Teresa In The City

Down the Hatch

2012-01-28T11:30:00.006-05:00

One of my biggest fears in NYC is falling down a hatch. See Exhibit A below. Silly as it must seem, this is a real and potentially costly danger of living in this pedestrian dependent way of life. I pass similar hatches daily, on my way to work, to brunch, to the grocery store, to drop off my dry cleaning or cautiously to dinner in a pair of high heels. One absent minded text or stumble on an uneven sidewalk later and I could be looking at hundreds of dollars in taxi cab rides while trying to make my way hobbling around on crutches in a sea of people. Oh the nightmare!

Actually, I should clarify, the real fear is not just falling down a hatch but falling in general. Genetically, I am predisposed to trip on anything and everything. Now image, without much of a choice you have to walk up to 5 miles a day. Suddenly the fear of falling climbs to the top of your scary list.

One evening in particular, on the way home from Whole Foods, stands out vividly of a tripping crisis adverted. I was marching across Avenue A, pushing a very full cart of groceries next to a very pregnant Anna. Greg was out of town for a week interviewing for residency programs so I had a house guest and therefore enough groceries to feed an army. Half way across the avenue I suddenly found myself sprawled out on top of my push cart with food spilling everywhere onto the crosswalk. I looked up to my left and saw a man stopped at the red light on his motorcycle clapping at my lovely show of clumsiness. As I peeled myself off the cart, I heard Anna howling in front of me which of course made me laugh (that's what we do in the Yost family, laugh when gravity gets the upper hand). So, giggling like crazy we quickly picked everything up, I turned to my audience, took a bow and kept charging straight home.

If I ever do go down that hatch may it be a fun and funny ride! Anna would be so sad she missed it.

Exhibit A

Find the Laughter in Slaughter

2011-12-15T21:37:00.028-05:00

Morbid opening, I know. After many months of not writing, this title popping up may lead you to believe I'm needing a little psychological help. On the contrary, all is well, especially since I started a new job last summer as an executive assistant at a small investment bank. This opportunity has exponentially increased my quality of life in which I get to go home every few months to visit the family, as well as travel to see friends and explore new places (future trip to Ireland!) and enjoy some financial breathing room after putting in my dues as a rookie New Yorker.

As I begin my long over due update, this memory popped into my head:

Some time last summer I was on the F train headed home, from my brand new job, happy, content, enjoying the warm weather, maybe with a little smile on my face, when a twenty something hipster walked onto the train and sat down opposite of me. We made eye contact (rare in this city), then smiled (even more rare) and a brief genuine human connection transpired with a stranger that can be so refreshing at times. Then I looked at his t-shirt. It read "Find the Laughter in Slaughter". At first I was shocked and appalled. How disturbing. He looked nice and normal but why would he feel so drawn to that message as to wear it physically on him. I got off at the next stop and as we're all pushing and shoving our way up the stairs, people were cutting off other people to exit first because clearly their time was more important than others (this is one of my biggest pet peeves here that gets my blood boiling), I paused and thought, "Right, find the laughter in slaughter". (I will stop here to clarify I know I'm using the word slaughter very liberally compared to how other parts of the world unfortunately have to use it).

I have no idea what his personal message was in wearing that shirt but I have a feeling it's not because he's a crazy psycho killer (if I'm wrong then I've really got to work on having better instincts). Perhaps it was more of a way of expressing a part of our human nature that has the propensity to be in conflict with each other and one coping method is to just laugh... Reflecting on any given day in NYC, I spend a lot of time trying not to be slaughtered by traffic, bullied by straphangers for a spot to stand on the train or just in general, pushed around by more dominating personalities that run rampant here. Maybe we all need to stop and find the laughter more often.

This past spring (hence the stopping point of the last blog entry) I felt pretty defeated by this city. My twin, best friend, a genetic part of me, had just moved 2,000 miles away with another little piece of my heart and reunited with all my family in Texas. (Yes, that would be when Anna left me crying alligator tears at JKF, insert guilt trip here). To top it off I felt stuck in a low paying, high stress job in which my work load had just doubled, of course with no compensation, and for good measure the weather played fun games of snowing well into spring. I've never felt so conflicted about my life choices. The love of my family versus the love of a city that strangely, even in a time of such sadness, held me captive. It left me in an unrecognizable, irreconcilable space with little laughter.

And just like that, life turned a corner with the words "You got the job!". Whew, the current "what am I doing with my life" crisis was averted. With more vacation time and the financial means to fly home more often then I realized I can have my cake and eat it too (live in New York but be home enough to not be that estranged Aunt Teresa that only visits once a year). It's amazing how a little shove in a different direction opened up a new and very happy chapter in this New York saga. To be continued...

I hope this little face spreads the laughter that it brings me daily from my mandatory text of Creighton by Anna Ramsey

DAY 8: Near

2011-04-24T11:24:00.004-04:00

Taken at Bryant Park on a rainy cool spring afternoon on my way to check out the New York Library. I was able to stand at street level and snap this angle since the park area is raised up. Thought it made for a charming pic. Reminded me a little of a scene you'd see in Paris.

ISO 1/1600, 1/13, f/11

Day Six: LOUD

2011-04-17T13:59:00.006-04:00

Well, as you can see I've missed a few days... This may turn out to be more of a photo of the week class for me but it's still at least getting me out and playing with the manual mode.

This piece of machinery as well as 2 others are parked outside my building. It doesn't look like they are going anywhere anytime soon as Houston Street is getting some type of make over. It makes for unwanted LOUD Saturday mornings to an avid late sleeper.

ISO 200, 1/640, f/5.6

Day Two & Day Three

2011-04-10T01:20:00.025-04:00

Day 2: NEW

(I'm not sure if I explained that this class is called Opposites so the assignments will be opposites of each other.)

I'm a little late on posting Day 2 and thought I'd do a double post to get back up to speed! (Hope that's not against the class rules!).

These are my NEW Spring sandals. Too bad it's still too chilly to be wearing open toe shoes in New York. Looks like they'll be new for a few more weeks.

I have 2 questions after taking this picture.

1. I was meaning for the center of the photo to be in focus and for the remaining area of the picture to be out of focus. How did the rug in the back area of the picture turn out more in focus?

2. Why are my pictures so small when I post them on here and everyone else's seem normal/large in size? Is it a setting on my camera or a setting on my computer?

Settings - ISO 400, f/3.8, 1/20

Day 3: IN(side)

The goal is to take a picture inside and something that "in" at the moment.

I put my Klean Kanteen (go green!) in my wine rack to get a different angle. It was a cloudy day but I had 2 windows on either side of my wine rack. I noticed when I used ISO 800 the steel seemed more true to it's original color but when I used ISO 400 (which I felt would have been the expected ISO) then the kanteen looked dull... any advice/feedback?

Settings: ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/25

Day One: OLD

2011-04-06T23:04:00.010-04:00

For the month of April, I've joined a free online photography class by Beth V Photography. Ever since I bought my first DSLR camera a few months ago, I've left it in the automatic setting... there I admitted it.

Now, thanks to Bethany's wonderful idea, I am taking the plunge and switching over to manual mode. To be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing yet. I've skimmed some articles and am learning where buttons and dials are but at the moment my method is a little frantic as I keep changing some dial until I get a some what normal looking picture. It is my goal to study this confusing device until I make it capture what I intend it to but for now here's the big debut of my first photo taken on M mode.

