to wink. At first I thought it was just at me, but then I realized I wasn't the sole object of his affection. As soon as I enter the building, I get a wink, a smile, and a "have a great day miss". Occasionally I will forget my building access ID, and he gladly buzzes me in even though this is totally against building security protocol. He has also given me an umbrella to use when I am unprepared for rain. Love that guy.
My Kuma is my favorite man of them all. After a few grueling hours in the office, it is time to rejuvenate at lunch time. I make my way to a sushi restaurant right around the corner from the building, an establishment that somewhat resembles a crack den. However, they have the best sushi (and lunch special) in the entire financial district. Kuma has worked there for 20+ years, and is quite a legend to the older generation of Wall Street. Not only does he know my name, he knows what I like to order and I don't even have to ask. He knows a lot of personal things about me, for that matter, and I am okay with that since he is around 65. He makes regular comments about men in this city being stupid because no one has snatched me up yet. And an added bonus...sometimes I don't have to pay. I simply adore him.
So there you have it. Most girls settle for one man, but I have five. Five that make sure I am doted on, informed of current events, protected, provided for, well fed and caffeinated up. What more could you ask for, really. I am one lucky lady!
My 47th street doorman always knows how to start my day off right. When I am leaving the building on my way to the subway, I look to my left, and there he sits. He always waves and wishes me a great day at work, and no matter how much of train wreck my outfit may be, his smile makes me feel like a runway model. Every woman should have a little Jose ego boost in the morning.
My AM New York newspaper man catches my attention next as I walk between 44th and 43rd street. I must say that I only take the newspaper when he is passing them out. I believe he may be partially deaf, and there is something about him that makes me so happy. His demeanor is ALWAYS pleasant and encouraging, and no matter how menial of a task it may be to pass out newspapers to uptight, rushed New Yorkers, he never fails to do it with a smile on his face. So I gladly take my newspaper (even though the only thing I really read is the horoscope and latest celebrity gossip), he wishes me a great day or weekend, and I proceed to the subway.
My Dunkin Donuts man knows exactly what kind of coffee I like to have every morning. Since I have been visiting him every day for the last year, the process is quite simple. I walk up to the counter, he sees my face, and proceeds to make a medium coffee with cream, sugar and caramel. He never judges me for starting off my day with something so fattening. The cashier doesn't even have to tell me the price anymore. I hand her my $2.00, she hands me my nickel, and our transaction is complete. It's that simple. Two blocks to the office, and I've already had a great morning.
My security guard man in the Brown Brothers Harriman building where I work loves to wink. At first I thought it was just at me, but then I realized I wasn't the sole object of his affection. As soon as I enter the building, I get a wink, a smile, and a "have a great day miss". Occasionally I will forget my building access ID, and he gladly buzzes me in even though this is totally against building security protocol. He has also given me an umbrella to use when I am unprepared for rain. Love that guy.
My Kuma is my favorite man of them all. After a few grueling hours in the office, it is time to rejuvenate at lunch time. I make my way to a sushi restaurant right around the corner from the building, an establishment that somewhat resembles a crack den. However, they have the best sushi (and lunch special) in the entire financial district. Kuma has worked there for 20+ years, and is quite a legend to the older generation of Wall Street. Not only does he know my name, he knows what I like to order and I don't even have to ask. He knows a lot of personal things about me, for that matter, and I am okay with that since he is around 65. He makes regular comments about men in this city being stupid because no one has snatched me up yet. And an added bonus...sometimes I don't have to pay. I simply adore him.
So there you have it. Most girls settle for one man, but I have five. Five that make sure I am doted on, informed of current events, protected, provided for, well fed and caffeinated up. What more could you ask for, really. I am one lucky lady!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
I met a Huxtable!
This week is Fashion Week in New York for the spring 2012 collections. While attending the gala in the Hamptons a month ago, I had the privilege of not only meeting, but commuting back to the city with the designer B Michael. He was such a pleasure to be around...very personable, sweet and down to earth and actually extended an invitation to his show during Fashion Week. So tonight I put on the skinniest pants I own and some snazzy boots and went!
For those of you who just joined the blog, I actually was a volunteer at the Fashion Week this past February and worked my tail off at three different shows. I must say, I definitely prefer being a guest instead. The hall was much more accommodating than those at Lincoln Center, yet still chic and fabulous. I sat third row back in the second section from where the runway started. As soon as I took my seat, I looked up and there sat Phylicia Rashad, aka Claire Huxtable, directly across from me. She literally took my breath away. I think I had to blink like ten times just to make sure it was her. Also in attendance was Cicily Tyson (most recently from The Help), Desiree and Tamara Tunie (as well as several others I did not recognize). It was quite an exciting group!
B. Michael had around 25 pieces displayed in his collection, and I loved the majority of them. His style is simple, elegant and refined and the palate he used was divine (mostly pinks, yellows and oranges). My favorite selection was a white pin striped pant with a very fitted pink tweed blazer....perfect for work. His preferred target markets are the "professional woman" and "ladies who lunch", although he has dressed stars like Beyonce, Halle Berry and Serena and Venus Williams. B. Michael began his career on Wall Street, and was the son of a real estate broker and CPA from Connecticut. It wasn't until he was older that he tapped into his creative side, and begin to design for Oscar de la Renta. Most high fashion just doesn't make sense to me. But his designs were practical, yet inventive, and can be worn exceptionally well by most women.
After the show (which only lasted about fifteen minutes-typical), instead of heading for the most direct path out, I went around a set of chairs just to be able to exit by Ms. Rashad. I had my camera out and was preparing what I wanted to say, although I thought it may be impossible to get her attention. Not so impossible, after all. I walked right up, shook her hand and said that I had admired her talent and class for as long as I could remember and that it was an honor to meet her. I asked if she would mind taking a picture with me, she obliged and I can honestly say that I can die now. What a dream come true!
For those of you who just joined the blog, I actually was a volunteer at the Fashion Week this past February and worked my tail off at three different shows. I must say, I definitely prefer being a guest instead. The hall was much more accommodating than those at Lincoln Center, yet still chic and fabulous. I sat third row back in the second section from where the runway started. As soon as I took my seat, I looked up and there sat Phylicia Rashad, aka Claire Huxtable, directly across from me. She literally took my breath away. I think I had to blink like ten times just to make sure it was her. Also in attendance was Cicily Tyson (most recently from The Help), Desiree and Tamara Tunie (as well as several others I did not recognize). It was quite an exciting group!
B. Michael had around 25 pieces displayed in his collection, and I loved the majority of them. His style is simple, elegant and refined and the palate he used was divine (mostly pinks, yellows and oranges). My favorite selection was a white pin striped pant with a very fitted pink tweed blazer....perfect for work. His preferred target markets are the "professional woman" and "ladies who lunch", although he has dressed stars like Beyonce, Halle Berry and Serena and Venus Williams. B. Michael began his career on Wall Street, and was the son of a real estate broker and CPA from Connecticut. It wasn't until he was older that he tapped into his creative side, and begin to design for Oscar de la Renta. Most high fashion just doesn't make sense to me. But his designs were practical, yet inventive, and can be worn exceptionally well by most women.
After the show (which only lasted about fifteen minutes-typical), instead of heading for the most direct path out, I went around a set of chairs just to be able to exit by Ms. Rashad. I had my camera out and was preparing what I wanted to say, although I thought it may be impossible to get her attention. Not so impossible, after all. I walked right up, shook her hand and said that I had admired her talent and class for as long as I could remember and that it was an honor to meet her. I asked if she would mind taking a picture with me, she obliged and I can honestly say that I can die now. What a dream come true!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Happy 1 Year Anniversary New York!
