Goodbye, 2010

I started off by naming this "Aufwiedersehen, 2010" but then I realized while it simply means "goodbye" in German, literally it means "until we see each other again". The same goes for the French "Au revoir", and we'll never see 2010 again, so it didn't add up. And the Japanese "Sayonara" just wasn't aesthetic enough, and the Romanian "La revedere" is more of an exclamation than a farewell. So there you have it. The last day of 2010, which is fine with me.

The most obvious transition (and surprise!) of 2010 was my transplantation to New York City. At this time last year I was settled in San Diego and saving to buy a new car, with no long term plans at all, and to be honest no real short term plans at the time either. I've stopped trying to plan my life, or set age limits, on anything. All it does is serves you with frustration when it's not working out, a feeling of failure if you don't make it happen, or stops you from other opportunities because it "wasn't in the plans" when really other situations and other plans are no failure at all. All I have are goals, and to be honest, living in the ever-busy and extremely expensive New York City, all I can do is go one day at a time here, and I do, and I love it. I am wondering what the next step is, or will be. I'm not sure what direction to take, or what to focus on, or know if I should simply just relax and live for awhile. I've found that life will press you into a corner when it's ready to make a change, so I guess I will wait for that to come about.

I am very, very happy in New York City. It used to be that I was restlessly located in San Diego, wondering if and how I would ever live abroad again, if I could make it work in Europe, or teach abroad in Asia, or follow through with the Peace Corps in Africa. But since I've been in New York, all of the longings have quieted, and I don't feel so restless here. Still, if other opportunities present themselves, I am open to that. The idea of "settling down" still scares me, so I've stopped putting boundaries on any plans or my life in general.

All this to say that, who knows what turns 2011 will bring, but I hope I have the grace to receive them. I will be welcoming the new year in via a champagne bar/club in Brooklyn. Auld lang syne!

Christmastime Revisited

First of all, welcome back to the city, self! The flights were easy and absolutely painless. I watched Inception on the flight to Newark and then spent the rest of the time sleeping. When we landed, I was thinking "where is the snow?" then I realized I was looking at snow, not concrete, and it had been shoveled off just the runway paths and there were curbs of snow lining it.

After a lengthy and expensive cab ride into the city, I didn't even recognize my corner when we got there because of the snow! It was piled up to my waist around cars and trashcans and the corners, and very narrow diagonal walkways up the curb at intersections. I tried to unpack a little, to air out my place a little, and to crash early, but I was still exhausted this morning.

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY TIMBERLANDS!! I was even slipping and catching ice walking in those this morning, and it felt weird just head out in the neighborhood, but next to huge mounds of snow lining the streets, while otherwise it was clear blue skies and no snow left in the trees or on buildings. And welcome to snow in the city: trash in it, over trash cans, and slushy and black in the streets. There are a few pretty piles left though, and I haven't seen Central Park yet...!

It's hard being back in the city, so far away. Last night was hard to come back to my place alone after my time surrounded by friends and family at every turn. Coming into work was nice though, and I am slowly getting adapted to being right back where I was before and I'll be taking it one day at a time and exploring the city and my new life.

Sadly I forgot to bring a camera home so I only have a few pictures from my time there. But here is what I have at my disposal right now since my updating hiatus


From the company holiday party, this is the Student Services team along with Kam, our Asias admissions ally!


The Fabulous Student Services Dream Team


Dancing up with Joe, the last piece of Student Services Dream Team who came too late for the rest of our nice pre-drinks pictures!


Just me, dancing away


Just us at grandma's, preparing my famous Greek Salad, which is not at all in keeping with Christmas cuisine. Still, it's so fresh and healthy, and no lettuce, and I like that


Whose glasses were those?


The Kelley's at Aunt Patricia and Uncle Steve's vow renewal


Kathleen and I agreed that the festivities of the wedding of our aunt made us all feel more festive and like the holidays, and it was great to have those sides of the family together in one place. It was small, intimate, fun, and beautiful, and I am so so so happy for Aunt Patricia and Uncle Steve. This picture of all of us is the first of its kind!