The theme today is OLD which was left open to our interpretation. This is a paperweight my grandpa gave to me as a stocking stuffer probably about 25 years ago. Every time I move I've tried to keep this with me and just recently brought it up to New York after a visit home. It reminds me of my wonderful childhood in a sleepy little town called Edna.

Motivational Words found in Subway

2011-03-09T20:48:00.015-05:00

During the last days of winter (yes, it's still wintry here, in the 30/40s with a chance of freezing rain/snow tomorrow) I thought many of us could relate to the following statements over these past few months as we've tried to find the motivation to leave our warm beds each morning. I wonder who put these up at the Times Square subway station and if any commuter has ever read them, turned around and crawled back into bed.

With that said there is a touch of Spring in the air which has dramatically lifted the spirits of New Yorkers. We're venturing out of our apartments, sitting on patios and at parks, albeit still in our jackets and scarfs willing it to be spring.

My trip home in a few weeks also helps with turning that corner into Spring. I have visions of 80 degree weather, a margarita and a plate full of enchiladas in front of me. Of course I can't wait to see my entire family! I think many of you know Anna, Greg and Creighton moved back to Texas last week. I miss them dearly.

In addition to this blog, I'd be remiss in not mentioning that it was a month ago today that I helped welcome Creighton into this world. Up to this point in my life, I have never been apart of something so intense as being in a delivery room. Birthing a baby is no joke. Anna had a tough labor and I am so impressed at the strength and energy she mustered to push that little guy out!

Happy One Month to my Godson Creighton!

The City that Never Sleeps - Except on Trains

2011-02-05T12:51:00.002-05:00

I'm sure I'm infringing on some privacy law but I couldn't resist sneaking these photos of New Yorkers catching a few minutes of sleep on the train. Each have their own techniques and provide people watchers like me a few giggles.

I can empathize though, especially this time of year when the cold weather seems to kick the body into hibernation mode. Those of you who know me well are probably thinking I have no room to talk since I tend to fall asleep fairly quickly in cars and if the train ride is long enough, I have to admit the same effect happens to me here. Luckily my commute in the morning is only 4 stops, not long enough to doze off and fall victim to the lull of the train.

The it's nap time now Nappers

The out cold mouth gaped open Snoozer

The head slumped forward then jerked awake Sleeper

The in between stops resting my eyes Cat Napper

The Platform Sleeper (impressive he isn't dropping his beverage!)

5th Avenue Christmas

2010-12-12T14:32:00.001-05:00

Don't be fooled by what you see in the movies. Taking in the sights and sounds of Christmas in New York is not a peaceful stroll along 5th Avenue. But never the less, I braved the shoulder to shoulder crowds to capture the whimsical Christmas Windows at Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Lord & Taylor and Macy's as well as the Tree at Rockefeller Center.

The weather cooperated and warmed up from 25 degrees with the wind chill to a high of 45! I think that helped keep me sane as we moved along like cows being herded to stand for 5 seconds in front of amazing and intricate works of art and fashion that creatively wove stories about childhood adventures (or so I assumed). To be honest I didn't stay long enough to follow the stories but I highly recommend anyone with enough patience to stay and listen at Lord & Taylor's and Macy's windows.

Note - I've also posted a full album of pictures on Facebook and I only took one photo at Macy's because their windows were like moving stages that couldn't be captured very well in the 2 seconds I had to snap the pictures.

Bergdorf Goodman

Saks

Writer's Block

2010-11-21T20:22:00.002-05:00

I haven't written a blog lately. Mainly because I'm not really sure what to write about. In the past something has struck me as entertaining enough to warrant a blog entry. Does that mean New York has lost it's charm or shock factor? Or that I've become accustomed to the craziness of this city so that it doesn't phase me? Maybe a little bit but mostly, I think I wish I could capture the randomness of this city in snapshots since really a lot of the time a picture says a thousand words. Maybe this blog will become more of a photo blog that will express my thoughts and experiences for me through photographs.

I snapped this picture one morning on my commute to work. It struck me as funny that someone carrying a mango could get up with out noticing it had rolled out on to their seat as they waited for the train. There it sat, taking up a seat for who knows how long. But then again, knowing this city, someone picked it up soon after. It seems like nothing goes to waste here.

Where did I leave my shoes?

2010-07-18T00:10:00.000-04:00

Try looking on the corner of 2nd Ave. and Houston Street.

Another funny phenomenon in this city is how many shoes I see laying around on the side walks. I totally understand the one shoe dropped because this is a commuter city and many times I feel like a pack mule with the amount of stuff I'm lugging around. Easily a shoe can fall out of an over flowing bag or half zipped back pack. I feel the owners pain reaching down to find a shoe or in my case, my favorite irreplaceable jean jack I bought in Paris years ago, gone missing somewhere on the streets of New York.

But the confusing part is how many pairs of shoes I see left almost purposefully and comically on the sidewalks. It is common practice to discard unwanted household items such as furniture, rugs, mattresses, ect out on the curb for the taking... so maybe the owners are nicely placing their unwanted shoes next to trash cans in hopes they may find a new home. I just wish one time there would be a fabulous pair of heels in a size 7! A girl can dream :)

Perfect New York Moments

2010-07-01T19:14:00.015-04:00

There are moments in New York that instantly shake my consciousness and fill me with pure joy. I call them my Perfect New York Moments. It happens when something ordinary is occurring but is paired with something uniquely "New York".

I walk past my neighborhood park, groceries in hand hearing the sound of racquetball, kids playing in the spray from the running fire hydrant.... A smile spreads across my face, I pause to take in the moment and feel so happy to be right where I am.

No matter where you live or what you are experiencing in life, everyone has moments like this. I've had them in every city I've lived in.... sitting under the oak trees on a summer night in Austin eating BBQ or breathing in the crisp mountain air as I push off the chair lift on the slopes in Colorado, and now my New York moments are piling up.

Last week I captured one on video. After a night of dancing in the meatpacking district, I was catching a cab near Washington Square and heard a piano playing. I knew there was an exhibit going on in NYC where 60 pianos had been placed in public areas all over the city to encourage creativity and a sense of community. I read that "the concept was derived from the artist Luke Jerram who got the idea at his local laundry mat where he saw the same people every week, but none of them talked to each other. He thought a piano might help bring people together in places like that".

And here I was, strolling through the West Village on a warm summer's night, crowds hopping to the next bar, taxi cabs honking and beautiful piano music filling the air. I sat and listened for a while, chatted with a few people around me (the concept works!) and thanked Larry, the middle aged, "average joe" guy in the video who is clearly a great pianist, and headed home after another Perfect New York Moment.

Quick Update

2010-06-06T16:35:00.010-04:00

May was a jammed packed month! Some of the highlights included taking a trip home to Houston, finally getting a raise at work, resigning from Butter Lane, and going to my first Yankee's Game. Add into the mix tweaking my back which proves to be most inconvenient in a city full of stairs, walking and carrying groceries long distances. It's hard to slow down enough to heal but a weekend on the couch and 2 interesting Asian massages later, I seem to be on the mend. Otherwise, the summer is starting off incredibly hot here but I'll take the heat over the snow any day :)

Look for me in a Theater Near You

2010-04-26T19:34:00.000-04:00

Or more accurately, look for me on YouTube. Last week was the start of the Tribeca Film Festival. My friend Christina and I were meeting after work for a free screening at the World Financial Center and I was about to unknowingly contribute my two cents to the film industry. I'm not sure if this event was even related to the festival or if these two guys were just out on a whim...