Even though I recently posted a top 10 list in my entry about Irene, I couldn’t let the “It’s my 1 year NYC anniversary” post happen without one. As of Monday, I have officially been a New Yorker for one year. And the following are my top 10 favorite moments (this should be especially helpful for those of you who prefer a summary of the last 60 entries):
10. Day trip to Governors Island with my small group, complete with biking, a picnic, and acrobats
9. Spending my inaugural night in NYC at the U.S. Open match (Federer)
8. The discovery of my penthouse piano conveniently located on my block
7. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade
6. Volunteering at the annual Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in February
5. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Tina Fey while filming an episode of 30 Rock
4. Sightings: John Voight, Mary J Blige, Geoffrey Rush, Meg Ryan, Tea Leoni, Jason Hoppy, Kim Kardashian, (Anthony)
3. Attending my first gala in the Hamptons, in honor of the Soledad O’Brien foundation
2. Concerts: Amos Lee, Needtobreathe, STP, Aretha Franklin, Allman Brothers
1. Filming Man on a Ledge with Sam Worthington, and being among four people selected to be featured in a scene by the director himself
What a great, wonderful, exciting, amazing, blessed, lucky, adventurous, unbelievable, intense, exhilarating year this has been. And I wouldn't change a thing about it!
My perfect man
My perfect man would be a military hero by day (Marine, Army or Air Force), a fireman by night. He would play the guitar and the drums exceptionally well, and sometimes his hair would be short and other times, long. He would be a surfer, handyman, skater, and great with children and old people. He would be tall, slender, slightly muscular, multi-lingual and look good in a beanie. He would enjoy traveling, concerts, shopping, talking, not talking, hanging out with my friends and family, eating, cooking for me, vacuuming, ironing, needlepoint, going to the movies, and reading Jane Austen novels. He would encourage me to eat bread and chocolate-all the time. He would be a good guy, but also a bad guy, and be able to cry without seeming like a girl. He would be a mixture of Prince Eric and Daniel Larusso, with a tad of Pacey Witter thrown in for good measure. I am not needy, nor am I asking for the world here.
I love my family!
First of all, I would really like to know why they never made a “Family Reunion Vacation” where Clark and Ellen Griswold take Russ and Audrey to grandmothers house (obviously well before Summer Vacation where she is dead on the roof of their car) to see family they haven’t been around in years. Wouldn’t this have been a perfect addition to such a series? Complete with introductions to cousin Eddie’s parents and Griswold family tree t-shirts. And of course, Aunt Bethany would recite The Night Before Christmas as a blessing and Lewis would potentially have his real hair.
My family reunion was nothing like the train wreck that would be, thankfully. The only noteworthy thing I have to mention about the trip down is the gentleman who decided to stick his huge, harry, naked belly in my face as he was loading about ten pieces of luggage above my head on the plane. He was only about three inches from my face, and his shirt was obviously not long enough to cover his food baby. I guess you could say he belly blocked me. I also would like to add that I love the Baltimore airport. Not only is it one of the cleanest, most spacious ones I have ever flown in to, they also have good ole fashioned rocking chairs in the waiting area. It’s almost like a classy Cracker Barrel.
Everything went smoothly at the actual reunion, most notably the food. Last year there was a tiny mishap with the ribs, but this year they were on point. I probably ate my weight in them, as well as about twenty different varieties of casseroles. I love a good casserole. It’s not something I get often anymore. Whenever I mention the term in NY, people automatically assume I am referring to a potpie. The more my food is combined, the better. I have been known to create a mean mashed potato/black eyed pea/cream corn/baked bean concoction on more than one occasion.
One of my favorite things about being around family are the conversations that take place about my dating life. There always seems to be a new kid on the block that they suggest I reach out to, or even consider marrying (before I've even met the guy of course). And the older I get, the more interesting their selections become. In my early to mid 20’s (when the pool of available men was at its peak), they were tossing around ideas of doctors, lawyers and engineers. More recently, it has become those that just have a job, have all their teeth or are breathing independently without the assistance of a ventilator. Also, they are full of suggestions as to how to attract the attention of someone of the opposite sex. “Cross your legs”, “don’t sit like a man”, “don’t unbutton your pants at the dinner table after you’ve eaten a big meal” are just a few of the nuggets of wisdom I have been offered. I am surprised there is not a dating website where family members manage the search on your behalf.
It was great to see everyone, including my great aunt from New Mexico who I haven’t seen in probably 20 years. She is in her mid 80s, and such a joy to be around…very laid back. I think we ended up having around 50ish people there, and thank goodness for the fans! I believe it reached 100 that day, so we were grateful for some sort of relief. Two days later, it’s 60 and guess who decided to only pack summer clothes? Also, we definitely had remnants of a hurricane, and guess who forgot to pack an umbrella? I looked like a real peach this morning as I walked in the rain, with a garbage bag over my head, to a nearby office park to pick up a car I was borrowing for the day. Regardless, it was such a great weekend and I almost hesitate to go back. But part of me is just a little excited about it…
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Black and White Cookie, a Girl and a Dream
I must tell you about two recent discoveries I have made in the city. Last week I promised to provide breakfast to a client of mine, who I desperately wanted to impress. So I googled "best bagel places in midtown east, new york city", and Ess-a-bagel was the first result. It happened to be only three blocks away, so I headed to 51st street with high hopes and a company Visa. Turns out it is quite popular, because the line was out the door. An 80 year old male greeter (I thought I was in Wal-Mart for a minute) told me to wait in a certain line, which ended up being the wrong one. Eventually I ended up in the "bulk order" section, where I got talked into buying $70 worth of bagels and coffee. The platter looked divine, and when my client saw the label, her eyes immediately lit up. Thank you, Ess-a-bagel, for making me a winner that day.
I actually had to return the carafe the coffee came in that afternoon, so I made the trek over in between meetings. While I was there, I made my second greatest discovery of the week-the black and white cookie. Now, I know that these little discs of wonder are nothing new to most of America, and that they are sold just about everywhere. But to me, it was like going down a road I had never gone down before. I also ordered a glass of milk to go, as I had to be on the E train shortly after. I thought I could wait until I got to the office to partake, but there it was...the cookie...just staring me in the face. So I did what any chocolate addicted woman would do. I ate it. Devoured it, actually. Right there in front of everyone. It may have lasted three stops. YUM!
In other news, I am so excited to go to Tennessee this weekend for our Labor Day family reunion. I must say that I am looking forward to just about every part of it, with the exception of one thing. The sleeping situation has not been a pleasurable experience since my sister got married. Before that time, we would team up to get a bedroom. Sisters unite! We made a great case about us being grown women and needing our privacy. But now, it is a battle I must fight alone. The options have been as follows: the sunroom pull out couch where I can be assured to be woken up by young children before sunrise, the floor in my grandparents walk-in closet (right by the guns), and most recently, my aunt's house about a mile down the road (she does have a pool though). I know there is power in numbers, and since I am just a party of one currently, that gets trumped every time by those in a state of wedded bliss. But my question is this...when will it end? When will all sleeping arrangements be equal? If I am 65 years old and still single, will I be sleeping in a tent in the backyard when I visit family? Or perhaps a hammock in the corner of the basement? At that point, one could only hope for one of those Tempur-Pedic Advanced Ergo Adjustable Base beds that you see on television. A girl can dream...