It's nostalgic to look at these and then be back in New York City, but I'm getting through it like I did before: one day at a time. And it's great to know the people supporting me who will always be there whenever I am home.

From Phoenix, Arizona

My mind is on fire with the events of the past days… of the people I saw, of the places that I went to, of the nostalgic conversations and the feelings I felt as I revisited it all. I missed it all, I missed them all, and there were still so many people I wanted to see that I didn’t get a chance to.

I love Riverside more than ever, now that I don’t live there. It’s a wonderful place to go home to. The only thing that is weird is how I don’t live there, and now it’s a vacation destination, and I can only see as many people as I can cram into different dinners and coffee dates. Everyone asked me, with a serious tone “Are you happy out there?” and the truth is that I am very happy in New York City. I love being in the center of the world. I love that city, and the events, and the life there. It is hard being away from the comforts, normalcy, and yes even slower-moving life in southern California. But I know that it’s still there for whenever I come home, and the life I have on vacation that I love is not the life I would lead if I was a resident there in the normal grind of life. So I just take it one day at a time and it allows me to be in the present fascination of the new adventure of my life.

I’ve always loved the desert landscape, and I always love these stopovers in Phoenix where I get to stare out at the orange and red rocks and mesas and palm trees, it’s my halfway house and it’s my haven that marks my way both to and from home. Off to a new adventure, or coming back to the comforts of home, I see both of that in Phoenix. And as of now, I’m not sure which stage I’m in, because I was a little homesick for New York City already.

All the family, the aunts, uncles, cousins, my only grandma, my sisters, the cats, all my friends in San Diego, Orange County, Riverside, and beyond… thanks for a warm homecoming and see you all again in the future.

Casual Friday

If anyone deserves a casual Friday today, it's our team at the office here. The festivities yesterday started around 11:30 and wine and beer were included in the catered lunch, with plenty of amazing desserts (cheesecakes and gingerbread and chocolate mmmmmm) and then Student Services had our own karaoke session with me and Jayna entertaining ourselves with Dirty Diana and Total Eclipse of the Heart

We got ready at work and took a cab to the Latin Quarter, and the open bar there more than did us in but it didn't end when the lights turned on... instead we all jumped in cabs (I happened to be in a cab with 5 people in the backseat alone) and went to a swanky club called Greenhouse in SoHo. I lost all concept of time but it sure didn't feel like I slept long when I had to get up this morning to get ready and finish cleaning up my place... and then lugging my suitcase on the subway with me. We all went and got breakfast this morning and are just trudging through the day.

I leave tomorrow!!

Ready for Home

Lately, all I can think about is coming home. I guess once I hit about two weeks to go, it became all consuming to get a break from the city and come back to wide open (and warm, sunny) spaces. Everything is just annoying to me, and the days at work are stretching into long, mindless hours, and I can't seem to focus on anything in my free time to unwind or relax either: not music, not reading, not watching Seinfeld. All I want is to be out of this cold and home in California :/

Tomorrow is an entire day of holiday parties and celebrating, including the nighttime gala for my company at a place called Latin Quarter on the Upper East Side. So I'm sure an open bar will take my mind off of things :)

And also, the San Diego Chargers are playing the San Francisco 49ers tomorrow in the middle of the party (darn Eastern time!) so I am giving my Chargers support now!! Let's see it Rivers ma boy! (Where you at, Sri??)



Three days... just three days and I will be out of the cold and back in a land where I can see the horizon and mountains...

The Snow Stuck

Last night it didn't look like the snow was enough to do more than melt on impact with the ground, or just fill the cracks on the sidewalk, but when I left this morning, there was a light dusting of snow everywhere! Cars, sidewalk, streets, plants, the park.