So, I was on my way to the film screening, headed to the train station near my office (in Chelsea) when all of a sudden two artsy guys dressed in all black came sprinting at me. One guy shoved a microphone towards me while the other held a camera inches from my face. The "interviewing" guy hastily asked "Are you excited about the new Iron Man II Movie!!!?"

My brain wasn't computing the situation fast enough, so all that I could manage as a response was my signature default line "YAY!!" with both arms raised in a cheer. Then in a rapid Q & A drill he asked:

"Do you like Gwenth Paltrow?"

me: "Yeah, I like her! And I have a crush on Robert Downing Jr.!" (why did I add that?)

him: "Well, what about Scarlett Johansen!? Do you like her?

me: "I do!" (why can't I think of more interesting answers!?")

him: "Well, if Micky Rourke was here he'd kick your ass!"

me: (huh!?) "Uhhh, that would suck." (this is so weird)

And then they ran away. This all went down in about 10 seconds. I had no warning, no introduction as to who they were and no idea what the interview was going to be used for. Since these fellows had no identifying logo on them I can only conclude they were conducting their own kooky independent project...If anyone happens to stumble upon this video then let me know! In the meantime, I must work on speeding up my reaction time and witty answers!

Tribeca Film Festival - World Financial Center

New York City - 3rd Worst US City for.....‏

2010-04-18T12:15:00.010-04:00

Bicycle Theft.

There are approximately 110,000 New Yorker's commuting by bicycle in the city everyday. No wonder you can't go a block without seeing bike casualties like this:

(Red Bike) Missing front tire, handle bars and seat.

Entire back half of bike missing.

Only the frame left...

Only a tire left...

On the daily walking part of my commute I started noticing bike after bike missing parts. Several things perplex me. How do these bike owners not know how to properly lock up their bikes? I'm the first to admit that I have no clue how to beat these thieves but I'm also a pedestrian commuter. If I was locking up my bike with this type of carnage around me everyday you better believe there would be a chain locking up every removable piece. If you give an inch in this city it will take a mile so why tempt temptation?

The next thing that baffles me is who is committing this crime? Is this a huge money making scheme to steal parts of a bicycle and sell them? And if so, who are they selling these parts to? Back to the victims? Or is there some underground black market for bicycle parts that I am unaware of taking place in the city? Never the less, it happens and each day I see more and more proof of it.

Lastly, what happens to the unwanted left over parts? Do they stay chained forever to their resting place? I know it must be hard when the owner returns to find their property has been violated and stolen but do they just shrug and walk away? Can they not be bothered to unlock the remains of their property because I've walked past the same "spare" parts for a week which have stayed untouched...

One answer to this question is provided in the picture below. On a night out in the East Village, we may have stumbled upon a make shift graveyard for bikes with similar fates. They were all piled and intertwined together, left here to turn a crime into a collective impromptu piece "art" that makes the East Village the East Village.

365ish Days Ago

2010-04-11T12:38:00.000-04:00

I remember vividly the range of emotions I felt, 365ish days ago, when I took a leap of faith and moved to NYC from Austin. During those first few weeks, it was as if I had been injected with a shot of adrenaline mixed with panic, excitement, disorientation, happiness, doubt and curiosity. What would my new life look like? Where would I live? What kind of job would I find? Would I make just as good of friends? Would I ever stop feeling like an outsider visiting this amazing city and see it as my home?

12 months later all these questions have been answered. I live in a cute apartment in the East Village, work for a fun audio visual company, have wonderful friends who've introduced me to more wonderful friends and feel at home despite my rookie status among other New Yorkers. During this last year, I feel I've built the foundation for a future that has endless opportunities here. It's taken time, there have been a few detours along the way which have required patience and flexibility but I finally feel like my feet are firmly planted on the ground.

Reflecting back, I notice that every time I've traveled or moved to a new city it is inevitable that I grow and change as a person. New York is no exception. This city pushes me to believe even more in myself and forces me to fight for what I want. I've been confronted by unethical employers, humbled by starting all over in my career, captivated by almost everything and fallen in love with this new chapter in my life. There is a sense of satisfaction in myself that I've not only survived my first year here but I had a pretty memorable time in the process!

Some of you have asked how long I plan on living here...at the moment, my answer is as long as there is still a drive to see more, do more and experience more of what this city has to offer!

Spring has sprung as I start my 2nd year here!

Blink. It's Gone.

2010-03-23T21:22:00.015-04:00

I was on my way to get a hair cut. Stopped. My salon was gone. Eventually I was going to take a picture of a mural that intrigued me. Looked up one day. Gone. Walked down a side street. Saw a new restaurant in my neighborhood. Wait, what was there before? Can't remember. But it was gone. Life is always changing. New York seems to change at an accelerated pace so I knew I had to capture this person before it was too late.

A little bit of sadness set in when a person, well, a stranger really, that I've grown accustomed to seeing everyday was gone. "My AM Lady" as I call her, has handed me my free AM Newspaper in front of my train station every week day morning for almost a year now. One morning, in her place stood a man handing me my paper! Where is my adorable AM Lady!? She can't be gone.

I can't exactly explain why this tiny Asian woman no taller than 4 feet has stood out against so many people that I pass on a daily basis. Maybe it's because she's there in the wee hours of the morning, bundled up to her eye balls, standing on the sidewalk or taking shelter in the subway if it's raining or snowing, never slowing down for a second and hands out paper after paper to the endless commuters. All the while saying with a little bow of her head "Good morning. How are you? Thank you. Good morning. How are you? Thank you." If someone grabs for a paper and she is not ready then her line switches to "Sorry. Sorry. Good morning. Thank you."

Those might be among the few English words she knows but to me she communicates so much more. Our brief hello in the morning is something that I've started to look forward to... this total stranger makes me smile as I propel my body down into the depths of the underground chaos. I love her energy, her attitude, her presence!

Not to worry though, she returned 2 days later and continues to pass out papers with such kindness and joy at the 2nd Avenue Lower East Side train stop.

"My AM Lady"

The Going Rate of A Cupcake

2010-03-14T14:11:00.012-04:00

As we closed the bakery at midnight on Friday we had about 3 dozen cupcakes leftover. Knowing my roommate would kill me if I brought anymore cupcakes home and having already eaten my fill for the day, I decided to hand them out to the night life crowd on my walk home. This is how I found out the going rate of a dozen cupcakes on the streets of New York.

To paint the picture correctly, I was jay walking across 7th Street going towards Avenue A, in the heart of the East Village with cute restaurants and fun bars all around, and I intersect paths with a nice enough young man and the following encounter ensues:

He states: "That's a lot of cupcakes."
I reply: "Yeah, would you like a dozen?"
"What kind are they?"
"Not sure. We just boxed up the leftovers at the end of the night...It'll be a surprise."
"Sure, why not. I'll take a box."

And we continue on our way. Seemingly normal enough encounter, right...read on.

Well, as I'm passing out the remaining cupcakes that same guy spots me as he is waiting to go into a bar. (Side note here - people were very trusting and asked little to no questions when taking boxes of cupcakes from a stranger. I don't think I would have accepted a box from a stranger claiming "free" cupcakes were inside...).

Anyways, back to the story. That guy heads over and I quote:

Guy: "Hey, I'm not some weird creepy guy but I wanted to ask if you would like a "bump".
Me: (thinking - what did he just say?) "Um, would I like a what?"
Guy: "Would you like a bump for the cupcakes?"
Me: (still confused at the use of this word I ask) "What is a bump?"
Guy: "You know, a bump of cocaine. It's from a good source so you can trust it's good stuff."
Me: (I smile at my naivety and respond) "Oh, no I'm all set with that. But have fun and enjoy those cupcakes!"