I actually had to return the carafe the coffee came in that afternoon, so I made the trek over in between meetings. While I was there, I made my second greatest discovery of the week-the black and white cookie. Now, I know that these little discs of wonder are nothing new to most of America, and that they are sold just about everywhere. But to me, it was like going down a road I had never gone down before. I also ordered a glass of milk to go, as I had to be on the E train shortly after. I thought I could wait until I got to the office to partake, but there it was...the cookie...just staring me in the face. So I did what any chocolate addicted woman would do. I ate it. Devoured it, actually. Right there in front of everyone. It may have lasted three stops. YUM!
In other news, I am so excited to go to Tennessee this weekend for our Labor Day family reunion. I must say that I am looking forward to just about every part of it, with the exception of one thing. The sleeping situation has not been a pleasurable experience since my sister got married. Before that time, we would team up to get a bedroom. Sisters unite! We made a great case about us being grown women and needing our privacy. But now, it is a battle I must fight alone. The options have been as follows: the sunroom pull out couch where I can be assured to be woken up by young children before sunrise, the floor in my grandparents walk-in closet (right by the guns), and most recently, my aunt's house about a mile down the road (she does have a pool though). I know there is power in numbers, and since I am just a party of one currently, that gets trumped every time by those in a state of wedded bliss. But my question is this...when will it end? When will all sleeping arrangements be equal? If I am 65 years old and still single, will I be sleeping in a tent in the backyard when I visit family? Or perhaps a hammock in the corner of the basement? At that point, one could only hope for one of those Tempur-Pedic Advanced Ergo Adjustable Base beds that you see on television. A girl can dream...
Monday, August 29, 2011
Irene, I hate you
Top 10 Favorite Hurricane Irene Moments
10. Pre-hurricane party at my house, with a screening of Top Gun and Dirty Dancing
9. Waiting in line at the grocery store in a line wrapped around the grocery store
8. The drive to Binghamton at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning when my parents convinced me to evacuate
7. Cracker Barrel and a movie on a Saturday night
6. Wal-Mart
5. PF Changs for lunch while working in our Stamford office
4. Seeing three great movies! (Win Win, One Day, The Help)
3. Staying in two raunchy hotel rooms where the prices were double what they normally would be
2. Cracker Barrel, PF Changs, Sonic and Wal-Mart (all places I miss dearly)
1. The fact that I should never have left New York, where power was never lost, the streets were never flooded, and the skyscrapers next to our building never shot shards of glass at our windows at 100 mph.
This list pretty much sums up the last 72 hours of my life. With no intention to flee the city on Friday night, I braved my local Trader Joes for some items for the “Bring it on Irene” party to be held in my apartment that evening. Actually it was just a movie night for the girls in my small group, who thought it a crime that I had never seen Top Gun or Dirty Dancing. So we did just that. Pigged out and watched our blasts from the past. As we were all sitting there, we continued to get text messages from our friends and family expressing their concern about the danger promised to the area by the media. I promised my mother I would reassess in the morning.
When I woke up (early I might add) on Saturday, I just decided to call some hotels in nearby cities. What I quickly discovered was that they were all sold out, which made me panic a bit. When I finally found a HOJO in Binghamton who had a suite remaining (which she didn’t even reveal until I told her I was a hurricane evacuee) I immediately booked it. My roommate opted out of the trip, so I loaded up my stuff and headed to Connecticut for my car. I honestly think I was more concerned about it than my own safety. The trip was just a tad over three hours, I was able to check in upon arrival, and head straight to bed for a much needed nap. That night I explored the area, went to Cracker Barrel and to the movies after. Of course, all we had there was rain.
Yesterday after shopping a bit (Wal-Mart has become a favorite since moving to NYC…absence makes the heart grow fonder I guess) and my second movie of the weekend, I ventured back towards the city. Driving through the Catskill Mountains was quite an adventure, one which I preferred much more pre-flood. I made it as far as Middletown, NY where the state troopers were blocking the road and re routing us away from the Palisades/Westchester area. Everything was flooded and blocked. I panicked. All of the hotels in the area were sold out for the evening, and it was getting dark. To top it all off, I was being asked to work the next day! I frantically drove to Newburgh, where the only place I found with vacancy was the Knights Inn. And boy, oh boy, was that unfortunate. I know I should have been grateful to have a room, but I guess it was the leaky ceilings, the smoky smell or the fact that it looked like a crack den that turned me off. At least the air worked! I slept like a baby after shoving two chairs against the door and leaving the bathroom light on like a five year old.
Not knowing what to expect this morning, I got up and left the hotel driving in the direction of Norwalk, CT. Got there with no problem, but the trains to the city still weren’t running. So I found our office located in Stamford and “worked” from there for a few hours. And by worked, I mean continually monitored the MTA website for updates. Thankfully, they reopened the Metro North train around 4:00, and I am currently making my way home now. What a weekend!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Jackhammer Lullaby
Sunday afternoon is the perfect time for napping, and it has been a tradition that I have carried on for years. Usually there is the sound of rain outside my window to lull me to sleep, or perhaps background noise of a golf match or Bob Ross episode playing on the television. But today was a first for me. The second my head hit the pillow...boom...jackhammer right outside my window. Apparently someone on 3rd avenue thought that prime sleep time was the only time to use such an instrument. And also, Tuesday night of this past week around 10 p.m. Once it started pouring down rain, I thought they would stop...but no. I was determined to not let this interfere with my afternoon plans, so I just laid there and eventually realized that it was having a calming effect on me...sort of like a vacuum or dishwasher may have on a baby. Within minutes, I was out like a light. So mothers, if your child is having trouble sleeping, I will gladly send you a soundtrack of New York City street sounds that may cure the woes of a restless night.
This week was rough. Everywhere I went, I seemed to encounter rudeness, which doesn't happen a lot to me here oddly enough. The breaking point was Friday night when I had at least three disgruntled employees of the Bowery Ballroom (music venue) speak to me as if I were the most hated person in America, and one actually ripped...and I do mean ripped...a drink out of my hand for no apparent reason. Saturday was beach retreat/alone time day, and ended with a dinner with a new friend from North Carolina. She is my age, single, southern, works for Sony and is involved with the charity I work with. We went to the newly opened Neelys on the upper east side, and had the best ribs I have ever eaten. Apparently they started in Memphis, have a location in Nashville, and New York was their third location choice, and I am so grateful. Ribs, mac and cheese, fried pickles and red velvet cake. Yum, yum, YUM!
On a much more serious note, I wanted to share something that has been weighing heavily on my mind and heart. I recently learned something about a friend of mine from small group (we will call him Samuel) that I did not know. Something that is incredibly disturbing and eye opening. Samuel started coming to our study/dinner nights about six months ago, and no one really knew much about him. He told us he was from Nigeria, and had just moved to the states. He has been a great addition to our group, and we have grown to love him. This past weekend, he decided to make everyone aware of his past and current situation, and I felt compelled to share it through this blog.
Samuel came to the United States to seek safe asylum as a victim of religious persecution in Nigeria after suffering physical assault on multiple occasions and numerous threats of harm and/or death for his involvement in the proselytizing/conversion of Muslims in the northern part of the country. In 2000, in the city of Kaduna, religious conflict stemming from evangelistic outreach and political strife led to a boiling over of tensions among fundamental Muslim groups and resulted in many churches being burned (including Samuel's church) and the deaths of multiple Christians. Samuel was assaulted on several occasions during this time, including one assault where he was burned with hot irons on his arm and chest. After some time, Samuel left Kaduna for the city of Lagos in the far south where he continued to receive threatening phone calls and was assaulted on a few occasions by men affiliated with a tribe known to be predominantly Muslim. Shortly thereafter he received a threatening phone call from a man that stated that a fatwa had been issued against him calling for his harm and/or death. Although Samuel had a good job in personal finance, this final threat was the last straw. He made the decision to go to the United States on a visitor's visa and claim asylum once he arrived.
