Saturday Night Excitement

Don't get your hopes up folks....it's just the best time to do laundry.  Not a soul spotted for miles (okay, yards) around the laundry room, which by the way, is now down to only 3 operating washing machines.  Most of you are probably wondering why this makes me so happy.  I don't have to wait on anyone, fight with anyone and the process will not take over three hours.  To me, this is about as exciting as it can get.

What a crazy couple of weeks.  Dad came to visit, and we had a ball.  He and I have taken a few trips together in the past, but none have turned out as great as this one did.  We got to see the Apollo, went to see the musical, Rock of Ages (which I do NOT recommend seeing with your father after all), heard some amazing local musicians at a blues jam, got to be in the audience for a taping of the Late Show with David Letterman (and Will Ferrell!-one of my top 10 favorite New York moments, by the way) and top it all off with the Allman Brothers.  I couldn't have asked for a better time with him, and I'm so grateful he got to come.  I think I might have even changed his mind about New York. : )

I don't even really know where to begin about all the rest.  But let me start with my cab driver on Thursday night.  I usually take a cab home after small group, since it takes over 45 minutes to get home by subway.  In twenty minutes, for around $15, I can be home by 11:00.  I hate spending that kind of money on transportation, but for someone who goes to bed by 9:30 every night, it is well worth it.  Anyway, I happened to hail a cab driver who was actually on break.  He was nice enough to switch his light on and let me in.  Usually, these people do not speak, and I really don't mind that at all.  But this guy was quite a talker, and he was eating the most amazing smelling grilled corn.  We talked about his corn for at least 10 blocks, and I went on and on about how much I loved it.  Before I got out of the car at my apartment, he hands me a paper bag and says "this corn cob is for you."  I took my corn cob, tipped him well, and was on my way.  Love that guy.

Let me just tell you about St Patricks Day here.  I have never seen people so happy, and the streets so crowded at 10 a.m. on a Saturday.  I thought that when the Giants won the Super Bowl, this city had given all it had.  Oh, how wrong I was.  The day started off with a celebrity sighting on my way to the grocery store: Enrique Iglesias, post-mole.  Much better looking without it.  After that, I was invited to a coworker's friends house for a housewarming/St Patricks Day get together.  My friend Michele joined me, and we did not expect to stay long...but five hours later, we were still having a great time.  The rest of the evening was spent eating pizza, chicken wings and any other junk food item I could get my paws on.  I was planning to start the Daniel Fast-round 2 the next day, so I had to get all of the good stuff out of my system.  This is day six of the fast, and I must say, I don't really miss my old way of eating.  The process has been a lot easier this time around, and I am grateful for that.  AND I've already lost 4 lbs!

I have quite a few visitors coming over the next few weeks, and also a trip to Washington D.C. with some girls from church.  I've never been there before, and we tried to plan it around peak cherry blossom time.  I am proud to announce that so far, this trip has only cost me $100 which includes two nights in a hotel and round trip bus fare.  BoltBus is my new best friend.  I have to say that one of my favorite parts about living here is how accessible so many amazing cities/towns are, that I have never visited.  Now that I have my car here, I can't wait to explore some local places as well, like Sleepy Hollow, Woodstock, Atlantic City and who knows where else.  Since it already is starting to feel like summer here, I'm sure the beach will happen sooner than June.  And of course, the most wonderful time of the year is just right around the corner...FLEET WEEK!!!

March Madness

After living here for a year and a half, there are times when it still feels brand new.  Like today, for example, when I stumbled upon some new neighborhoods and shops after seeing my traditional Saturday morning movie (Safe House).  I rarely go to the villages on the weekends, because of the crowds and the fact that I usually get lost.  I was in a shopping mood this morning though, and there is no better place to fulfill that urge than SOHO.  If you decide to go on a Saturday, plan to spend a good deal of time inching your way on the sidewalks of Broadway.  It is the equivalent of a jammed pack parking lot at Cool Springs Mall.  You won't get anywhere fast, so plan accordingly.

My first stop was the Top Shop (say this three times without stopping).  According to one of Brian's model friends, this is one of the most fashion forward, and yet reasonable, stores in the country.  It is a London based company, which he ranked above my own personal addiction, Zara.  I must say, I was not impressed.  I only found a few items that even fit me right, and that I thought may be considered "timeless."  Everything else would have a closet shelf life of 9-12 months tops.  At the top shop.  I did make it out with a purple knit tank top dress, so all hope was not lost.

