NEW New York

As much as I wish I could be with family this Easter, this weekend has been filled with exciting NEW New York adventures with NEW friends.  I have a friend at work who is about to get married, and this weekend was her bachelorette celebration.  She chose the North Fork of Long Island as the destination (very close to the Hamptons), and reserved the penthouse of a hotel right on the water.  A NEW place for me to visit in New York!

There are several ways you can get to this area, but I chose to ride the Hampton Jitney.  The Jitney is a bus service that has a pick up point three blocks from where I live, and is about the same price as a train ticket.  They also have wifi, serve you drinks and snacks, and get you to your destination in the same amount of time.  The only complaint I had was that you couldn't talk on your cell phone.  I literally had the bus attendant telling me to turn it off while I was getting instructions on where to go from the bride-to-be.  Overall, it was a very cool NEW New York experience.

I arrived when the ladies were finishing up dinner at this adorable little restaurant in an old Victorian home.  We just spent the evening playing games at the hotel, and laughing A LOT.  The next day we toured three different vineyards along the North Fork.  Long Island is known for their vineyards, and there are over forty different ones to choose from.  We went to Duck Walk, Sparkling Point and Sherwood and they all had very different atmospheres.  Another one of my NEW favorite places in New York-the North Fork!

In other news, I recently went to a play called That Championship Season starring Kiefer Sutherland, Chris Noth, Brian Cox, Jason Patric (my favorite) and Jim Gaffigan.  The play wouldn't have been nearly as good without such a cast, but they made it worth every penny.  Also, I had another audition with an agent whose office overlooks the southern end of Times Square.  She is submitting me for some print and commercial work, which is where you can really make good money.  When she asked me what types of roles I thought that she thought I was perfect for, I answered the "all American girl" type.  Apparently I was wrong, because she said "No, No, No...you are the Corporate Woman."  I guess this is what I get for wearing my work suit and bringing a briefcase.

I finally have access to my car up here (thanks to Gina and her wonderful grandmother, for letting me park it at her Connecticut home).  Driving there from Nashville with mom was quite the experience.  Most of the ride was a breeze, until we got to New Jersey.  I had no idea that I-95 would take us through the city into Connecticut, as we were using a GPS and not a map.  I guess I should've looked ahead, because before I knew it, I was driving through the Bronx with Debbie Decker.  One can only imagine what that was like.  Next weekend, a friend of mine from Atlanta and I plan to road trip and I am SO excited about it.  We are thinking about Hershey, PA or Philadelphia.  I'll keep you posted.

Props to the Parents of NY

I have the greatest respect for those who choose to parent in this city, because there is no way it is an easy thing to do.  Not only must it be exhausting to lift strollers up and down stairs in and out of the subway, but you have to find a way to maneuver through massive amounts of people without your baby getting trampled.  Also, where do you put all of the stuff that comes with a baby/kid?  It's not like you can just be a hoarder, and throw your junk in the garage or attic.  My neighbors put their daughter's tricycle and playhouse in the hallway, and having more than one kid in a bedroom is incredibly common.  It's all about being smart with your space, and making a back yard out of anything you can.

I spent the morning on the upper east side at a movie, and then on a walk around the JKO Reservoir in Central Park.  There were strollers EVERYWHERE!  And these babies are trained to just look straight ahead, keep all arms and legs inside the vehicle, and not look at, smile at, or talk to strangers.  They are machines!  I do find it a bit disturbing to see so many children with their nannies on a Saturday, for crying out loud.  But there are of course things that New York parents do that are endearing and familiar to me.  There are fathers who teach their little girls how to ride a bike and catch them when they fall every five feet.  There are mothers who lovingly and attentively care for scrapes, cuts and bruises that are collected on the playground.  And there are grandparents who eagerly offer their assistance by taking these little people to the ice cream truck on the outskirts of the park while their parents catch their breath.

The last few weeks have been both exciting and exhausting.  I was able to see Amos Lee perform last Friday night at Irving Plaza.  He was an absolutely amazing singer, writer (a male version of Norah Jones) and so incredibly humble.  Elvis Costello made a guest appearance at the beginning of the show, because he was playing for a sister venue right down the street.  I went with my friend Brenda, from church.  I was blessed by her company, and the night was one of my favorites in NYC.  I also got invited to a dinner party last weekend with about eight single ladies who all shared one mutual friend.  I had the greatest time with them talking about their life experiences and listening to music that reminded me of middle school (Ace of Base, baby...woop woop)!

I am SO excited about going to Nashville next weekend to be in a dear friend's wedding.  I've definitely had a case of homesickness recently, and I know this will cure me of it.  Living here has been such a great thing for me in so many ways, and making the move will probably go down as being one of the best decisions I ever made for myself.  However, it has made me even more grateful for and proud of my roots.  I love and miss the south often...the culture, the kindness, the people.  I am who I am because of the people I have known and loved in my life and because of the environment in which I was raised.  This is just another chapter.  My roommate sent me the best inspirational message in an email recently, which I will include in this post.

"We didn't come here to fit in, we came here to be who we are.  (a southern girl who loves to laugh)
  We didn't come here to work, we came here to live our dreams.(to be surrounded by culture & creation)
  We didn't come here for the stuff, we came here to love each other. (the wonderful people of NY)
  We didn't come here by accident, we each came with a purpose that is uniquely our own." (which I seek to discover daily)