Maybe I don't watch the news enough, or just choose to be naive, but this was the first time this type of thing had been reality for me. New York is the first port of entry for many of those in Samuel's situation, so it is nothing new to the people of this city. There is a group called Sojourners whose sole mission is to provide shelter, food and care for those seeking asylum. Unfortunately until their cases are heard and completed, they are not granted work visas and are dependent on charities and churches to provide the basic necessities until then. This is all after they are released from the detention process of course. It could be months before Samuel is granted a visa, or is sent back to Nigeria. His case will be presented for the first time the first week of September, so we are hopeful that it won't be months before a resolution is reached. As a Christian living in the U.S., it is almost impossible for me to put myself in Samuel's shoes. I certainly hope I don't ever have to. We are so blessed to live in a country where rights and freedom exist and are fought for. But if that ever changes, I hope that I have the courage and conviction to proclaim Jesus, to not falter under fear and to look up to the One who this life is all about anyway.
Please pray for Samuel, and all others in his situation.
This week was rough. Everywhere I went, I seemed to encounter rudeness, which doesn't happen a lot to me here oddly enough. The breaking point was Friday night when I had at least three disgruntled employees of the Bowery Ballroom (music venue) speak to me as if I were the most hated person in America, and one actually ripped...and I do mean ripped...a drink out of my hand for no apparent reason. Saturday was beach retreat/alone time day, and ended with a dinner with a new friend from North Carolina. She is my age, single, southern, works for Sony and is involved with the charity I work with. We went to the newly opened Neelys on the upper east side, and had the best ribs I have ever eaten. Apparently they started in Memphis, have a location in Nashville, and New York was their third location choice, and I am so grateful. Ribs, mac and cheese, fried pickles and red velvet cake. Yum, yum, YUM!
On a much more serious note, I wanted to share something that has been weighing heavily on my mind and heart. I recently learned something about a friend of mine from small group (we will call him Samuel) that I did not know. Something that is incredibly disturbing and eye opening. Samuel started coming to our study/dinner nights about six months ago, and no one really knew much about him. He told us he was from Nigeria, and had just moved to the states. He has been a great addition to our group, and we have grown to love him. This past weekend, he decided to make everyone aware of his past and current situation, and I felt compelled to share it through this blog.
Samuel came to the United States to seek safe asylum as a victim of religious persecution in Nigeria after suffering physical assault on multiple occasions and numerous threats of harm and/or death for his involvement in the proselytizing/conversion of Muslims in the northern part of the country. In 2000, in the city of Kaduna, religious conflict stemming from evangelistic outreach and political strife led to a boiling over of tensions among fundamental Muslim groups and resulted in many churches being burned (including Samuel's church) and the deaths of multiple Christians. Samuel was assaulted on several occasions during this time, including one assault where he was burned with hot irons on his arm and chest. After some time, Samuel left Kaduna for the city of Lagos in the far south where he continued to receive threatening phone calls and was assaulted on a few occasions by men affiliated with a tribe known to be predominantly Muslim. Shortly thereafter he received a threatening phone call from a man that stated that a fatwa had been issued against him calling for his harm and/or death. Although Samuel had a good job in personal finance, this final threat was the last straw. He made the decision to go to the United States on a visitor's visa and claim asylum once he arrived.
Maybe I don't watch the news enough, or just choose to be naive, but this was the first time this type of thing had been reality for me. New York is the first port of entry for many of those in Samuel's situation, so it is nothing new to the people of this city. There is a group called Sojourners whose sole mission is to provide shelter, food and care for those seeking asylum. Unfortunately until their cases are heard and completed, they are not granted work visas and are dependent on charities and churches to provide the basic necessities until then. This is all after they are released from the detention process of course. It could be months before Samuel is granted a visa, or is sent back to Nigeria. His case will be presented for the first time the first week of September, so we are hopeful that it won't be months before a resolution is reached. As a Christian living in the U.S., it is almost impossible for me to put myself in Samuel's shoes. I certainly hope I don't ever have to. We are so blessed to live in a country where rights and freedom exist and are fought for. But if that ever changes, I hope that I have the courage and conviction to proclaim Jesus, to not falter under fear and to look up to the One who this life is all about anyway.
Please pray for Samuel, and all others in his situation.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Bite me
Just this past week and weekend, I was reminded of one of the reasons I am so glad I live, work, and play in New York City. Mosquito bites in the summer had become a thing of the past. I had thrown away every bottle of Off spray I had in my bathroom, but did so prematurely. I have spent the past few days outside, and my legs have definitely paid the price. I believe the final count was nine. And I have scratched some of them to the point of scarring. None of them were obtained in the city, and I am so glad to be back so my skin can breathe a sigh of relief.
Every Thursday night I attend a small group Bible study in someone's home with a group of about fifteen-twenty of my closest friends here. Most of the time our hosts live in Harlem or downtown, but this week we decided to branch out to Brooklyn to watch Breakfast at Tiffanys. There are weekly summer movies presented at the Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy, which is located right next to the Brooklyn Bridge. In Nashville, these types of activities have historically always had a massive turnout and New York is no different. There were people everywhere, but our group leader was kind enough to arrive about four hours early to secure a blanketed area right in front of the screen. After strategically and successfully making our way to the group (and managing to step on only one pair of feet) we sat down to our view of the east river, Statue of Liberty and the financial district. It was such a great night of fabulous weather, outstanding company and a spectacular view. My only complaint was that this was my first encounter with these little winged blood sucking monsters. Bites number one and two.
On Friday night, I was invited to attend a charity gala in the Hamptons, Bridgehampton to be exact. The event was to benefit the Soledad O'Brien foundation, which raises money for girls in New Orleans who cannot afford a college education. The event cost $1000 per head, but my friend, who represents the band that was performing, was able to get us in for free. I was able to get off of work two hours early to catch the 4:00 train from Penn Station, in order to arrive by 6:30. I cannot even begin to describe how amazing the location was. It was the 6500 square foot, 6 bedroom 6 bath, somewhere in the neighborhood of ten millions dollars estate of Keith Reinhard. Keith was most recently the CEO of DDB Worldwide, which is a subsidiary of Omnicom, which he had a hand in founding. Among the guest list were Star Jones, Russell Simmons and of course Soledad O'Brien from CNN. It was appropriately planned as a New Orleans themed night, with the ten piece jazz band straight out of N.O., typical cajun cuisine served family style (which gave me heartburn pretty quickly) and dancers and decorations that completed the ensemble. I met politicians, journalists, musicians and designers, and was even invited to one of the designers private shows in the upcoming fashion week. The night was so much fun, that I didn't even mind the three mosquito bites I picked up from being outside in that tent all night.
After only getting four hours of sleep, I woke up early on Saturday to catch a bus with four of my girlfriends to Bloomfield, New Jersey. One of the girls was housesitting in this suburban area, and we decided to spend the day and night out there. Eventually we made the two hour (should've only been one, but thanks to traffic) commute to the Jersey Shore and parked our beach towels on the fabulous Long Branch beach. It was definitely the nicest beach I've seen up here, and the crowd wasn't too "Jersey Shore-ish". There were plenty of families and children to make it pretty low key, which was appreciated. We spent about five hours there (I slept for probably three of them) and then made the trip back to Bloomfield. To say traffic was bad is a definite understatement. I think my favorite part of the weekend was the fact that we all chipped in and made a fabulous grilled dinner together in a real kitchen, with a real dining room, an actual grill and plenty of space. Such a nice change from my airplane galley kitchen. We grilled chicken, hamburgers, corn and made salad, brownies and topped it all off with a watermelon. As we were outside making this wonderful meal, no one was aware that New Jersey (with 63 different species) is sometimes referred to as the Mosquito State. Enter bites six, seven, eight and nine.