Next, was Uni Qlo, which is a Japanese based clothing store.  Much more success here.  Actually I just ended up with one sweater, but the clothes were cheaper and more my pace.  I highly recommend it.  One thing that stands out to me about shopping up here is the check out process.  You can go in just about any department store, and be summoned to your respective cashier when they scream out "Following!"  Now, sometimes they add "guest" into this command, but usually it's just condensed to this one word.  I don't know why I find that odd, but I do.  After finishing the day at Zara (where I waited in a fitting room line for 30 minutes), I headed home for rest and to play dress up.

For those of you who are Seinfeld fans, you can appreciate the fact that I had a Soup Nazi experience this past week.  I was walking back to my office from a client visit, and saw a line of about 20 people standing outside a dingy looking restaurant.  The Soup Spot on 31st street between 7th and 8th is apparently a five star lunch spot that is always packed in the afternoon.  It works the exact same way as the one from Seinfeld, although I did not see anyone getting kicked out of line for taking too long to order.  I had to fight back the urge to just scream "NEXT" as I walked by it.

I am almost finished with my salsa lessons, as this week will mark my sixth and final class.  I have had the privilege of meeting two great girls during the process, since our class usually only consists of the three of us and maybe an occasional straggler or two.  This past Wednesday, we decided to meet up beforehand for a light dinner at this great place called the Amsterdam Tavern, and walk to class together.  As we were eating, I had a moment of gratitude to be in that place at that time with those people.  I'm not sure if that makes any sense at all, but I am calling it another New York moment.  I am glad to have made some good friends who enjoy doing random things, and we are looking into additional dance styles together.  I am also considering starting a six week acting class this coming Saturday, which is led by Edie Sedgwick (Kyra's brother).  I found a great deal on Groupon (addicted) and may book it in the next few days.  

This coming weekend my dad will be driving up from Georgia with my car (because he's a great guy!).  We plan to spend the weekend together, but the main event will come on Tuesday night when we go to see the Allman Brothers at the Beacon theater.  I am so excited to experience this with him, since he has never seen them live, and since we have never been to a concert together where we both like the artist.  I have also been invited to an 80th birthday party in Queens, which I can hopefully convince him to go to.  It is one of my client's father's birthday, and they are Eastern Indian from Guyana.  Apparently the food will be out of this world, and I am just honored that she thought of me at all.  If I am not able to pull it off, I will definitely ask for a raincheck, as well as leftovers.

Lots of S's

1.  Superbowl:  WOW, is all I have to say about this.  Never in my life have I seen people here so excited.  I can't say that I know how they feel, considering I have grown up with the Falcons and the Titans.  I actually watched the game at a friends house with around 10 people who had no interest whatsoever in the game, or either team for that matter.  Actually, there were two Patriots fans there.  Both of whom were girls, in a room full of guys.  After the big win, the commute home was a tad interesting.  There were people hanging from fire escapes screaming at the top of their lungs, toilet paper in the street (which of course is not all that unusual), intoxicated idiots pouring out of bars complete with face and body paint, and people singing that obnoxious Alicia Keys Empire State song on the street as well as on the bus I took home.  Yesterday was the Giants parade, so it was just as crazy during the day.  Of course the parade route is right by my old office, and my desk would have been prime real estate for many a fan who probably would have paid me to use it.  Alas, I now work in Korea Town....sigh.

2. Shooting:  This was pretty much the highlight of my week.  I was in the mandatory introductory class with a group of people gathered for a birthday party, and none of them had ever touched a gun in their life.  One of them had a bunny on her head.  Not a real life bunny, but one of those animal toboggans.  I knew immediately she would pose no threat.  After about an hour with an NRA certified trainer, he finally let us in the range.  He told me that he could tell I had done this before, and proceeded to refer to me as "Gunslinger" and "Annie Oakley" at least twice during the session.  While I was in the middle of one of my rounds, he decided it would be a good time to ask me for my information.  Turns out, there is no time that would be good for him to ask me for that.

3. Salsa: Round 3 tonight, which marks the halfway point of my training.  This time, there were actually enough guys for the girls to dance with, so I felt everything coming together.  I got some good feedback from my instructor, and he actually danced with me a lot.  I get so nervous and apprehensive before every class, but I always feel like a million bucks when I leave.  He really does a great job.  One of the other male students was actually really talented, fun to dance with, and tall enough for me.  The other guy, unfortunately, came up to my chin.  This made for a difficult spin, but he did try his best and I ducked like a champ.  I was wearing this Harvard tank top and he asked me if I went there, to which I replied "oh, of course not!"  Then I asked where he went to college...MIT.  My response: "Well that's just right down the road!!!"  He looked at me, turned, and chose another partner.  Fail.

