week #46

Home stretch. Let's talk about next week. Rockettes. Christmas Spectacular. Suck it world. This is going to be awesome. It's something I've always wanted to see. I couldn't be more excited. I also think I'm going to follow it up with a trip to the Russian Vodka Room. Happy holidays!

So many things happen to me every day that I want to tell you about, but I often forget. Like today. Something funny happened. I was all set to talk about it. Alas, I can't remember. Here's something else I've thought about recently though. I've decided the way to tell when I become a true New Yorker -- when I stop looking both ways before crossing the street. Almost all of the streets around my office are one way, and not particularly busy. Every time I saunter up to a crosswalk and look left-right-left, I just want to hit my forehead and say "doh." I wonder if parents in New York warn their kids from an early age to "look both ways before you cross the street." I have to think not.

I have a friend coming into town tomorrow. I can't find the pump for my air mattress, so I am blowing up a twin-sized aero bed the old fashioned way... by passing out. If I don't blog about how awesome the Rockettes were in the next few days, call for help, I'm probably halfway dead, and halfway done blowing this thing up.

peter pan bakery makes me swoon

I'm ashamed to say how many doughnuts I ate while watching marathoners this morning. But man, they were sooooooo tasty. Light and fluffy and melt in your mouth delicious. The cream with chocolate sprinkles is amazing! I wish I would have taken a picture. They also have these delightful yeasty doughnuts topped with crumbled cake doughnuts. It's so wrong it's right. Just saying, if you're ever in Greenpoint, go to Peter Pan Bakery.

OH, and I left out the best part. The doughnuts are $0.95. LESS THAN A DOLLAR! So again, not saying how many I ate, just saying I took a ten spot with me and got plenty of change.

week #45

Today I wandered through Central Park enjoying the sunny, brisk fall day. I'm no Ansel Adams, but I took some photos. It was a gorgeous day.

The other day I was on the subway heading to work. I was lucky enough to find a seat, but as we went along, the train was getting more crowded. A man and his two young kids got on -- a 9-ish year old boy, and a 5-ish year old girl. The woman next to me got up to let them sit, and the young girl climbed into her seat, and I started to get up to give up my seat as well, but both the boy and his dad said, "no, no, sit down." I asked if they were sure, and they insisted I keep my seat. The little girl next to me though, wasn't happy with that and said to me, "can you pleeeeaaaase let my dad sit down?" So I went to stand up again, but the man told me to sit back down, and said something to his daughter in Spanish. This happened a few more times. The girl trying to get me to get up, and the man telling me to stay put. I felt like a total jerk. So, the next time the little girl asks for her dad to sit, I said, "Your dad won't let me give up my seat." This seemed to resign her to the fact that we were sitting next to each other, so she figured she should get to know me.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Carly."

"My name is Maria."

"Hi, Maria."

"What's your phone number?"

- pause -

"I can't give you my phone number."

"Why?"

"Because then you'll be calling me all the time."

"No I won't."

"Sorry."

"What's your name?"

"Carly."

"What's your phone number?"

- giggle -

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Why?"

"Because then you'll call me all the time."

"I like your hair."

"Thanks"

"I like your face."

"Um. Thanks."

"What's your name?"

"I already told you."

"I forget."

"Carly."

Continue this for at least 5 stops. Continually being asked for my name and phone number. Other people on the train were snickering, and Maria's father kept talking to her in Spanish. I assume telling her to be quiet. They eventually got off. Mr. Mom apologized profusely, but I told him it was fine. In fact, it really made my day.

Tomorrow is the New York City marathon. I am going to support the runners by going to Peter Pan Bakery in Greenpoint to nosh on a few doughnuts while I cheer on people exercising.

Hey, I like your face.

happy halloween week #44

Last night... hmmm... was, I hate to say it, sort of lame. I hesitate to say that only because a group of people put a lot of time and effort into the Halloween at Woodlawn Cemetery tour, and it's not like it was terrible, I just think it was mis-advertised and a bit poorly executed. First, it wasn't scary at all. Not even spooky. Not creepy. Not even a little bit. You'd think, "Hey, I'm going to a cemetery at night, this is going to be freaky." But alas, that was not the case. The stories that were told at some of the grave sites were more along the lines of, "Here lies Bailey, of Barnum and Bailey. He died of a heart attack. He had $6 million dollars. Moving on." None of the stories were really that scary. Don't get me wrong. The cemetery is still really beautiful and interesting, but I feel like it might have been better held during the afternoon on any given day, than billed as a Halloween Cemetery tour led by flashlights.

Which brings me to my second point -- poor execution. I didn't have to sign a waiver or anything, so I guess that meant if I were to trip and fall over a headstone and hurt myself, they'd be liable. If that's not the case, I don't know why I was told every two minutes to "be careful" and "walk slowly." I am not exaggerating. Every. Two. Minutes. Maybe more often. I get it buddy, I get it. We were also a group of probably 100 or so people of all ages, so maybe that's why he kept repeating himself. I'm not sure, but it got annoying fast. Also, the size of the group was ridiculous. I had to reserve a spot for this, so I'm not sure why they didn't try to keep the numbers down, or send us out in two groups. Half of the time you couldn't hear the story that was being told, or see the grave that was being pointed out, because there was a herd of humans all trying to gather around. There were stragglers at every turn making the tour last longer than anticipated and made for a lot of waiting around.