It has been such a crazy busy but incredibly exciting few days, and I am looking forward to having absolutely nothing to do for the next few. Thankfully I'll have some time to nurse my wounds!
Every Thursday night I attend a small group Bible study in someone's home with a group of about fifteen-twenty of my closest friends here. Most of the time our hosts live in Harlem or downtown, but this week we decided to branch out to Brooklyn to watch Breakfast at Tiffanys. There are weekly summer movies presented at the Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy, which is located right next to the Brooklyn Bridge. In Nashville, these types of activities have historically always had a massive turnout and New York is no different. There were people everywhere, but our group leader was kind enough to arrive about four hours early to secure a blanketed area right in front of the screen. After strategically and successfully making our way to the group (and managing to step on only one pair of feet) we sat down to our view of the east river, Statue of Liberty and the financial district. It was such a great night of fabulous weather, outstanding company and a spectacular view. My only complaint was that this was my first encounter with these little winged blood sucking monsters. Bites number one and two.
On Friday night, I was invited to attend a charity gala in the Hamptons, Bridgehampton to be exact. The event was to benefit the Soledad O'Brien foundation, which raises money for girls in New Orleans who cannot afford a college education. The event cost $1000 per head, but my friend, who represents the band that was performing, was able to get us in for free. I was able to get off of work two hours early to catch the 4:00 train from Penn Station, in order to arrive by 6:30. I cannot even begin to describe how amazing the location was. It was the 6500 square foot, 6 bedroom 6 bath, somewhere in the neighborhood of ten millions dollars estate of Keith Reinhard. Keith was most recently the CEO of DDB Worldwide, which is a subsidiary of Omnicom, which he had a hand in founding. Among the guest list were Star Jones, Russell Simmons and of course Soledad O'Brien from CNN. It was appropriately planned as a New Orleans themed night, with the ten piece jazz band straight out of N.O., typical cajun cuisine served family style (which gave me heartburn pretty quickly) and dancers and decorations that completed the ensemble. I met politicians, journalists, musicians and designers, and was even invited to one of the designers private shows in the upcoming fashion week. The night was so much fun, that I didn't even mind the three mosquito bites I picked up from being outside in that tent all night.
After only getting four hours of sleep, I woke up early on Saturday to catch a bus with four of my girlfriends to Bloomfield, New Jersey. One of the girls was housesitting in this suburban area, and we decided to spend the day and night out there. Eventually we made the two hour (should've only been one, but thanks to traffic) commute to the Jersey Shore and parked our beach towels on the fabulous Long Branch beach. It was definitely the nicest beach I've seen up here, and the crowd wasn't too "Jersey Shore-ish". There were plenty of families and children to make it pretty low key, which was appreciated. We spent about five hours there (I slept for probably three of them) and then made the trip back to Bloomfield. To say traffic was bad is a definite understatement. I think my favorite part of the weekend was the fact that we all chipped in and made a fabulous grilled dinner together in a real kitchen, with a real dining room, an actual grill and plenty of space. Such a nice change from my airplane galley kitchen. We grilled chicken, hamburgers, corn and made salad, brownies and topped it all off with a watermelon. As we were outside making this wonderful meal, no one was aware that New Jersey (with 63 different species) is sometimes referred to as the Mosquito State. Enter bites six, seven, eight and nine.
It has been such a crazy busy but incredibly exciting few days, and I am looking forward to having absolutely nothing to do for the next few. Thankfully I'll have some time to nurse my wounds!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
29 is fine!
This weekend marks the last of a series of four weekends where I have been privileged enough to have out of town guests, and I must say that I am exhausted. It has been so great to see everyone, and experience New York with some dear friends for the first time. It's like my two worlds have collided, and I just wish we all lived closer so we could have many more of these memorable times together. I know that me (and my credit card) are looking forward to a few dull nights ahead, of staying in and working on dwindling down the DVR, that is currently full. Some of the highlights for me have been the Alexander McQueen exhibit with Jill at the MET (2 hour wait-worth it!), the second trip to Maine with Sophia (shopping!) and seeing Aretha Franklin for free at Coney Island with Laura (solid!).
I must tell you about my birthday week. It all started with a Stone Temple Pilots concert on the Williamsburg Waterfront on Monday night. My friend from work and I jetted over to Brooklyn right after we got off, and decided to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to the venue. Williamsburg has so much to offer in regards to culture, art and food. It is regularly referred to as the "hipster" neighborhood in Brooklyn. Luckily, we found a pizza place as soon as it started raining and headed in for a slice. I would be doing you a disservice if I did not mention a staple in all New York pizza places, affectionately known as the "garlic knot." I actually had my first knot two months ago while eating lunch with some people after church, and have now made them a necessary addition to any pizza that I order. They are essentially balls of pizza dough, rolled in butter and garlic, and baked to perfection. This particular pizza place had the best knots I have had to date. My friend has grown up in this city, and is Italian, and would rate them the same. If I ever get married, I am seriously considering having a pile of garlic knots instead of a cake. The next time you come to NYC, you must partake!
Following dinner, we headed down to the venue with much apprehension since the rain seemed to be set in for the evening. However, once we got down to the east river where the stage was set up, the rain stopped and it ended up being about 75 degrees. This was a much needed, and appreciated break from the border line 100 degree weather we had been having. The weather couldn't have been better, the band was absolutely amazing (and reminiscent of my high school days), but the best part was the view. As they played, you could see the entire sky line of Manhattan with a breathtaking sunset outlining it. It was such a great night, and kick off to an even better week.
Tuesday night I attended a birthday party thrown for me by my coworkers, old and new. About fifteen people came, and stayed for hours! The entire restaurant sang happy birthday to me as they brought the best chocolate cake out that I have ever had. It was so great catching up with those who have moved on, and it truly warmed my heart that they were all there (and that some had come from an hour and a half away). I left feeling really lucky to have made such meaningful relationships in such a short time.
Wednesday was my actual birthday, and I wouldn't have changed anything about it. Not only was I excited to see all the facebook wishes, texts, calls and cards, but my wonderful father sent my flowers and my coworkers flooded my cube with balloons, gifts and cards. After work, my amazing roommate took me to dinner at my favorite bar-b-que restaurant (Brother Jimmys) and to see a movie. Thursday night, Sophia had come into town, and took me to dinner at a sushi restaurant next to Columbia University. Afterwards we went to small group, where they had cupcakes and birthday singing for me! I definitely felt the love from everyone here and back home, and realized that I am one lucky girl.
I must tell you about my birthday week. It all started with a Stone Temple Pilots concert on the Williamsburg Waterfront on Monday night. My friend from work and I jetted over to Brooklyn right after we got off, and decided to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to the venue. Williamsburg has so much to offer in regards to culture, art and food. It is regularly referred to as the "hipster" neighborhood in Brooklyn. Luckily, we found a pizza place as soon as it started raining and headed in for a slice. I would be doing you a disservice if I did not mention a staple in all New York pizza places, affectionately known as the "garlic knot." I actually had my first knot two months ago while eating lunch with some people after church, and have now made them a necessary addition to any pizza that I order. They are essentially balls of pizza dough, rolled in butter and garlic, and baked to perfection. This particular pizza place had the best knots I have had to date. My friend has grown up in this city, and is Italian, and would rate them the same. If I ever get married, I am seriously considering having a pile of garlic knots instead of a cake. The next time you come to NYC, you must partake!