Superbowl Sanity

So, as it turns out, the Black Swan is actually a pretty nice lady.  AND she didn't perform as well this past week, which makes me like her even better.  We had a different instructor this time, and he had a much more aggressive teaching style.  There were multiple times when he would just throw his hands up and walk away when I did something wrong, and finally told me that I needed to let my inner woman out.  Apparently I am still not good at following.  After the class was over, I told him not to give up on me, to which he replied "don't give up on yourself!"  Good point, my friend.  Good point.

This past Sunday I was finally able to go to the driving range at Chelsea Piers, and hit some balls.  It has been way too long since I've done that at all, and it has certainly never happened here.  With the exception of the fact that it costs over $30 for balls and clubs, the range is actually pretty awesome.  It extends over the Hudson River, so you have New Jersey as your background (which at night, isn't half bad).  I quickly became attached to my 3 wood rental, as it proved to be the most accurate club among them.  Also, the tees are automatic and I was able to use one of the compartments on the top floor.  Amazing experience.

I've often wondered how the subway tracks are cleaned, and when that happens.  Rarely am I out past midnight at any point during the week, but last night I had a very late dinner with a friend who lives in Queens and found myself heading back to the city around 1:30 a.m.  What I found on the platform of the Manhattan bound M/R were about thirty guys down on the track with brooms, sweeping up all the trash.  And when I say trash, I am referring to garbage that is soaked in water and most likely, urine.  Obviously they have to work feverishly before the next train arrives, and move to the median when this happens.  I think it definitely ranks at the top of my "I would rather have a tooth pulled than do this job" list.

New York (as well as most other states up here) take their professional football very seriously, so you can imagine how big of a deal tomorrow is for everyone here.  I've seen homemade signs in restaurants, office buildings, apartments, on the subway, designs in chocolate shops and on cookie cakes (yes, I've been back to Miss Fields) all in support of the Giants.  I plan to go to a friend's house to watch the game, and am excited to see the city decked out in blue and red.  Naturally, the part I am looking forward to most is the food.  Just about everyone in my office has already taken Monday off in preparation, and I am honestly shocked it has not been deemed an official holiday.  I may be the only one in this city excited for Monday though, as I will be attending my first target shooting training that evening.  What a great way to start off a week!

Salsa and Shooting

One of my New Year's resolutions was to learn something new, take classes, better myself.  There are a million things that I would love to try, and most of them can be done here in the city.  So, naturally, my first thought was to check out the websites for discounted activities.  Groupon was a bust, Living Social didn't have anything that interested me, but Amazon came through in the end.  I found a coupon for six salsa dancing lessons for $35!  I immediately signed up, and had my first class on Wednesday night.

Before arriving, I was a tad skeptical that for the price, this would be a legitimate class with capable instructors.  However, I was pleasantly surprised with the studio and the amount of people who showed up.  They split everyone into three groups, beginner, intermediate and advanced.  Obviously, I belonged with the beginners, and if there had been a group to fall below that, there I would be.  Maybe a group of children would have suited me better?

Six girls, one old man and an instructor who looked like he enjoyed sweets a little too much....this is what we had to work with.  Did I mention that one of the girls was a professional dancer?  She justified her presence there by saying she had never done salsa, just ballet, tap, ballroom, blah, blah, blah.  I stopped listening after ballet.  We shall refer to her as the Black Swan going forward.  Black Swan loved to shimmy all over the dance floor, and in so doing, knock me into the wall.

The older man would remind you of Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite, in fifty years of course.  He was actually quite adorable, and caught on quicker than I thought he would.  Since he was the only male student, it was his responsibility to do the spin move with every girl in the class.  While counting out loud in a very thick accent, he was able to do this successfully with most everyone there.  With the exception of yours truly.  Apparently, I'm not very good at spinning, following or counting for that matter.  I also have, quite possibly, the worst rhythm of any white female who has ever lived.  However, this will not stop me from going back.  I will conquer this activity!

In one week, I will be the happy participant in a two hour training course at the only gun range in the entire city of New York.  Westside gun range will teach you how to shoot a .22 caliber rifle for just a mere $65.  Following the training course, you are able to go back for $30 sessions.  Why would I be interested in a course of this nature, you ask?  It's not like I can legally carry a gun here, nor do I want to.  The reasons are threefold.  1. It reminds me of home.  2. It actually relieves stress. and 3. I am a pretty decent shot, thanks to a three year relationship with a Kentucky boy who loved guns.  I am excited to try my hand at it again.