All in all, I'd say it was a waste of my night. Again, I have to say, Woodlawn Cemetery is a beautiful place. It would be great to go during the daytime with just a small group and look at all of the extraordinary grave markers and learn a little history about past titans of New York. Just don't do the Halloween tour.

However, if you are looking for something fun to do in New York on Halloween, may I suggest riding the subway. People were hysterical. Costumes and debauchery galore. So happy Halloween everyone! I leave you with this.

week #44

I keep forgetting what I've written about and what I've been doing. I don't think I told you that last week (currently this week, I mean, next week doesn't start until Friday) I joined a book club I found on craigslist. Craigslist can be totally sketch, so I was slightly nervous about this. But, I was pretty sure that a book club posting is not the best way for a murderer to find potential victims. Come on, that's what the sex ads are for. Anyway, I joined a book club. All of the gals I met were super nice and welcoming, and I'm going back next month. Yay for reading. (Well, in all honesty, yay for drinking wine and eating cheese too. Both of which were things that were equally, if not more, important than book discussion.)

I just made my reservation for next week's new thing, so I'll tell you about it now. I didn't really have any Halloween plans, and I'm honestly not huge on dressing up, so I was planning on just staying in and watching a movie. But, plans change. I'm going on a creepy tour of Woodlawn Cemetery. OOooooOOOooo. I have to bring a flashlight because it's a spooky moonlit guided tour with tales of the horrors of the graves! (Insert evil Vincent Price laugh here.) I'm scared already. If I don't post next week, just assume I've been dragged to hell by the Bronx undead.

Well, that's that. Wanna hear a story?

As I was walking to my apartment tonight after work, I passed a probably 50ish-year-old man. He was lugging a suitcase behind him. He was entirely unremarkable, so I can't really describe him now except to say his approximate age and that he was wearing a light denim jacket. When we passed each on the sidewalk, he got in my face and said to me in a southern drawl, "I'm leaving New York."

And I leave you with that. Good night!

week #43

Tomorrow I am going to play Frisbee with a friend from work and her friends. So hopefully I will make friends and influence people. Odds are though, anyone who knows my Frisbility is concerned at this prospect. Yes, I can stand on the beach and toss a Frisbee back and forth in a person's general direction, but under pressure, my throws become chaotic and... let's say unpredictable. I am slightly worried that my capabilities, or lack thereof, at Frisbee might hinder any friend-making, but I'm going to give it a go anyway. Wish me luck.

Completely random, I know, but I went to the chiropractor today. My spine is all twisted up like a Cedar Point roller coaster, so I'm a regular at this type of doctor. But it was my first trip to the NYC chiro though, so I was pleasantly surprised with this doctor. I really liked him. He does a bunch of work with Broadway stars and dancers -- he's got signed posters all over the office. Obviously, he knows his stuff if the entire cast of Mamma Mia can vouch for him. Dr. Klein has a great bedside manner and is very personable, and I approve of his back fixing methods, but he did just about send me to the therapist when he had me stand with my back to him so he could check out my spine. As he inspected my back, he kept mumbling things like, "oh no, I don't like that at all," or "no, this doesn't make me happy." Basically, I'm a freak show. Somebody get me a bell tower, Quasimodo here needs to go into hiding.

I've got a couple more appointments with him next week so he can straighten me out. He also informed me that this lifestyle jolt of moving from Cleveland (where I didn't walk much of anywhere) to New York (where I walk pretty much everywhere) probably isn't helping any. He then proceeded to perform a party trick by telling me which arm I carry my bag on (my left, his right, correct!) This guy's a real character. Then I left, the whole way back alternating arms to carry my purse in an effort to even my self out.

midweek blah blah blah

Well, the original intent of this blog is degenerating. A weekly update of new things is turning into... gulp... an actual blooooooooooooooog. Thoughts. Feelings. Midweek unnecessary postings that have little to do with reporting on the actual newness of a thing. EGADS MAN! (Eek. Using exclamation points.)

I was so anti blogging (check out post numero uno), but now I'm doing it all willy nilly. Although, I haven't tagged any of my posts, so it's not really searchable, and it's still pretty secret, but I'm writing more than I thought I would, and about more stuff than originally intended. Not that that's a terrible thing. I'm just freaking out.

So, I went to the 10th Annual International Pickle Day this afternoon. Pretty stellar day. I didn't realize that there were so many places in NYC to get hand made pickles, or pickled products. I had been to one place, but this event had at least 20 pickled product vendors. I ate 6 whole pickles, plus a number of other pickled items like beets, turnips, green beans, and more. I even had some kimchi, which I didn't think I would like, but put that spicy junk on a hot dog or taco, and it's quite tasty. I had a whiskey brined pickle that was probably my favorite. I also had a bloody mary with pickling juice in it that was delicious. OH, and I had a PB&P finger sandwich. What's that you ask? Oh, just peanut butter and pickles, as normal as ever. Not gonna lie though, my stomach was a little bit pickled itself by the time I was done. So I called it a day and came home for a nap.

Tomorrow after work I am supposed to meet up with a group of fellow displaced Pittsburghers to watch the Penguins game at a bar. It'll be my first time meeting up with this group. Hopefully they'll like me and we'll all be best friends by the end of the game. I feel like it's the first day of school all over again. What to wear... what to wear?