Following dinner, we headed down to the venue with much apprehension since the rain seemed to be set in for the evening. However, once we got down to the east river where the stage was set up, the rain stopped and it ended up being about 75 degrees. This was a much needed, and appreciated break from the border line 100 degree weather we had been having. The weather couldn't have been better, the band was absolutely amazing (and reminiscent of my high school days), but the best part was the view. As they played, you could see the entire sky line of Manhattan with a breathtaking sunset outlining it. It was such a great night, and kick off to an even better week.
Tuesday night I attended a birthday party thrown for me by my coworkers, old and new. About fifteen people came, and stayed for hours! The entire restaurant sang happy birthday to me as they brought the best chocolate cake out that I have ever had. It was so great catching up with those who have moved on, and it truly warmed my heart that they were all there (and that some had come from an hour and a half away). I left feeling really lucky to have made such meaningful relationships in such a short time.
Wednesday was my actual birthday, and I wouldn't have changed anything about it. Not only was I excited to see all the facebook wishes, texts, calls and cards, but my wonderful father sent my flowers and my coworkers flooded my cube with balloons, gifts and cards. After work, my amazing roommate took me to dinner at my favorite bar-b-que restaurant (Brother Jimmys) and to see a movie. Thursday night, Sophia had come into town, and took me to dinner at a sushi restaurant next to Columbia University. Afterwards we went to small group, where they had cupcakes and birthday singing for me! I definitely felt the love from everyone here and back home, and realized that I am one lucky girl.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Road Trippin
After having the opportunity to take a few trips over the last two weeks, I am finally able to update you on them. Vegas ended up being a fabulous time! Among my favorite highlights was our day trip to Boulder City, the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. We rented a Jeep Wrangler, which should of cost us over $500 (apparently you are not supposed to drive over 200 miles OR go off road...both of which would've been nice to know before I booked the vehicle), but ended up being about $245 (thanks to Lee). We were also able to see many of the hotels, a few shows and spend almost three hours at the $20 Bellagio lunch buffet. I believe I set the record for weight gain in a four day period. The weather got up to 111 degrees, so I have also never been so thankful for air conditioning. Justin, Gina and I had a great time together, and definitely made some memories that will last a lifetime.
At small group last Thursday night, two of my friends and I decided to take a very last minute random road trip to Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. We took the one hour train ride from Grand Central to South Norwalk, CT where my car is parked (thanks to Gina and Adele). From there, it was only three and half hours to Hyannis, Mass where we stayed in Americas Best Inn (really not to shabby). The next morning, we caught the 8:15 ferry to MV and spent five hours biking, shopping and eating. It ended up being a twelve mile bike ride round trip from Oak Bluff to Edgartown, all along the coast. The scenery was breathtaking, and the homes looked like dollhouses. On the way back, we stopped at a lemonade stand and I feel like I also had ice cream at some point. Lunch was at a seafood restaurant on the water, where we ate crab cakes and fish and chips (AMAZING). The ferry departed for Nantucket around 2:15. Once we arrived there, we headed straight for the beach, then to shop and to eat again. I loved both places for very different reasons, and DEFINITELY recommend both islands to anyone who wants to get away for a week. Surprisingly there were a lot of young people living and working there (I assume just for the summer months), and everything about it is family friendly. I give two thumbs up!
Over the next few weeks I will have quite a few visitors, which I am so excited about. It will be nice to stay in the city and explore things here with the people I love. For anyone who is considering a trip here in the next few years, may I recommend coming in either May or June. I have officially lived here for every season, and can tell you that you want to avoid every other month if weather and the elements are important to you.
Not sure what the rest of the summer holds as far as trips go, but I have found some great friends to travel with and am excited about having those experiences with others as well. Just last night at an advisory board meeting for a non profit I am involved with, I met a girl from North Carolina. She is 30, has lived in the city for seven years and works in sales. She said she knew I was good people when the first words out of my mouth were "Have ya'll eaten yet? I'm starvin." We are actually planning to go to the beach together this Saturday, so I continue to be very grateful for new friends. Especially single ladies, who are my age, in my industry, from the south. What more could a girl ask for!
And THAT is why she is the old maid with dogs
Remember the episode of Friends when Rachel gets into a fight in the laundry room with a woman who has tried to steal her machine, her basket and her dignity? This evening, I had a similar experience while laundering about a month's worth of clothes. We have five washers in our section of the building. Five washers and fourteen floors of four apartments each. Fifty six units with sometimes up to four people living in them. And yet, only five lowly washing machines. You can imagine the dilemma.
I have never had any altercations with anyone in the room, although my roommate has had a few. However, tonight when I was waiting twenty minutes for four washers (as I mentioned, it was for a month's worth of laundry), a lovely little Kentucky girl decided to throw her stuff into my fourth as I was loading another. When I mentioned that I was planning to use it, she glared at me and said "I don't think one out of four is asking too much." In an effort to avoid a confrontation in front of an 85 year old man who had taken the last thirty minutes to fold five items, I let her have it. The washer that is.
Frustrated at her attitude, and also that my total laundry time would be delayed by at least a half hour, I headed for the elevator back up to my apartment. And who would be in it to greet me with her pleasantries and positivity...my next door neighbor, the "dog" lady. This woman is the epitome of an old maid, and lives with four of the mangiest dogs you have ever seen. She is bitter, hateful, and abrasive...and this evening was no different. She asked me if the laundry was hectic, and why I seemed agitated. Much to my dismay, I told her what had happened, and she proceeded to lecture me for thirteen floors. She told me I should stand up for myself in this building, and that she has had to do a lot of that over the last thirty years of living there. Apparently she once cursed a man out for using her machine, and threw his clothes into the hallway. As she went on and on about her "courage" and my lack thereof, I realized that this is exactly why she was the old lady with dogs. I would prefer to continue to give up the fourth dryer if that means I can avoid that title in the future.
I have never had any altercations with anyone in the room, although my roommate has had a few. However, tonight when I was waiting twenty minutes for four washers (as I mentioned, it was for a month's worth of laundry), a lovely little Kentucky girl decided to throw her stuff into my fourth as I was loading another. When I mentioned that I was planning to use it, she glared at me and said "I don't think one out of four is asking too much." In an effort to avoid a confrontation in front of an 85 year old man who had taken the last thirty minutes to fold five items, I let her have it. The washer that is.
Frustrated at her attitude, and also that my total laundry time would be delayed by at least a half hour, I headed for the elevator back up to my apartment. And who would be in it to greet me with her pleasantries and positivity...my next door neighbor, the "dog" lady. This woman is the epitome of an old maid, and lives with four of the mangiest dogs you have ever seen. She is bitter, hateful, and abrasive...and this evening was no different. She asked me if the laundry was hectic, and why I seemed agitated. Much to my dismay, I told her what had happened, and she proceeded to lecture me for thirteen floors. She told me I should stand up for myself in this building, and that she has had to do a lot of that over the last thirty years of living there. Apparently she once cursed a man out for using her machine, and threw his clothes into the hallway. As she went on and on about her "courage" and my lack thereof, I realized that this is exactly why she was the old lady with dogs. I would prefer to continue to give up the fourth dryer if that means I can avoid that title in the future.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Summertime is happy time
Just when you think you have seen and heard it all on New York City public transit, you take the L train to Williamsburg (Brooklyn) on a random Monday night. I must say that I did not see this one coming. Usually the passengers who are most likely to catch your attention on the subway are standing in the aisle, with either an instrument, a bag of toiletries and food, or a can that they shake incessantly until you drop a quarter in. But not on this L train. This gentleman was not asking for anything at all, except our willing ears. He was simply sitting there among the rest of us, in Liberty Blue overalls and a voice like a canary. Actually, he was more scream-singing than anything, but it was still quite entertaining. He sang about anything that inspired him at that moment. His first tune was about a grocery store, Whole Foods to be exact. I believe the lyrics went a little something like this…”We love Whole Foods, yes we do. We love to eat. We love it because it’s cheap. Whole Foods is the supermarket we love, yes we do.” I didn’t know whether I should clap, hold a lighter up or request Free Bird. Before I had the chance to react, he was moving on to another source of inspiration…which ended up being intertwined with the song “New York, New York.” He ended with the song “Celebrate”, and the only line that sticks in my memory is “if your lover is great, celebrate!” Bare in mind, that he wasn’t really singing any of the correct melodies…but his own interpretation was priceless.