So, so beautiful... even if I do need warmer and more snow-treading shoes

Buon Natale

I had an easy Monday. After work I went down to Little Italy to do some shopping. It wasn't too crowded, it was cold on my face but I felt cozy in my coat and earmuffs, and I went around Little Italy's little streets doing some shopping under all their Christmas lights.



I stopped in Chinatown for some Chinese food before coming home, putting on a Christmas movie and baking cookies and watching the snow outside. I mixed the dough in my cooking pot since I don't have a mixing bowl, and since I couldn't fit them all in my few Tupperware bowls, I had to eat a lot :/

It's so beautiful to see snow in the city!

5 days

The New Soundtrack

When I hit a slump, what usually picks me up is NEW MUSIC. I love new music! And I love music! And there's a time and a place for all kinds, all genres!

I caved in and bought Ke$ha... the poor man's Gaga. Sorry! I couldn't resist, but it's FABULOUS, plus it's great work out music! A few singles were thrown in there as well, including the blast from the past Monica's "Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)" and it's made a great soundtrack for my rainy Sunday.

Six days! Six days! Six days!

Santacon Saturday

Today in NYC is Santacon... it's basically a pubcrawl but everyone participating must dress up as Santa Claus. When I first heard about it I was planning on partaking of the festivities, but it crept on me and I didn't have the energy to go buy any Santa regalia. Nevertheless, it really warms my heart to know that there is always something badass going down in the Big Apple.



Last night was a "Bossless Happy Hour" put on by my boss. Both the academic and operations departments have been without immediate supervisors and we have been relying on our Center Director for direction and support. (And I love Greg, I think he is the best boss / supervisor I've ever had the privilege of working under) but he referred to himself as "the grandpa who spoils us" so as a last hurrah before the academic manager starts next Monday, he took us all out for a happy hour. And of course, my "I'll just stay for one drink" turned into a few more than that. And tonight is a cocktail party at the former academic managers' place, actually in my neighborhood, so I didn't want to spend the day drinking at Santacon and then going for cocktails.

In exactly a week I will be in a plane on my way to California! But I've got a lot going on before that: Cocktail party tonight, church and open play volleyball tomorrow, last volleyball game on Wednesday, the company holiday party on the East Side on Thursday, and training my fill-in all week for my two weeks off... it's going to be amazing!! Like a winter break in college!

May I add that we are all incredibly excited for the holiday party next Thursday? My company may have taken away our color printers, but I don't think they will ever forfeit our monthly happy hours or holiday parties. I'm excited to be in New York with corporate where they really know how to throw a good gig... these things are apparently legendary. Yesterday during our lunch break, Jayna, Jenny and I headed off to Macy's to help Jayna find a dress (I will be reusing my Vegas dress from October) and it got me really excited for it! The only problem is that it's going to be on a Thursday! Hmmm.

Time for me to go running in Central Park. I have a few new Ke$ha songs to run to!



This picture is from a few weeks ago, but still cute. I was probably excited about my freshly threaded eyebrows. I love that. (P.S. I was wearing a strapless top, not naked!)

BODY FUZION

I was thinking about how next week is the last volleyball game for the fall season, and how I was sad because I want to continue to be active, and even take it up a notch. Everyone says it's hard to do things in the winter around here because it's just too cold.

Still, I thought about getting some winter warmups for running in the cold, and then I thought about aerobic videos, and then I remembered this little number from SNL that I just love and couldn't resist showing. Anyone who ever saw their moms aerobic videos as a kid can appreciate this (suffer through the ad, it's worth it!)



Also, I'm not sure if it's possible but I think that I might be getting sick again?? At this point I just want to be home already :/

Eight days!

Dive Bar

I went to Boston this past weekend, got in late Sunday night. On Monday, my team had a make up volleyball game at a gym just a few blocks down from my place. Because of this, i was easily swayed to join them afterwards to the nearby "Dive Bar" (called Dive Bar) where we crowded into an already crowded bar for the Jets v Patriots game, and watched the Jets be absolutely annihilated (much to my joy!) over pitchers of Brooklyn Lager.