So just in case you've ever wondered what you could barter and trade for a dozen cupcakes, the answer is a bump of cocaine. Well, at least in the East Village.

I (don't) Heart NYC - A Valentine's Day Special Edition‏

2010-02-10T23:07:00.000-05:00

As red and pink hearts, countless subway advertisements for the "Valentine's Day" movie and bouquets of red roses flood into every corner bodega, I can't help but to think of another iconic image of a heart; the "I heart NY" logo. From my blogs it is easy to conclude that I do indeed, love New York.

As the day dedicated to celebrating LOVE approaches, I could go on and on about my love affair with this magical city but instead, I'm putting on my cynical hat and compiling a list of everything "I don't heart (about) NY". Gasp!

As you sip wine with your loved one or bite into another piece of chocolate from that heart shaped box, enjoy this not so lovingly Valentine's Day List:

I don't love the dog poop on every sidewalk

I don't love the trash spilling out of trash cans

I don't love the sewage smells, rats, throw up, urine and anything else you can imagine that would induce a gagging sensation

I don't love the blasting cold wind when I turn the corner to my office

I don't love the chapped lips and cracking dry hands

I don't love the trains not working on the weekends

I don't love the hour commute to go 2 miles on public transportation

I don't love the endless dust that accumulates on my floors and counters due to the lack of central air or carpet

I don't love the sirens that wake me up

I don't love the expensive prices and pinching pennies

I don't love the bumps and pushes from strangers who don't care they've just entered into my tiny personal space

I don't love the second hand smoke I inhale outside walking with the million of smokers in this city

I don't love the inconvenience of carrying my groceries home 3 long avenues and 2 blocks

I don't love......

Who am I kidding. I HEART New York. Dog poop, sirens, inconveniences and all. Happy Valentine's Day!!

Somewhere Between Caution and Death

2010-01-24T19:39:00.009-05:00

Avenue A - OK!
Avenue B - Be careful!
Avenue C - Caution!
Avenue D - Death!

Before the gentrification of my neighborhood in the late 1990's, this rule of thumb was taught to many New York children warning them of the (former) crime and drug dangers of Alphabet City. Moving in, Meredith (my roommate and Brooklyn native) so helpfully pointed out that we live somewhere between Caution and Death. Nine months later, we both have come to learn this couldn't be further from the truth.

Finally, my first nyc apartment is starting to feel more like a home. (Video posted below). Moving here with only 3 suit cases did not leave much room to bring along personal touches or memories of my past to put in my new space. Instead IKEA has thrown up on almost every square foot of our tiny apartment :) As you can see, the walls are still mostly bare but future trips to IKEA should remedy that! Just kidding. KMART or Target will get equal consideration.

Actually, I'm secretly wanting to try my ability at abstract painting and continue my interest in photography and then turn my little space into my own gallery. In the meantime, I enjoy the ever changing murals in my neighborhood, the changing seasons and beautiful sunsets that bring new colors through my 8 foot bedroom window and of course the constant flow of unique faces, styles and personalities that greet me in the East Village.

Tis the Season to Be Flipping Jolly Cold! FA la la la LA la la la la

2009-12-16T20:58:00.013-05:00

So the holiday season is upon us. We've had a few cold snaps and as I write this the wind chill is in the 20's. Not too bad but I know this is only the beginning. In preparation, I have bought a coat that is literally a sleeping bag with sleeves. It covers me from my head down to mid calf. It's not the most attractive thing in the world but WOW it is warm. Surprisingly I didn't need it while waiting out in the elements for the Macy's Day Parade. The weather was mild that day.

Thanksgiving went something like this:

Bake Pies. Sip Bailey's. Wake up at 4:30 AM. Sleep walk to the train. Grab Starbucks & McDonald's. Asphalt picnic on the street at 72nd & Central Park West. Wait 3 hours. Women faints in front of us from standing too long. Friends can't get to us because the crowd is so packed. Bratty child behind us complains she's bored (yet she had a little wagon with a blanket and pillow that I was ready to climb into and sleep in since she wasn't using it.) Parade begins. Crowd cheers. Bands are playing. Men in clown suits pass on stilts. Confetti is in the air. Then comes Superman, Sesame Street, Snoopy! How fun! The floats are so much closer than they seem on TV. Santa waves from his slay. The Parade is over. Sleep for 4 hours. Potluck dinner at Anna & Greg's. Enjoy the blended group of "displaced" friends. Fall asleep on Anna and Greg's couch. My home away from home.

Now, Christmas time in New York is something I've been looking forward to seeing since I moved here. The decorations don't disappoint but we perhaps picked the worst time to go check out the festivities. After brunching near Rockefeller Center we headed over (on a Saturday!) to see the dazzling store front windows, The Tree and ice skaters. For a moment it felt like I was in a movie. We even timed it perfectly to watch a guy propose to his girlfriend at the ice skating rink. Us onlookers, cheered and clapped. But the pushing, the tripping over people, weaving through a shoulder to shoulder crowd left me frazzled and not able to enjoy it for long. So we snapped a few pictures and got the hell out of there :)

I'll be headed home to Texas for Christmas! Then back in time for New Year's Eve. I'm sure as the excitement of the holiday season passes I will be stocking up on books and movies and bunkering down for the winter. Happy Holidays!

Administrative Assistant by Day; Cupcake Froster by Night

2009-11-15T12:36:00.007-05:00

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa, Aha-ahaaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world

Sometimes I catch myself signing this Abba tune on the way to work in the morning. With each step I hear "Money. Money. Money..." as I march towards a job that almost pays the bills but not quite.

It can be a taboo topic but my relationship to money here has a daily impact on me. When I left Austin I had reached a point where I was living comfortably, taking yearly vacations, paid off my credit cards and bought a new car. Oh how things have changed. New York is crazy expensive. To be clear, I am NOT complaining. I know I have it good compared to a lot of people in this world and I give thanks every morning as I pass the homeless guy sleeping in the card board box next to my office.

Most days I feel that no amount of money (or more accurately lack of money) could have kept me from moving. At the moment, I am that poor New Yorker eating spaghetti, $2 slices of pizza and drinking Trader Joe's $2.99/bottle wine but I'm happy. This is not a pity party blog but to be fair to my experience here, I feel the need to include this side of my life.

To ease the stress of making ends meet and to enjoy some of the fun in this city I have found a second job. I am a cupcake froster/cashier at Butter Lane! It is the cutest little bakery near my apartment in the East Village. Apparently, cupcakes are a huge deal in this city. The heavy hitters are Billy's Bakery and Magnolia (famous from Sex in the City) but we are making a name for our self. And I promise I'm not being bias when I say we have some pretty amazing cup cakes! Here is a link to check out the bakery and I've attached some pictures. Given that I had to get a second job this is a perfect, fun, stress free weekend job that fits my personality. Hopefully I won't gain 20 pounds in the process of frosting all those cupcakes! http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2008/11/butter-lane-cupcakes-east-village-nyc.html

So, if you didn't have enough of a reason to come visit me before (free place to stay, great company, personal tour guide) now you can add "free cupcakes" to list!