It’s hard not to stare at people like that…but also easy to catch yourself mezmorized by babies and small children. Especially when they are eating ice cream. It’s probably one of my favorite things to watch, because they have such an appreciation for something so small. I wish the simple things in life still made me that happy. It’s refreshing to see, and almost makes you want to yank it out of their hands and polish off on their behalf. Sometimes I find myself seeking any opportunity to act like a kid. For example, just yesterday, after a client meeting with a coworker, we made our way next door to FAO Schwartz. After some time in the Barbie section, we ended up at the life size piano (featured in the movie “Big”) and played a mean version of “Heart and Soul”. Since the building we were in bordered the south east corner of Central Park, we opted to walk the rim for a while. Unfortunately this was not the best idea, as we found ourselves in the middle of an outright brawl between at least three horse and buggy drivers. Of course they were screaming in another language, but I couldn’t understand what they could possibly be upset about. Perhaps one horse defecated on another horse, or maybe they were just mad that it smelled so bad. Who knows what the issue was, but we finally made it past them without a scratch.
What a great week of nightly activities this has been! Sunday a few friends and I went to the Upright Citizens Brigade in Chelsea, which is an improv comedy club. It would remind you of “Who’s Line is it Anyway”, and they always have a surprise guest performer in the cast, from either Saturday Night Live or 30 Rock. The 7:30 show is only $10 and the 9:30 is free! My mouth almost fell on the floor (which I was sitting on) when I saw Amy Poehler come onto the stage to open the show with a monologue. Amy started on SNL, and has done several movies and shows since then. She was absolutely hysterical, and I was about three feet from her the entire evening. Also guest starring was Zach Woods, who plays Gabe on the Office. The show had us rolling the majority of the time, and was actually quite clean. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the city on a Sunday night.
Tuesday night my friend Samara and I went to see Jonny Lang at BB Kings in Times Square. I have loved him since he and I were both 16, when his first single “Lie to Me” came out. Not only is his voice quite impressive, but he can play the guitar incredibly well (not to mention that he is easy on the eyes too). He did “Lie to Me” acoustic at first, and then brought out his band (also AMAZING) to rock it out until the end. My favorite piece was a song called “That Great Day”. Apparently a few years back, he had a “spiritual encounter” and became a Christian. Previously he had no interest in religion and was heavily involved with drugs and alcohol. After changing his life, most of his music had a gospel feel to it. He sang this song so passionately that it almost brought tears to my eyes. Definitely a beautiful moment.
Wednesday night my friend Brenda and I decided to try to get tickets to one of the final performances of The Bengal Tiger, starring Robin Williams. They do a $27 ticket lottery two hours before the show for 21 seats. There were so many people there we did not get selected. However, they ended up extending the discount to the rest of the crowd for seats in the rear orchestra section. Just a little tip for future New York theater goers…always go to the box office first (not TKTS) and ask if there are any Rush tickets available. That is the only way I was able to see Spiderman (front row, balcony) for $30 and Mamma Mia for $35. After securing our tickets, we headed over to 9th avenue to find a dinner spot. On our way, we passed none other than Zach Woods on the sidewalk! Such a weird feeling to run into someone famous twice in four days, but we kept walking. We were on a mission to find food, and fast. Eventually we happened upon Chelsea Grill and thought we would give it a shot. SO glad we did. I had the most amazing philly cheesesteak and waffle fries I have ever eaten…and all for $15 (not bad for that area). We were in and out in less than an hour, and had the sweetest most attentive Irish waitress. I put my stamp of approval on that place for sure…perfect for pre-theater dining.
Once we were in the theater, we realized that our tickets were in the next to last row in the orchestra, which was not terrible but we weren’t thrilled about it. There were only two other people on our row and we were sitting right next to them in the middle. Once the show started, Brenda and I moved down to the end to get a better view. At the beginning of intermission, as we were standing up to stretch, I happened to glance in the direction of the people sitting on our row and you are not going to believe who I saw! ZACH WOODS! For the third time in four days! He was sitting with his girlfriend, who had gotten up to go to the bathroom. We were going back and forth on whether or not we should introduce ourselves, but I thought that the third time was a charm…fate…meant to be. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for a fourth encounter. I approached him, told him we loved both of his shows, and asked for a picture. He was such a nice guy, and asked us how we liked the city, how we knew each other and other various personal questions. Apparently he was just in town for a few days visiting his lady, before heading back to L.A. where the show films. Brenda and I were both on cloud nine at this point, and didn’t think the night could get any better. After the show (which wasn’t really that good), we waited at the stage door to see if Robin would emerge to do a meet and greet. Sure enough, about twenty minutes later (sometimes this process can take an hour), he came out, took his picture with us, signed our playbills and talked to us briefly. It was the perfect ending to a perfect evening.
The next few months should be equally exciting. So far, I’ve booked tickets to Coldplay, Kings of Leon and Stone Temple Pilots. I am hoping for Bush tickets as well, even though it sold out in two minutes. Several trips are planned, to Nantucket, Niagra Falls and Bar Harbor, Maine. I have got to get a grip on my credit card…I’m definitely experiencing entertainment overload.
And now I am en route to Las Vegas, to celebrate the 4th of July and a 30th birthday with Gina and Justin. None of us have ever been before, and I don’t really know what to expect. We are there until Tuesday, and have a full itinerary ahead of us. The Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam are tomorrow, the Beatles Cirque De Solieil is Sunday night, and then of course fireworks on Monday. I am very excited, and continue to love every second of this summer. So blessed to be able to experience so much! I also just found out that my flight attendant is from McDonough, so I know I am in good hands. She is making this flight bearable, as it seems that I am sitting in the rude women section of the plane. The one in front of me continues to push her seat into my knees, wearing nothing more than a trashy halter top with shorts that show way too much of her cellulite. The one next to me is probably about 70 years old and has the worst case of ADD that I have ever seen. Every five seconds she is moving some part of her body, or typing incessantly on her Ipad, Ipod, Iphone or whatever other I- toy she has. She is also wearing stripper shoes and her lone chin hair is longer than her nasty fake nails. And her popped collar husband isn’t much better. And the person to my right, mouth hanging wide open, is now slobbering. I cannot wait to make this connection in Milwaukee.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Happy in Hershey
There is nothing I like more than a good old fashioned spur of the moment road trip. Last Saturday was supposed to be beach day with two girls from my small group, but alas, rain was in the forecast. As an alternative, we decided on Friday night to head to Hershey, Pennsylvania the next morning. Hershey is only a three hour drive from the city, and I am keeping my car in Connecticut for the summer, so we had free transportation. We loaded up around 11 a.m. and started our trek to the motherland for chocolate lovers.