Tuesday was the late night venture into Koreantown with Reginald + Betsy & Co.

Wednesday was the regularly scheduled volleyball game and after the late night Monday rounds, I decided I would go straight home after the game. HOWEVER... I didn't take into account that we would have such a fabulous game that should have been shown on ESPN! Our normal setter was out, so our designated coach told me I would be setting in her place. I have to say that I am not half bad at setting up the ball for some hits, but since the setter controls and manages the court, I didn't want to do it! However, it ended up being awesome, I had way more of a workout from the run-around, and got to have SO MUCH netplay! I was blocking balls at the net, tipping them over and down, and setting up our hitters left and right. We won the game by a game point made by a player who had fallen and was laying on the ground as he hit it! It was incredible, so I had to go for a celebratory drink... again at Dive Bar, and again going home pitchers of Anchor Steam later. And it's right in the neighborhood so it was a short walk home. (Mind you this picture below must be from the summer cause there is DEFINITELY no one sitting around OUTSIDE at night with the weather we have now!)



I hate that volleyball is only 1 day a week (having the double header this week was great!) I want to join some more sports and be more active during the week, but it gets expensive. I really should've taken more advantage of those sports and activities in school while I was a student.

Down to 9 days (single digits)!

Koreatown

Before I moved to NYC I had never had Korean food, not even once. I couldn't even tell you what constituted Korean food or even a basic idea of the cuisine. And now, maybe it's just more popular here, maybe it's because I work so close to Korea town, or maybe I've just finally branched out, but since I've been in New York City, I can't even count how many times I've had Korean food now.

I bring it up because last night Ronnie's mother, who is in town, took us out to dinner... a table of 5 friends which included ourselves and Betsy and Casey. It was AMAZING, not only to have dinner with everyone, but just Ronnie's mother herself, who apparently only trusts Queens, Bloomingdales, and Koreatown, for her living, shopping, and eating needs while in New York City, respectively. She was so concerned about everyone enjoying their food, that everytime I ventured a name of what I was thinking about to Ronnie she told me "no". And actually, her and Ronnie ended up getting into an argument about my meal... and Mother Ronnie won! I had some sort of barbecue bul go ki beef? It was delish. And the appetizers were all good too, except anytime someone would reach for something Mother Ronnie didn't think they would like, she would tell them "no, don't eat it". At the end of the meal she ordered this icy soy dish for us. She is so sweet! After that we went and got coffee and tea, and Ronnie made me order the "Longing Heart" tea, which looked like an aquarium. It was a good mid-week meal and fun to see Betsy and Casey too!

On the way out, I went to the same subway stop as Ronnie and Mother Ronnie, who didn't like where we stood. "No light! Come this way" and walked us over to a brighter platform. When the train was coming: "Ronnie! Stand back!" She was just the cutest thing ever!



I am happy to have so many Korean experiences with Mother Ronnie in them

Snow Flurries

In checking the weather for Boston for last weekend, it kept saying there would be "snow showers" on Sunday. Though my bus left in the late afternoon, I never did see any snow.



This morning as I left my apartment for work, I was thinking about the missed snow, and walking to the subway, it looked like there was debris, or ash, in the sky. I realized that it was snow. It wasn't sticking, and it wasn't very heavy, but the first snowflakes of the season are here (time to man up and go get my winter wardrobe stocked... anything more than the 3 days worth I have now is probably a good thing).

Boston in Autumn

This past weekend was my 3rd trip to Boston this year... my very first time was in the spring, then I hit it up (along with Cape Cod) in the summer, and now my autumn trip to visit my friendy-wendy Chrishon.