So I am off to a good start for the year fulfilling my resolution.  At some point, there will be cooking and acting classes.  I also think I want to try fencing, which happens to be offered for free in front of Bryant Park every Wednesday in the summer.  There is something pretty empowering about learning new things, or maybe just having goals in general.  It has become a very effective way to preoccupy my mind and motivate myself to improve.  I'm thankful to have the opportunity to do that here.

C is for Cookie

Picture it...New York...2012...a 15 degree winter Friday with nowhere to be for the next 24 hours, a new job secured for the next week and a pocket full of quarters.  The only logical thing for a girl to do is take that long anticipated trip to Miss Fields.  I walk in, people everywhere are smiling, I see a delivery boy jumping up to click his heels out of pure joy with his job...I think I even hear some Disney soundtrack playing overhead.  This is my place, for sure.  I approach the counter with maybe a bit of drool in the corner of my mouth, and order a slice of cookie cake...or a double doozie....or BOTH!  Who cares, I'm on the top of the world.

I tell the lucky lady working behind the counter that this has been one of the best days of my New York life, and that I live just a mere twelve stories above her wonderland of cookies.  She welcomes me to the store, tells me it has only been open for two weeks, and offers a free cookie since we are "neighbors." I gladly accept said cookie with a big smile on my face, and proceed to knock over a sign that was on the counter...onto the floor...shattering the holder into a million pieces.  She nods and smiles, assures me I shouldn't worry, some guy comes from my left almost immediately with a broom to fix the problem, and I am on my way.  

Thank goodness we painted the apartment this fall, got new furniture, redecorated the whole place, and that my interest in reading has actually been rekindled, because I do not plan to leave these four walls until April at this weather rate.  I love my apartment.  It is so warm and inviting, and definitely worth the investment to perk up a bit.  My favorite thing to do after work and gym is to come home, light a candle, put on some Billie Holiday and write/read/watch a host of television shows I am too embarrassed to admit I watch.  This is how one spends a winter in New York.  Very little interaction with the outside world, and this is an understanding you have with everyone you know.  I probably won't even see half of my friends until it is socially acceptable to wear white again.  So until that time, you may hear a lot from me. : )

January is the new December

When you have more room to work out in your living room (which is about the size of a walk-in closet) than the gym, you know it must be January.  I really can't wait for all of these new year resolutions to wear off, and for my elliptical to be free once again.  It is somewhat of a challenge to stay motivated to improve your work out routine when there is a line wrapped around the building to get into a spin class.  But alas, I shall press on!  There is weight to be lost, health to be maintained, and sweat that must pour from my brow!

As an added bonus, I noticed today that there is a Miss Fields opening right under my apartment.  Some of you may know that a cookie cake is among my top ten favorite foods.  If I were stranded on a desert island, and I had to choose between an endless supply of meats/vegetables/fruits or cookie cake, cookie cake would win every time.  Hands down, it would be no question.  I will pass it everyday on my way home from the gym.  Such a cruel, cruel world we live in.

Some say that Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, but I would beg to differ.  Semi-annual sale time of year is like crack to me.  This is one great thing that does come in January, specifically the Victoria Secret Semi-Annual sale.  I went today, and it reminded me of Black Friday at Wal-Mart when something electronic is on sale for like $1.  I spent more than intended, but can you blame me?  Their products are necessary...just like a good pair of tennis shoes.  I must invest wisely.  My favorite department store here is called Zara.  I had never heard of it before living in New York, but they also know how to put on a good sale and are conveniently located right next to Victoria Secret.  Such a blessing!

In other news, I have already started my collection of concert tickets for the year.  Dad is coming up in March to see the Allman Brothers with me at the Beacon, and I will be going to see Coldplay around my birthday.  Trips for the year should include Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Nova Scotia/Prince Edward Island, Niagara Falls, Montreal and somewhere in the Caribbean (I turn 30 this year, so the gloves are off with this trip).

A bad week for elevators...

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.

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.

Shopping here really stresses me out.  It takes such effort to get anywhere, and you can't ever get everything you need in one place.  I have ordered everything I can possibly think of online, but there are still items I have to physically go pick out.  So I have decided to split up my sprees into random week nights, when the chance of crowds is at its lowest.  Additionally, I have figured out how to go into a department store....Bloomingdales, for instance...and not be harassed by sales people.  You go right after the gym, without showering, in the same sweaty clothes you just lunged in for an hour.  They won't come within five feet of you, so you are guaranteed a pleasant browsing experience.  Works 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.  

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.

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.

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!

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 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.  

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.