Hershey is an absolutely amazing place to visit. It is off the beaten path, buried deep among farms and pastures, and yet could be deemed a miniature version of Disney World. There is an amusement park, a museum, an arena for concerts, a botanical garden, an outlet mall, the actual Hershey factory, a 3d theater, a make your own candy workshop and a ride that would remind you of It's a Small World After All. I only saw one gas station, which happened to be located smack dab next to their largest roller coaster. The lamp posts in downtown Hershey are replicas of the Hershey's kiss, and there is a giant sign on the hill outside of their high school that reads "Welcome to Hershey". It's hard not to be happy in Hershey.
When we arrived, we rode the "small world" ride, which is basically a child friendly tour of how the factory works. After that came the 3D theater and the making of our very own chocolate creation. I chose dark chocolate for my bar, with chocolate chips, cranberries and almonds on the inside. We also got to design the exterior wrapping. I was so happy by this point, as you can imagine. Following our play time, we headed over to the Hershey rose gardens, which overlook the city. There we found a festival of food and drink from local vendors, foot grape smashing, music and some of the nicest people I have ever met. We spent the next few hours exploring the grounds, until they forced us off due to "tornadic weather", aka "I just want to close up and go home because I've been here all day." Regardless of our earlier than expected departure, we had such a great time and stuffed ourselves silly with free baked goods and baby back ribs.
That night we got a hotel in Harrisburg, which was only twenty minutes outside the city. We then promptly found the nearest Chick-fil-a, begged them over the phone to stay open an extra 15 minutes so we could have food, and drove like mad women to get there. I literally told the woman that I wouldn't be able to have Chick-fil-a for at least four more months, and to have pity on us. After dinner, we trucked on back to the great Super 8 where we called it a night for $20 a person. The next day we did some major shopping (all of us got out for under $100 and got some steals-no tax!), and then headed back to the city. I had such a great time with those girls. All three of us moved to the city within a month of each other last year, so we have a pretty tight bond. It's similar to the one you have your freshman year in college, when you are all going through the same major changes at the same time...you tend to stick together. I look forward to many a road trip in the future with them...to the crayola factory, to PA Dutch country, Nantucket, Marthas Vineyard, Niagra Falls, and wherever else the wind may take us.
Josh and Ashley were able to come up this past week for Josh's job, so I was fortunate to be able to spend some time with them as well. Some of the highlights for me were seeing Spiderman on Broadway, beach day with Ashley, eating at a great new find in Brooklyn called Bubby's and also eating at the Boat House in Central Park (we did a lot of eating.)
Spiderman was actually quite good, despite the negative ratings it has gotten. Since they changed the show's director, improvements have definitely been acknowledged, but they still say it is cheesy with bad music. I will agree to the bad music part, but the costumes and acrobatics make it very worth while. Another lucky moment...I got tickets that day at the box office for $30 each, for the last night of previews before opening night! I simply asked for any available rush tickets (they usually only sell to students in increments of two), and she handed me three on the front row in the balcony. One of our seats had an obstructed view, so we shifted after the first act and I ended up closer to the center between two random people who I did not know. And boy oh boy am I glad I did that. Spiderman ended up coming to the platform right in front of me at least three times during the second act, gave the woman next to me a high five at one point and then winked at her husband at the end. It was absolutely amazing! I recommend it to anyone who may be visiting NYC this summer.
While it was so good to see family, and will be good to see the group of friends I have coming up in the next few weeks, it will be nice to have a low key weekend. The only plans I have is to attend a Mermaid Parade in Coney Island on Saturday (I have a friend marching, swimming, or whatever else you would call it in the parade) and a going away party Saturday night for a friend from small group. Other than that, I plan to finalize all shopping and other arrangement for my 4th of July Vegas trip. This has been, and will continue to be , an amazing summer. I am truly blessed to be able to experience life here this time of year, and also to venture out to places I have never been.
Hershey is an absolutely amazing place to visit. It is off the beaten path, buried deep among farms and pastures, and yet could be deemed a miniature version of Disney World. There is an amusement park, a museum, an arena for concerts, a botanical garden, an outlet mall, the actual Hershey factory, a 3d theater, a make your own candy workshop and a ride that would remind you of It's a Small World After All. I only saw one gas station, which happened to be located smack dab next to their largest roller coaster. The lamp posts in downtown Hershey are replicas of the Hershey's kiss, and there is a giant sign on the hill outside of their high school that reads "Welcome to Hershey". It's hard not to be happy in Hershey.
When we arrived, we rode the "small world" ride, which is basically a child friendly tour of how the factory works. After that came the 3D theater and the making of our very own chocolate creation. I chose dark chocolate for my bar, with chocolate chips, cranberries and almonds on the inside. We also got to design the exterior wrapping. I was so happy by this point, as you can imagine. Following our play time, we headed over to the Hershey rose gardens, which overlook the city. There we found a festival of food and drink from local vendors, foot grape smashing, music and some of the nicest people I have ever met. We spent the next few hours exploring the grounds, until they forced us off due to "tornadic weather", aka "I just want to close up and go home because I've been here all day." Regardless of our earlier than expected departure, we had such a great time and stuffed ourselves silly with free baked goods and baby back ribs.
That night we got a hotel in Harrisburg, which was only twenty minutes outside the city. We then promptly found the nearest Chick-fil-a, begged them over the phone to stay open an extra 15 minutes so we could have food, and drove like mad women to get there. I literally told the woman that I wouldn't be able to have Chick-fil-a for at least four more months, and to have pity on us. After dinner, we trucked on back to the great Super 8 where we called it a night for $20 a person. The next day we did some major shopping (all of us got out for under $100 and got some steals-no tax!), and then headed back to the city. I had such a great time with those girls. All three of us moved to the city within a month of each other last year, so we have a pretty tight bond. It's similar to the one you have your freshman year in college, when you are all going through the same major changes at the same time...you tend to stick together. I look forward to many a road trip in the future with them...to the crayola factory, to PA Dutch country, Nantucket, Marthas Vineyard, Niagra Falls, and wherever else the wind may take us.
Josh and Ashley were able to come up this past week for Josh's job, so I was fortunate to be able to spend some time with them as well. Some of the highlights for me were seeing Spiderman on Broadway, beach day with Ashley, eating at a great new find in Brooklyn called Bubby's and also eating at the Boat House in Central Park (we did a lot of eating.)
Spiderman was actually quite good, despite the negative ratings it has gotten. Since they changed the show's director, improvements have definitely been acknowledged, but they still say it is cheesy with bad music. I will agree to the bad music part, but the costumes and acrobatics make it very worth while. Another lucky moment...I got tickets that day at the box office for $30 each, for the last night of previews before opening night! I simply asked for any available rush tickets (they usually only sell to students in increments of two), and she handed me three on the front row in the balcony. One of our seats had an obstructed view, so we shifted after the first act and I ended up closer to the center between two random people who I did not know. And boy oh boy am I glad I did that. Spiderman ended up coming to the platform right in front of me at least three times during the second act, gave the woman next to me a high five at one point and then winked at her husband at the end. It was absolutely amazing! I recommend it to anyone who may be visiting NYC this summer.
While it was so good to see family, and will be good to see the group of friends I have coming up in the next few weeks, it will be nice to have a low key weekend. The only plans I have is to attend a Mermaid Parade in Coney Island on Saturday (I have a friend marching, swimming, or whatever else you would call it in the parade) and a going away party Saturday night for a friend from small group. Other than that, I plan to finalize all shopping and other arrangement for my 4th of July Vegas trip. This has been, and will continue to be , an amazing summer. I am truly blessed to be able to experience life here this time of year, and also to venture out to places I have never been.
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