Everyday New York vs. Vacation in New York

2009-10-31T12:16:00.004-04:00

I've heard it takes about a year and a half to two years to feel settled in New York. After 7 months into my new "life" I can safely say that estimate sounds about right. My every day life here is beginning to take shape but I think it will take me an entire year of experiencing each season to figure out how to dress in this city. Trying to look cute but feel comfortable is the ultimate challenge. In the spring it rained so much that my hair was always a mess and my clothes damp. In the summer you sweat so much down in the subway that there was really no point in putting on make-up. Now in the fall, (and I'm sure in the winter) the cold wind and temperatures make my nose drippy every time I step outside. Very attractive. So, really I'm just throwing my hands up at feeling cute. This weather has also demanded a new set of clothing and accessories to be added to my wardrobe. You need rain boots, cold weather boots, thin scarfs & gloves when it's just chilly and also thicker scarfs & gloves when it's really cold, ect. I've also started carrying around Kleenex, hand sanitizer, band aids and an umbrella every day in my purse.

Besides the new little details, my life is pretty normal. I'm getting used to my 2 mile commute to work in which I walk about a mile one way and have to take 2 trains for a total of about 50 minutes. When grocery shopping, I try and remember to take my push cart to the store 5 blocks away but stopping at the little bodega on my corner is so much more appealing if it's cold or rainy. Plus grocery shopping is even less motivating when I have one of the best pizzerias a block away!

Then, my new job as an administrative assistant is working out a lot better than the last one. I like the people, I support our products (SMART Boards, an interactive white board) and this is the lowest stress level I've ever had at a job. I do feel at times the work is not challenging enough and I took a pay cut but I've been told there will be advancement opportunities in the future.

On the weekends, it's the typical going out to a few bars, brunch, and maybe a museum. I'm also trying to start working out more and get back into yoga but it's hard when I walk so much on a day to day basis to be motivated. So, it's a pretty typical day to day routine mixed in with discovering new places, developing new friendships and enjoying a new city.

Over the last few months I've also felt like I was vacationing in New York. Having visitors always makes me feel like I'm a tourist in New York and explore and splurge on things I wouldn't normally do. Every year my girlfriends from AmeriCorps try to have a reunion. This year 2 of them were able to make it to New York and stayed with me for the weekend. We tried out different restaurants in my neighborhood, had pedicures and went to an off Broadway Show (I don't really recommend it but we saw Burn the Floor).

Last week mom and grandma visited and really spoiled me and Anna! We had a wonderful time going to see the musical Billy Elliot, traveling to Yale for a walk down memory lane (my grandparents lived there for 3 years and mom was born there), sight seeing at the Statue of Liberty, brunching at the Boathouse in Central Park and eating amazing meals each night!

Now it's back to real life again!

Late Bloomer

2009-09-12T12:40:00.000-04:00

To Bloom - to produce or yield blossoms; to flourish or thrive; to be in or achieve a state of healthful beauty and vigor.

I am 30. I don't feel 30. I don't live a life of society's stereotypical 30 year-old. Therefore, I am concluding that I am a late bloomer in life. I'm not going to get all philosophical on what it means to age but for me, 30 is just another year. Yes, at times I've had moments of panic and paused to think "Is this where I pictured myself at 30". Other times, I've felt excited to be turning 30.

Looking back, I seem to take my time "blooming" in life. After many years of playing different sports I finally clicked with soccer my freshman year of high school (very late in the athletic world to pick a sport to play). In college, it took me 3 years to finally pick French as my major and I almost changed it that last year! (Mom, I never remember you being worried about my "undeclared" status for so many years - thanks!).Now as an "adult", negotiating the corporate world and the dating world has also seemed to take me longer to find and understand what works for me and what doesn't. But, eventually my goals and choices "bloom" into meaningful and life shaping experiences.

At 30, I feel more confident from the lessons I've learned. I'm excited where my life has taken me and even more excited to see where I go. Is this where I pictured myself at 30? No, it's even better (and different) than what I could have imagined!

Thank you all (or as we say in Texas "all ya'll") for the birthday wishes and a fun night!

Did that just really happen?

2009-08-22T12:50:00.000-04:00

Did that just really happen?

New York is known for being a city of culture, opportunity and excitement! It is also known for its crime, seedy streets, and crazy people. I read that there are about 71,000 residents per square mile living in Manhattan. As a result of this dense population it comes to no surprise that there are things I've seen/experienced that I didn't see on a daily basis back in Austin.

It's not to say that these strange and mostly harmless observances don't happen in Austin. I know they do but when you're packed into a subway car with 100 people or sharing the side walk shoulder to shoulder with others then they become a lot more visible. Over the last few months I feel my shock value level has decreased so that the weirdness doesn't phase me as much. Here are just a few examples I could think of but I'm sure I'm forgetting some really good ones...

1. One day a "seemingly" normal guy in his early 20s was walking down the subway stairs with a female friend as I was walking up out of the subway when all of a sudden he jumped in front of me, waved his hands and gave a little yell. I gasped, he laughed and continued on his way. What was that all about! I guess he just needed a good laugh...

2. When Jess was visiting we were on a packed subway train headed to The Met on a Saturday. As we filed into the train, the doors closed and then 2 women started yelling and slapping each other. A group of men pulled them apart and held them off each other until the next stop at which point we changed trains! Really people, is it that hard to get on and off a train without pushing!?

3. Just yesterday I was walking home, noticed that I heard the sound of running water, looked over and saw a man peeing in a phone booth at 3pm on a Friday afternoon. Awesome.

4. A lot of people walk around with their Ipod listening to music and drowning out the sounds and noise of the city. My Ipod is on the fritz so I spend a lot of time over hearing other people's conversations. It's not like I'm trying to be noisy and listen to their intimate conversations but I am shocked at what people say in public without lowering their voices. I think the best one liner I heard one day was when I was walking by 2 girls as they waited to be seated for brunch. One girl said "Oh that. (pointing to her arm). That's a sex bite from last night!". I can hear you! You are on a busy street with people all around you! I think people feel a false sense of anonymity but just know I can hear you!

While living in New York, I'm sure there will be many more times I will think "Did that really just happen?" I guess people's strangeness does add to the character of this city and provides free entertainment to the masses.

4 Months Later

2009-08-15T11:06:00.000-04:00

4 months, 1 week and 5 days ago I moved to New York. A third of a year has flown by already!

The biggest news to date is that I have a new job! I start in a week and I can't describe the relief I feel from getting out of the craziest and most chaotic work environment EVER. My new company is an audio visual technology company called Presentation Products. It seems young, fun and most important - NORMAL. Our office is located on the most western edge of Chelsea/Meat Packing District so it's a little bit off the beaten track but apparently there's a wine and beer fridge on site so the happy hour comes to us :) I'll be the executive assistant/receptionist for the owner and also support the sales team. It's very similar to my last job in Austin and there is a ton of room for growth and advancement. I'm so happy!!

My old boss took my resignation very professionally (shockingly) and they have wished me well. Anna is super happy for me but we are sad our Starbucks and lunch dates will be ending :(

Also, thanks again Kyla for all your help! I'm excited we'll be working together :)

It was the best of times; It was the worst of times.

2009-07-25T12:25:00.000-04:00

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. - Charles Dickens, Tale of Two Cites.

The 2 sides of me living in New York:

My job is crazy! I think my boss is seriously in need of psychiatric help. I have ridiculous stories that I don't want to write on-line in order to avoid any incriminating evidence :) But basically, my eyes have been opened to the unethical side of our office. Needless to say I have started to discretely look for another job but given the no on EVER leaves the office I'm not really able to get away for job interviews with out raising some eyebrows... hence "It was the worst of times." It's unfortunate because I actually do enjoy HR but the work environment is so weird that I'm not sure I can stick this out. In a way, I console myself by saying that everyone hates their first job when they move to New York and it's apart of the deal to move to this crazy city and work for a crazy person. My experience wouldn't be complete with out this struggle, right...?