I always took the train up to Boston, it was generally a 4 1/2 hour ride non-express (sometimes more) and could cost upwards of $60. However, I found this express charter bus company in New York that travels to Boston and Philadelphia for about 1/3 of the price and gets there EVEN FASTER than the train since there were no stops inbetween. The cons were: no room to move, me getting very nauseous from the car sickness, not a lot of room to move, getting stuck in traffic in and out of Manhattan. Also, waiting in the cold at the bus stop was... cold, but I did get to see Sandra Oh walk by.


(Of Grey's Anatomy and Sideways fame)

Since Chrishon and i go between Boston and NY to see each other, at least it's good to know there's a cheap alternative to the train.

I had forgotten to charge my camera battery, so I didn't get more than 3 pictures out of the trip, but it was still great. Chrishon and I went out to the Boston Commons and got Starbucks, walked some of the Freedom Trail, and just explored the downtown, stopping into some of the historic buildings, shopping around.



I must say, of all the US cities I've visited, none makes me feel more connected to history and thankful for this country than Boston. (Not even DC!) As the birthplace of the revolution, the whole town, the statues, the museums from original houses, meeting halls... they all boast of the workings of the Founding Fathers, of where they met to discuss independence, to plan for the revolution, etc. It was their workings that gave us our freedom and our nation...


(Old South Meeting House)


...and some good beer, thank you Sam Adams!

The city was done up right nice for Christmas, it was so festive and beautiful! I was in heaven with Starbucks and the lights in Boston :)


Pretty pretty Winter St


The big beautiful tree behind Faneuil Hall

On Saturday night, Chrishon and I also went out to eat along the Charles River (and got our entire meal comp'ed + desserts, since they had to have us move tables for a huge party coming in, not bad!) and then we made drinks and got ready at her home before heading back out and going to an Irish pub / club (pub on the first floor, club on the second!) called Sissy K's, it was great music, reasonable drinks (I think everything is "reasonable" coming from New York City) and fun people.


Look what the K stands for... and even spelled correctly!

It was a quick trip, but so fun and refreshing. Always nice to have company and be in a new city.

Happy Hanukkah!

I knew a handful of Jewish people in California, I'm not an alien to all things Jewish, but nothing says the Jewish experience in America like being in New York City!

The first night of Hanukkah was last night, and my work has a menorah on the front desk in the lobby and it's so festive! I just love holidays, and learning about new religions. I have met plenty of Jews in the city here, their devotion all varying degrees, but I love telling them Happy Hanukkah (really gotta work that word-initial pharyngeal fricative too) and hearing about their celebrations.



...another seven nights of fun!

Happiness Is Not A Warm Gun

...it's when I get off the subway at Herald Square on my way to work and the first thing I see as I'm riding the escalator up, is this larger-than-life billboard sign towering above us all



I gots to get my White Album on... to the tune of Sgt Pepper. <3 New York City.

Nineteen Days

...until California!

Blue Skies, Sunshine

...and 34 degrees Fahrenheit. One thing I'm not used to is freezing weather in clear skies with no snow on the ground. Yes I actually spent most of the weekend outdoors in this weather. What scares me is that it's not even snowing yet! I met up with my friend from Westchester and we were going around Central Park when he said "Winter really is on it's way" and I said "I thought this WAS winter!" It's such a fun change though, I really do enjoy putting on the scarves and jackets and gloves before heading out, and it's fun being outside all bundled up, and the air seems so fresh when it's frosty.

This morning I went to church and then went and spent time at Battery Park (I love sitting on the benches there and people watching on a background of the ocean and the Statue of Liberty). It was SO COLD that I felt it was finally time to go buy earmuffs or a beanie that covered my ears, but every store I went in was either too expensive or too crowded, so it put me in a sour mood.

To make up for it, I visited Michael's a few blocks from me to buy a few Christmas decorations as a pick-me-up! I would love a tree, but it seemed too impractical, so I got a small wreath for my door, some lights, some sparkly red and gold poinsettias for the vase on my nightstand, a scented candle, and since I have that fireplace, I couldn't resist getting a stocking to hang up over it. My ears may have to stay cold until the next paycheck, but it's worth it because I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Christmastime!!

Now that Thanksgiving is officially completed, I can now start celebrating Christmastime!!!!!!! MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, and so far, New York City is second only to Germany in its love for Christmas, and even then, there's a chance that the Big Apple may surpass it! There are huge snowflake lights on the lampposts up and down my avenue, the shops at Columbus Circle have amazing 3D color changing stars hang in the windows, and the trees are PURE LIGHTS....

The stars...



The trees...



I can now light scented gingerbread candles, drink gingerbread lattes from Starbucks (to me, that's a Christmas drink... I still indulged in the fall classics like pumpkin spice and creme brulee in the meantime) I will shop in the Christmas markets at Union Square and might try to go see the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Plaza this week (haven't decided if I want to battle that crowd yet).

Thanks to Cousin Bobby, I have a program that burns DVD's, and combined with my Netflix account, I have been Netflixing like crazy, not even watching, just burnin' and returnin'... burning tons of Christmas movies in preparation for the season! First up, maybe Nightmare Before Christmas?



In other news, I have changed my alarm to the radio instead of a buzzer (love it!) and am now addicted to this song I have heard every day this week (including this morning!)

I feel the sun creepin up like
TICK-
TOCK-
I'm tryna keep you in my head but
IF-
NOT-
We'll just keep runnin' from tomorrow with our
LIPS-
LOCKED-
Yeeeeeah you got me beggin' beggin' baby please don't goooooo ...!



...although all music soon subject to morph into my Christmas favorites, like Jimmy Eat World's Last Christmas, and the whole third volume of Maybe This Christmas Tree, that I've been addicted to every holiday season since 2003! (Compilation CD of contemporary remakes of Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Baby It's Cold Outside, Jingle Bells, and complete with a Death Cab for Cutie's version of Baby Please Come Home, and my favorite, though non-traditional Fairytale of New York by Pilate)



I'm ready to go outside although I don't dare go near the shopping... I think I will go run / power walk around the Central Park meadow just down the street from me. Only 22 days until I'm back in California!

HAPPY THINSGIVING!!

This morning I woke up, had coffee, then got ready and made the trek to Queens to celebrate Ronnie & Kristin's First Annual Thinsgiving! It's a healthy, fat free take on Thanksgiving, celebrated by just us, the two loneliest kids in NYC on the fourth Thursday of November this year.

I had been really sick all week, and went straight to bed after work yesterday because I felt so blah and my nose wouldn't stop running. So it was great to wake up feeling better.

I thought the holiday-schedule trains would take forever but actually it was great! Maybe I was just in the right place at the right time? The E train out to Queens was even running express :)

My contributions were the turkey (pre-made and seasoned slices from Whole Foods), red wine, pumpkin pie, and deviled eggs! I hard boiled the eggs last night and made them at Ronnie's



Now we're working on the stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans and corn before we set our table, complete with "mock brocc-tatoes" and homemade apple cider!

We are youtubing Thanksgiving episodes of TV shows and will watch The Family Stone over dinner. Ronnie says we have to walk 10 blocks on Roosevelt Island on the way to Betsy's east side apartment tonight to complete Thinsgiving, but the jury's still out on that one.

Ronnie would also like me to mention that the plates we will be eating on are... very nice.



Here is us in the kitchen, I'm enjoying my red wine from a fancy plastic cup!



This is our Thinsgiving stuffing: broth with vegetables and oats!



Our Thinsgiving feast! I told Ronnie we should have a centerpiece, so he brought out the "This Is Why You're Fat" book. Amen!

Thinsgiving was completed with Turkeyaoke (thank you Grease, Kelly Clarkson and the Carpenters!) and with a frosty TWENTY block walk around beautiful Roosevelt Island, and the East Side to feed Betsy's cats. I am SO. FULL.

...and so thankful (thinful?) too!

What Time Is It?