At the same time, "It was the best of times." I am meeting some wonderful friends, reconnecting with old friends and bonding more with my sisters. Jess came out for a week long visit with our newest little nephew Ethan! The vacation came at an almost breaking point between me and my job so I escaped for a week as a tourist. We had a blast playing in the mornings with Ethan who just started laughing and smiling. It was a good reminder at how something so simple and pure as one person smiling to another can bring such joy. Jess only had to smile in his direction and Ethan would just laugh and grin so big which of course was contagious to everyone else in the room.

We explored this city's history and culture during her trip by going to Ellis Island, Rockefeller Center, Ground Zero, Times Square, Central Park and The Met. It helped me to remember that I moved to a fabulous city despite living in my cubical for the last few months. Another highlight was going to see HAIR with Devora and Melissa! This is an amazing Broadway production that made me want to grow my hair really long and become a hippie! Well, for about a day.

This city is exciting, fun and alive but also frustrating, challenging and stressful. Sometimes I have questioned why I left what I now know was a great job, a comfortable lifestyle and loving friends and family. But then there are the moments I stop and acknowledge the happiness I feel, the excitement and anticipation of the unknown before me that is feeding my curiosity and allowing me to have wonderful experiences (and not so wonderful experiences) that are changing me as a person. Change is never easy but always good.

Rooftop - Party For 2

2009-06-27T22:44:00.001-04:00

I don't know if I would have been as happy as I am if Anna wasn't living here at the same time as when I moved here. Sometimes it's a tough city and you need people on your "side". She is my support and my sounding board as well as my accompliance in crime...

Saturday night, after a day of shopping and a few glasses of wine, we went back to my apartment. There we opened a lovely bottle of white wine and took the elevator up to the 11th floor to peak out the window in the stair case. My building has an amazing roof top with an even more amazing view but has been closed for several years as a result of the reckless behavior of a few individuals. On this particular night the door was propped opened. We ventured out and to our excitement found the roof open without the alarm blarring! Is it really breaking an entry if the door was open?

We enjoyed our wine with the cool breeze and twinkling skyline as a back drop to a wonderful conversation about our dreams, goals and hopes for the future. I hope we can escape/ break-an-entry out on to my roof top more often :)

New York is My Oyster

2009-06-20T12:41:00.000-04:00

Sunburnt Cow, No Malice Palace, China One, Niagara... funny names but fun places that I've discovered in my neighborhood. I'm enjoying the night life and need a release on the weekends from the stress of my work week. The pace is still crazy and chaotic but progress is being made! I'm hoping by the end of the summer I will have created an organized and efficiently running HR department for my company. I love the challenge but some days get the better of me and I'm still trying to find a balance between work and play.

With that being said I've picnicked in Central Park, strolled across the Brooklyn Bridge, brunched with lovely ladies, seen my first Broadway musical (Shrek, which was AWESOME) and got to eat Salt Lick BBQ in the middle of Manhattan!!

Life is good. "New York is my oyster". I love the challenges, the diversity and the opportunities here. I do miss Texas, my friends, family and even my old job at times but this was a good move for me. I have a fold out couch now so come and visit me and bring some Tex-Mex :)

Emerging from my Hole/New York Phenomenon’s

2009-05-27T21:36:00.000-04:00

The last 2 weeks have literally been eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep, get a nasty cold, still go to work and oh yeah, work over the Memorial Day weekend. I am by no means a career women or work alcoholic but all of a sudden I work 10 hour days. Plus no one really takes a lunch break. More specifically, no one eats lunch in my office besides me and Anna. They just kind of snack on popcorn or maybe some pretzels. It’s crazy. I need food! But I’m so busy that really it’s always a working lunch that takes me an hour to eat a sandwich in the midst of craziness.

So, as you can see my company is in the midst of growing pains. I love that I get to be in charge of getting our HR department organized or should I really say, up and running correctly but I did not sign up for this! I’m really hoping in the next month I will have the chaos under control.

With that said, I have started my list of New York Phenomenon’s:

1. Working 10 hours a day is starting to feel normal as well as never taking a lunch break.

2. Recycle – It’s the Law.

Yes, you read that correctly! For those of you who have put up with my gentle and friendly Go Green reminders such as to “use reusable bags, carry a reusable water bottle, don’t print off that email and if you do recycle it!” then you will know how happy this law makes me :)

Of course it’s not followed 100 % of the time but I am impressed at how much participation there is in a city of this size. It’s amazing!

3. Women forget to wear Pants Here!

Ok, so that is a little bit of a dramatization but seriously, leggings are everywhere. I know they are “in” right now but back in Austin we at least wore them with a longer shirt/dress type of outfit. That’s not necessarily the case here. Many many times they are worn just like regular jeans or pants would be worn. Meaning the backside is left very exposed… and women of all ages, sizes and shapes are wearing them not only on their personal time but in the office as well!

4. Drivers Honk to let out Aggression

This might be just my own personal take on the situation but here is what I’ve observed: Something insignificant has happened to cause one driver (and I stress the word one) to honk at either another driver or a pedestrian. Then other drivers start honking, in my opinion, just to honk. There’s no way the guy 10 cars back was affected by what happened at the intersection. And so far there’s never been a situation that warrants the 10 seconds of “oh-my-god-your-life-is-in-immediate-danger” horn honking. Really, the guy was just letting out a little frustration or aggression. Which is fine by me since it’s a pretty harmless way to get that out. (I’ve learned not to jump sky-high anymore at the sound).

5. Socially Acceptable Behavior on the Subway Does Not Exist

For some people, social norms fly right out the window as the doors close on the subway train. People clip their nails, spit, make-out with each other, sing out loud to their Ipod, lie down and sleep across a row of seats and basically act like they are alone in the midst of a public form of transportation!! I don’t get it. What is so hard with sitting there quietly riding the train, maybe reading or listening to your music while getting from point A to point B?

Well, it’s 9:30 pm - the latest I’ve been up all week due to this cold which I am interpreting as New York’s way of initiating me into the city. I needed a dose of New York germs to build up my immunity to being around crowds of people smashed up against each other every day, right? Ok, off to bed I go with dreams of stuff I need to do at work tomorrow floating and dancing around in my head!

ps - I really am loving it here despite this blog entry :)

New Apartment, New Job, New Chapter

2009-05-10T17:25:00.000-04:00

The New Apartment

Last week I moved into my new apartment with my new roommate, Meredith. After what seemed like enough paperwork to close on a house, we were approved and given keys to my first very apartment in the city!!! We live in the East Village off of 2nd Street and Avenue C in a newer building built in 1998. We have a dishwasher, laundry facility and gym on site as well as an elevator and court yard! We’re on the 7th floor and my room has a huge 8 foot window overlooking Houston Street. I have a partial view of downtown and from the window in the living room you can see the Empire State Building if you really crane your neck to the right ;) It’s a longer walk to the train than we had hoped (10 min.) but given everything else we loved the place and had to take it.

An interesting side note about our place is that our apartment is considered a “one bedroom convert” meaning convertible. The living room was huge so we converted half of it into my bedroom. It was amazing. In about 4 hours we had a pressurized wall constructed giving us a fabulous 2 bedroom apartment. I had never heard of anything like this!

So, from what I’ve been told by others, I really lucked out getting such a great apartment and such a great price! I’ve included a description of my neighborhood below. As soon as I get furniture (I’m still living out of my suitcases and an air mattress) then I hope to post a video of the place. But for now here are some pics of the neighborhood that I took today and here’s a link to my apartment complex that has some info. www.cd280nyc.com.