I cannot live without a watch! And since my Guess watch battery ran out I've only been able to use my Pierre Lanier watch my dad bought for me while I was in France, and now that keeps giving out. The worst part is that when I look at my watch, I have no idea if that is the time, or just the time it was when it stopped, because it keeps stopping and starting. So today at lunch I must have taken it to 4 or 5 different places for a replacement battery, but no one (not even a jewelers store) had the tools to remove the back of the watch! It was very frustrating.

In other news, I found the official webpage of the Empire State Building, which tells you what the different lighting means and when it takes place. Some nights it's just so beautiful, but you have no idea what the significance is! Well look no further, cause now we can all know!



http://www.esbnyc.com/current_events_tower_lights.asp

Down to 25 days!

Autumn in New York

Yesterday was such a wonderfully pleasant day! I was slow moving in the morning from the "happy hour" the night before, which turned into a "happy night". Usually our company happy hours are on Thursdays which, with work the next day, keeps them somewhat tame. But being on a Friday, it went pretty crazy! It started at 6p, and it was free flowing until I guess 9 or 10p? when a huge group of us grabbed a limo a headed up to the Empire Hotel's rooftop club. It must have been like 15 of us in that limo, so we were all just crammed in and laying on top of each other, but it was fun! We had a table at the Empire Hotel with bottle service, the music was good, and we had so much fun! I didn't get home til early morning. Considering how long it took me to come around the next morning, I'm starting to think that I can't keep up with NYC nightlife...!

On Saturday, I met up with Ronnie, Betsy and Casey near the Natural History Museum for a flea market and Shake Shack (but Ronnie brought me Fay Da Bakery treats!) and then we walked through the park. The fountains are off for the winter, but it was so beautiful!! Leaves everywhere and the trees all oranges and browns and reds. We wandered across the Boathouse and Angel of the Waters and found the huge Alice in Wonderland statue on the east side of the park.



When we came out on the other side, we walked to frozen yogurt before splitting up. Ronnie and I took a walk down 5th to do a little shopping (a sale at New York & Co got me two BEAUTIFUL and SOFT FUZZY WARM scarves!!) and go through the shopping district. While I still don't acknowledge the Christmas decorations, it was so warming! We looked at the window displays at Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdales, and went into Tiffany's! We walked to Columbus Circle and split up when Ronnie went to Borders and I went to the Lower East Side to meet up with an old friend.

Alex and I share a lot of memories from high school days! We were part of a pretty solid and regular group of friends, that I have no idea how we all disbanded and drifted apart, but I suppose it's inevitable. Alex was visiting the city as is a regular custom of his, and we met up on the Lower East Side, wandered up to the East Village for sushi, and then to Rockefeller Square to see the tree (it's currently still under construction but the ice skating rink is up in full glory! The ice skating rink that alEX says is for "children and happy couples").



It was great to catch up, and be with an old friend and a familiar face again. I am so happy that while time goes on and circumstances change, you just never know what life holds, and who you can run into again, and I'm so happy that the people I've met in life have been such great people I can still meet up with years later!



I am so so SO happy to be in New York City! With so much going on, such beautiful sites and scenery, seasons, and events, I am so happy to live here and be a part of all of it, be in the crowds and explore new places, and be able to come home to my little studio in Manhattan.



Today I am going to go play in a 3 hour open play volleyball with my team!

Surprise!

Now that the ticket is actually official, turns out the dates have been changed a bit, so I'll be leaving sooner and back sooner, which sadly means no DeMint New Year's Eve party, but I will get to welcome in 2011 from New York City

I've skipped from 33 down to 29 days in a matter of minutes!!

Lights in the City

New York City is already decorating and jazzing itself up for Christmas and I absolutely REFUSE to acknowledge it until Thanksgiving is over! I always noticed Christmas got pushed earlier and earlier, but this year I actually feel as though Thanksgiving is DEAD. There has been NO Thanksgiving memorabilia or decorations or anything! Did you know I saw Christmas decorations in the Penn Station Kmart before Halloween?! And everything went from Halloween to Christmas. To be fair, Hannukah is in the beginning of December so maybe they need to decorate sooner, but I refuse to take notice until AFTER Thanksgiving!!