These pictures are what I see on my walk home from the subway everyday. There are murals everywhere that I find so interesting and strange, community gardens tucked away between buildings, graffiti, old men sitting on the street corner and a wide range of people and fashion in my little neighborhood.

EAST VILLAGE During the 19th century, millionaires like the Astors and Vanderbilts had homes in East Village, but the waves of Irish, German, Jewish, Polish, and Ukrainian immigrants who flooded into New York City in the 1900s soon displaced the elite, who moved uptown. Since then, the area has been home to the Beat generation of the 1950s, hippies in the 1960s, and punks in the late 1970s and 1980s. Today it's still a young person's neighborhood, with its experimental music clubs and theaters and cutting-edge fashion. New York University is in the area, so there's no shortage of clientele here. Foodies take note: this neighborhood reputedly contains the most varied assortment of ethnic restaurants in New York City, from the crush of Indian eateries on the south side of East Sixth Street (sometimes called "Little Bombay") to McSorley's Old Ale House, a pub that seems unchanged since it first opened in 1854. Nearby, in what was once the home of the Astor Library, the restored Public Theater has been the opening venue for many now-famous plays. For more trend-setting street life, head east toward Alphabet City (named for avenues A, B, C, and D)- still a little rough around the edges but with many reasonably priced, fun, and gamut-running places to eat, drink, and shop…and, if you're really getting into the scene, some very cool tattoo parlors. A haven from the pressure of classes at New York University, students regularly gather around the Alamo at Astor Place. The Alamo is a 15-ft (4.5m) steel cube designed by Bernard Rosenthal that revolves when pushed. Cooper Union, a school that holds many interesting public lectures and exhibits, was established in 1859 just in time for Abraham Lincoln to make a campaign speech in its auditorium. Today, Blue Man Group performs its popular Tubes Off-Broadway audience-participation performance art extravaganza at the Astor Place Theater.

It’s such a fun neighborhood and very central to all the action!

The New Job

The job search was intense, interesting, exhausting and slow. I met with 9 different job agencies and went on about 10 job interviews! I did enjoy going around to different offices, meeting with all sorts of people and seeing different parts of New York. But after 5 weeks, I was really tired of talking about myself and what I could offer the company. In the end, Anna’s company offered me a position that is still To Be Determined. Maybe that should be my title. Teresa Yost, TBD Coordinator.

Here’s a description of the company and their website. www.theavondalegroup.com The Avondale Group is a privately run home health care agency providing discerning New Yorkers with an unmatched continuity of quality individualized care.

Our office is near Madison Square Gardens and I walk past the famous Macy’s Department store everyday. I love the Thanksgiving Day Macy’s parade, it’s silly but for me it’s a fun highlight. (I didn’t realize that area on the street that is painted red with the Macy’s name and gold star, where the dancers/floats stop and perform, is there all year long).

Anyways, the company (which is a small family owned business) is growing so fast that they are in need of more help to support the office. In a nut shell, Anna helps manage the 3 retirement facilities that we staff with nurses and home health aides which is a totally different side of the company from where I would be working. We might see each other one or two days of the week if she comes into the actual office. So, in the last 5 months the company has branched out to provide private “community” care in individual homes. From what I understand, I am going to help manage our new accounts in the community (ie: hiring new HHAs home health aides, scheduling the visits as well as meeting with clients to generate new business).

I’ve only worked 3 days so far but I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get the place organized! As you know, Anna and I have a crazy gene in us that drives us to maintain order and consistency at all times :) This will be a work in progress and I am excited to join a company that I can tell is going to grow and provide me with opportunities to wear many different hats.

The New Chapter

So, now that I’ve secured a job and found an apartment I finally feel that I can enjoy this new chapter in my life. I’m ready to explore this city, meet new people, push the boundaries of my comfort zone and hopefully learn a lot about life and myself. Change is never easy and there will be ups and downs along the way but I am finally in New York! Yay!

My First Verbal Assault

2009-04-29T22:09:00.000-04:00

Last week I was dog sitting a 100+ pound black lab named Manny for some friends (Jonathan & Christina). My only concern about walking a huge dog in New York was that I would be dragged down a busy side walk or worse, I’d have to chase after a huge dog through traffic! It turns out the Manny is the sweetest, most well behaved, happy go lucky dog ever but the crazy lady that I encountered while walking Manny could use some obedient school lessons. So, the story unfolds as follows:

I had been on several walks with Manny armed with plastic bags to obey the “pick up after your dog” law…. Along the way people smiled or stopped to pet him, Manny was having a great time exploring, I was enjoying being a temporary pet owner, ect.

I’ll pause the story to give one important descriptive detail that is the key factor resulting in my verbal assault. (See Exhibit A below) Sometimes around each tree on the sidewalk there is a box of dirt surrounded by a little metal or wooden fence. Sometimes there are flowers in the box, sometimes just dirt and sometimes even trash. On some of the trees (not all) there are signs that read “Curb You Dog”. Not really understanding the phrase, I concluded it must just be a universal way of saying “pick up after your dog”. It’s like how here at a grocery store it says “Enter your secret code” instead of “Enter your pin number”...

Ok, back to the story. So, Friday morning I got up early to walk Manny because I had to leave for a job interview. Manny and I passed a lady with 3 tiny lap dogs which started yapping so we moved on to the next tree… a tree that had one of those boxes around it. Manny hopped in to relieve him self and the next thing I knew I heard the lady screaming at me “GET YOUR DOG OUT OF THAT BOX. DON’T YOU SEE THE PLANTS!?” Well, actually I didn’t. I was still half asleep (and in my defense it was one little plant). I apologized and we moved on to the next tree. Again, it had a box but I checked and there were no plants. So in jumped Manny. The next thing I heard was “GET HIM OUT OF THERE! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU!?” Whoa, I was confused but also a little angry so I yelled back “BUT THERE AREN”T ANY PLANTS!” and I was prepared to pick up after him if necessary. Then she yelled back “ARE YOU STUPID!? CAN’T YOU READ THE SIGNS!” then I yelled “YOU NEED TO RELAX!” and then I walked away.

Clearly from her reaction that phrase on the sign means that dogs are not allowed to get anywhere near the vicinity of those boxes! Manny would just have to pee on the sidewalk where everyone would have to step around it.

So, that was my first verbal attack from a New Yorker and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I’m intrigued at why she had to get so angry instead of just talking to me about the rules of dog walking. I know I know, New Yorkers are known for their hot tempered attitudes but how did that start and why is it acceptable here?

Not to worry though, my skin is tough and I find the situation more interesting than insulting. Plus, more times than not people here really are helpful and nice :)

Exhibit A: (Picture found online that resembles the scene of the assault)

Rules while in Transit

2009-04-23T21:28:00.000-04:00

Rule #1 – (Created and enforced by Greg Ramsey) “Anna and Teresa are not allowed to talk on the train and/or while walking in the subway terminals.”

So, it seems that Anna and I quickly get distracted while chit chatting on the train and perhaps we may have missed a stop once or twice due to this benign but annoying result of our short term memories. The worst example was when I met Anna at her office after I had finished a day of interviews. I was close by and the hour commute back to Brooklyn would be more fun with someone to talk to. So we headed home and of course began to catch each other up about our days. Anna looked up after awhile and then realized we had missed our stop to switch trains. No big deal, we jumped off and caught another connecting train in that terminal. We resumed our conversation. A few stops later, I listened to the conductor announce the next stop and realized we were headed in the wrong direction! Literally we were back at Anna’s office. Thus the creation of Rule #1 by Greg when we told him why it took us so long to get home that evening!