Tonight is my work's November happy hour at the Triple Crown pub downstairs... looking forward to free drinks!!



Down to 33 days

Morning Sites

This morning I was running a little late and the #1 train has been so bad lately that I decided not to switch at Columbus Circle but instead stay on the C train which stops at 34th St, Penn Station, which means a few extra blocks to walk to work, instead of the 1 train which lets off ON my block, but it's so easy to embrace it. Less time in the crowded subway, more time on the brisk streets of Manhattan, and always great views of the Empire State Building, framed by American flags from here or there





I still haven't gotten tired of seeing this.

P.S. 35 days until California!

The Queen

So I have to admit that I am a part of this crazy crowd obsessed with Prince William and Kate Middleton and I am JUST. SO. JEALOUS! I mean, she was just a normal human being, and now she could potentially be the Queen of England! I want to be the Queen of England! I was stewing over it all day and reminding my coworkers every chance I had that I wanted to be the Queen!

So, before heading down to the Triple Crown pub, I put on some Aveeno oatmeal lotion I keep in my desk drawer, and Jayna calls me elitist. I tell her "Well if I want to be the Queen of England, I have to start acting like the Queen of England" and to THAT Jayna responds "Well you know what they say... dress for the job you WANT, not the job you HAVE" We were laughing about that one all the way down the elevator and into the bar.


(Does anyone else think this looks like Grandma Shaffer??)

I now plan to show up to work in ballroom gowns, gauntlets, and a crown

Upstate in Westchester

This morning I got up early and took the Metro North Rail up to Croton-Harmon in Westchester. It was an hour train ride right up the Hudson River and was a beautiful trip, the reds and golds of the trees were so vibrant.





I was meeting up with a friend I made from my Central Park picnic on Memorial Day, and he lived up there. He picked me up from the train station and we drove another 15-20 minutes through the town and into the hills to a lake and went walking around the grounds. It was SO BEAUTIFUL. It looked like woods you read about in storybooks and fairytales. Mark said in the winter they ice skate and play hockey on the lake when it's frozen over. It was a lake with wooden bridges, lined by fiercely red and yellow and brown leaved trees. There were rivers, and streams, and foliage covered all the sidewalks. There was even an animal rescue area of wooden shelters of different animals: rabbits, porcupines, opossums, vultures, bald eagles, and owls, which were so regal and wonderful to look at. It was such a beautiful place!



It got cut a little bit short since I had to meet someone in the city at 4p, but it was a great day trip and felt so good to be out of the city for a little while and be in fresh air and gorgeous scenery

Happy Birthday Cherisse

I can't even count all the memories I have with Cherisse, from being young (Monopoly games with incessant stealing from the bank, spanning strings of soda cans across the street and dont forget that RIDICULOUS Beauty and the Beast game for the computer I used to cry over because I couldnt bake the cake but Cherisse was a pro), growing up (photo shoots at Mission Bay, grandma's 90th birthday party, and sneaking out of Christmas to get Jack In the Box since dinner was taking too long for us) to being grown up (going to her wedding, her surprising me at my college graduation, visiting her at her and her husbands house in North Carolina) and though I haven't seen her since Valentine's Day of last year I think, I am still so thankful that she is in my life and we are celebrating another year of Cherisse Leann! (Unfortunately I only have more recent photos on this computer)

Family Picnic 2005




I completely fell and ate it right after this picture was taken




Christmas 2005


Family Picnic 2007






Grandma's 90th... November 2007








Cherisse's Wedding... December 2008


Cherisse and I off a stop of Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia or North Carolina


Me and Cherie at her old house in North Carolina


Happy Birthday Baby Gurrrrrrrrrl!!