Rule #2 – (Created by crazy New Yorkers but also enforced by Greg) “Do not wait for the walk man signal to cross the street!”

Some of you may know that in Austin I was a stickler for waiting for the walk man signal before ever crossing the street. It goes against my nature to follow this new rule! If I’m alone at an intersection (which is rare) then I patiently wait to ensure my safety. If not, I follow everyone else’s lead while looking side to side for crazy taxi drivers. Most of the time there really is no car coming so people don’t see the point in waiting. Time is money, right. So, in order to avoid being pushed or being in the way as I wait on the side walk I am learning the skill of jay walking!

Rule #3 – (Created by MTA which stands for Metro Transit Authority). “Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Please.”

This is a very normal and expected rule for riding the trains and I have yet to be brave/impatient enough to be like some passengers who race through the doors just as they are closing. If they are a little too late then it can sometimes squeeze them but it’s as harmless as if an elevator door was shutting on you and then the doors pop back open. My real issue is that the above sentence is said every time the doors close at every stop along the way so on a day when I’m running around a lot then I hear that automated recording 20-30 times! As a result, it’s a little like when you hear a song too many times and it pops into your head as you’re trying to go to sleep. Can anyone relate …? So, I catch myself “hearing” that in my head at random times ;)

Ok, enough rules! More to the fun stuff that we have been doing. Last weekend was very Brooklyn oriented. The weather cooperated so that we could have a rooftop picnic/ happy hour at Anna and Greg’s apartment. They have a great view of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty but now that the trees are starting to bloom it is some what obstructed. We also ventured out to Prospect Park to see the Magnolia and Cherry Blossom trees blooming! It was beautiful. It was just so nice to have some warmer weather – well, for a few days at least. (It’s been rainy and cold again this week) I don’t mind the cold but it’s the cold + a down pour of rain which has kept me from exploring more my first few weeks here. Being cold AND wet is just not worth it! Saturday night we again met up with some of Anna and Greg’s friends (Ali, Britney, Luke and Eva) and went to a cute little Italian restaurant they’ve been wanting to try in their neighborhood. It was good but really just your standard Italian food. Afterwards, Greg and his friend Ali went to go check out the 24 hour Apple store (yes it’s open 24 hours!) while Anna and I stopped into an “Austin” like bar that grabbed our attention because of the live music we heard walking by. Turns out the lead singer was from Austin! It was neat to connect to a fellow Texan and hear his experience of moving to New York.

So on the job front, I have had 4 very promising job interviews with 4 very different companies. I like them all and it’s hard to know which one is the “right” job. Depending on which one I get offered/choose, my life could go in several different directions. I am going to trust this process and hope the right job picks me :) To be continued….

Side Notes:

Why are the TV shows an hour later? It’s something I’ve always known but now I’m questioning the reason. When I go to watch my show at 7:00 then I realize I have to wait an hour….can someone explain that?
I am surprised by how many businesses only take CASH! It’s New York, with millions of people, tons of tourists and a city that I consider so advanced that I don’t understand the hesitation to be “debit card friendly”…
Grocery stores can only sell beer but not wine. Interesting.

Random Observations

2009-04-14T14:19:00.000-04:00

Time seems to fly here. It's weird. Even though I'm unemployed the days are passing quickly and hours sometime feel like minutes. I've heard the pace is quicker in New York and so far it's been true. It's not that I am staying up all hours or am rushing around either... I think it's also because travel time anywhere adds up especially living in Brooklyn right now.

Brooklyn is a great "borough" of New York but I wasn't expecting an hour or more commute into the city but I can see why it's a perfect place for Anna and Greg. There's more space, less noise but there are still cute neighborhoods and quaint bars and restaurants.

Plus, everyday activities take more time. Going grocery shopping takes a little longer 1. because you have to carry everything home and 2. sometimes you have to go to more than one location because grocery stores here aren't big like HEB's or Randall's back home. I can get cereal, snack items, milk, juice ect. at one location but have to go to a different local grocer to get fresh fruit or frozen items. I have recently been told of a service called Fresh Direct that will deliver your groceries to your door step for only a $5 additional charge!

Another unexpected finding is that while the subway system is great and allows you to easily live without a car, I was under the misconception that there would be a train centrally located within blocks of where I would be at any given time. I'm not opposed to walking but it just surprised me.

Anna has had to work a lot lately and my job search really is a non-stop process of sending out my resume, looking for new postings and meeting with job agencies. I have 2 more appointments tomorrow which will make 8 agencies total so far that I am working with!

The weather has also been either cold & very windy or cold & very rainy so I haven't ventured out as much as I had expected yet. But there is plenty of time for exploring this city! This last week my friend Monica and I reconnected over dinner at a cute restaurant called Spitzer's in the Lower East side. I had the best Truffle Mac & Cheese! (some of you know how much I LOVE macaroni and cheese). Then, Saturday night I went out with some of Anna and Greg's friends to a wonderful restaurant called Bread in TriBeCa. (As you continue to read my blog you will notice that food and restaurants will be mentioned frequently!). I'm enjoying seeing the different neighborhoods and sharing good meals with interesting people :)

I've also met my new roommate Meredith who is friends with Monica. She is from Brooklyn, has a no nonsense and direct approach towards life and seems fun and genuine. I think we're going to have a blast living together! (ps - we may have found an apartment. More on that once we are approved. And yes, I realize it's a little backwards "horse before the cart" to get an apartment before a job but it's a great apartment!)

Side Notes:

I'm constantly hungry from all the walking.
When talking about the subway everyone asks which "train" to take not which subway line.
I love that most of New York is on a grid so that "streets" run east and west and "avenues" run north and south. Otherwise I would be so turned around most of the time!

First Impressions

2009-04-07T20:54:00.000-04:00

It's official! I'm in New York!

My first night was spent ordering in Chinese Food and just enjoying some sister time. The next day I hit the ground running with my job search and had set up an appointment with an employment agency. Greg was not only my subway guide but also my pack mule for the day! He ended up carrying my change of shoes so I could wear my interviewing heels but also walk home in my nice warm boots because it was a chilly and rainy day.What a great brother-in-law :)

I'm learning that I am going to need to an entirely different wardrobe here to be comfortable yet cute!

The rest of the weekend was spent eating out at various restaurants and acting like a tourist. We went to Kyper Pass, an Afghan Restaurant, Grimaldi's Pizzeria overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge, a diner named of all things "Little Purity" for brunch and Toby's Bar which is right around the corner from the apartment. We, of course, ordered cosmos when we went out for drinks Saturday night at Latitude ;)

I've posted some pics here of our trip out on the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty and then we passed by the "Bull" by the New York Stock Exchange on our way back. Needless to say, it was a very windy day.

Side Notes:
The Job Search - it's going but a little bit slower than I had hoped. I've met with 3 job agencies so far and each one has had a different outlook on the "job market". One was super positive and really confident that they could find me a job. The 2nd one was all doom and gloom then the 3rd one was very laid back but encouraging. I'm hoping after this holiday weekend companies will be calling for interviews...

My First Impressions - I hear 3-4 different languages every day, I look around on the subway and most of the time I am the only person with light hair and blue eyes and I love it, you really do have to walk fast on the streets (damn heels!), people do look you in the eye, some even smile and cab drivers are as lost as I am half the time.

So far I'm loving it here and the transition has been so easy thanks my wonderful hosts - Anna and Greg :)