War Zone

A lot has happened in the past 2 days. Or at least that how I fell. I took a summer Friday yesterday (I get 2 because I started work in the middle of summer, but I love that we get summer Fridays!) to wait for my worldly possessions to arrive. My nine (avg 30lbs) boxes.

So of course I slept all morning and spent the afternoon cooking and giving myself a manicure. As soon as I'm about to apply the top coat on my last nail the UPS man rings the doorbell.

I then proceed to carry the boxes up 2 flights of stairs. I MADE IT!

I went to spin class at a gym, (I am still searching for all the trials I can get), and decided I would get snack so I stopped by Whole Foods in Union Square to see what it was like. Oh my word...I will probably never have time to just 'get a snack' from WF like I used to. The line was ridiculous! They had all 31 cash registers open and a long, long, winding line that wrapped to the end of the store. There was an automated voice that told you which register to go to next. Here in NYC, lines in the busy store end with a line ender who holds a sign for either '10 items or less' or 'end of line.' I browsed a bit and then walked out the door.

I went to a Cold War Kids concert sponsored by Heineken. It was really cool. Too bad I don't like to drink beer. They had food, silk screened t-shirts (you got to pick a design and color you wanted it in), interactive TVs that you could text messages to via your phone or the iPads they had available, Wii games and a ton of free Heineken. It was nice and the DJ played good music. I got a little tired by the end though. But it was like one of those parties that you hear about, that happen all of the time in NYC so it was cool to finally go to one. I also went to a Tito El Bambino event the next night. It was really interesting to see the different crowds for each performance.

Self-serve Heineken

And today my bed arrived!

Okay...so you may be wondering why I only have a mattress...and why my room looks like war zone.

The box frame does not fit up the stairs! They even put it up to the balcony on the second floor and it couldn't make it up the stairs. It is literally to big to fit up the space between the ceiling and the stairs. So I have to get a split box spring. Now, I know all the new bed styles are platform and don't require box springs but I prefer a high bed. However, my new mattress is extremely comfy and top of the line. I definitely sleep so much better.

Yesterday, I also went to Omonia Cafe with Lauren. It's a few blocks from my place and serves the greatest desserts and pastries. Definitely a neighborhood place, great for people watching, good for dates or chats with friends. I watched the World Cup final match there and it was fun. They have this great brunch special where you get to choose one item each from 4 seperate categories for only $12.95! I got herbal tea with honey, a bloody mary, homemade spinach pie and flan. YUM. Lauren got herbal tea, a screwdriver, burger and fries and strawberry shortcake. I'm taking everyone who visits me to this place because I think it's that much fun.

So now that all my stuff is here, I feel a bit more 'permanent' about living in NY. Before it was felt so temporary, like my internship last year, that I'm going to go home soon. But that's not the case and I have to wait until THANKSGIVING. There is definitely a lot of things to do and places to see. So that keeps me busy. In fact, I've only unpacked two boxes...

The weather here has been wonderful. Yesterday, Lauren and I went to Central Park to lay out (well, me in the shade, and L in the sun). Jackie went to the UK for vacation so it's just us two for now. Today we went to the new Target that has just been built in East Harlem. It was JUST like shopping at a real Target at home complete with one huge sales floor. But there is just sooooo many people here that there is always a traffic jam of carts. There's a complimentary Target shuttle that will take you from the subway station to the store. It's nice!

I took a picture of a Target shuttle while in a Target shuttle

Inside the shuttle was a running reel of Harlem life and neighborhood.

Of course we have to limit ourselves to only buy what we can carry home. But on the way back we saw the 6 train wrapped in Target advertising. It was really cool to see and we totally lit up when it arrived.

It's my party...

Though I've been feeling sad about spending yet another birthday away from my loved ones, things are starting to look up. Today I came home to this:

Okay, so it didn't really look like that. It was actually in a USPS box with just my address on it. Gabby, don't think you can just not put your address on something and think that I would not recognize your handwriting.

Anyways, I decided I would be good and not open it until my actual birthday.

JUST KIDDING. I just wanted to pretend I had the patience. HAH!

I know you're dying to know what's inside, just as I was.

I'll add a lot of break so you have to scroll down all the way.

Keep scrolling...

Glitter gold TOMS!

Only a best friend would remember that one time you mentioned that you wanted these shoes when talking about her baby brother buying a pair for own best friend. I now declare TOMS shoes best friends shoes.

Now, if only I were going to work tomorrow. I want to wear them out!!!

iKrazy

Yesterday my roommates and I decided to take a trip to Ikea. To finally furnish or attempt to furnish or at least make decisions as to what to do to fill up our space. Because really, 2 weeks with nothing but cardboard and boxes to act as your furniture doesn't really make coming home very comforting. Actually, that is a lie. We love our place and have already declared that we will be living here for at least 2 years.

However, we do need furniture. I mean, I'm still sleeping in an airbed. If I'm going to call NY my home, it needs to be a place where I can lounge. And we are all tired of lounging in a full sized bed.

So we spent about 8 hours going to, eating in, shopping around and coming home from Ikea. Or should I say...Ikrazy because that is how we felt at the end. The thing about Ikea is that you go through the whole freaking store carefully handpicking the items that will make your home. You have a 15 meatball meal with ligonberry jam, mashed potatoes and elderberry drink with your roommates. You layout your place and discuss the allocation of costs. And then you get down to the warehouse...to realize that not only do you have to pick up your own pieces but EVERYTHING YOU WANT IS OUT OF STOCK.

Then begins the delirium. Waiting in line to ask if they have it in the back, debating on whether you really need it or if you should pay the one-time flat fee to deliver only half of what you picked out or if you should just go home and come back another time when ALL the things you picked out are in stock.

Of course we spend some time looking through the as-is section to see if we could score deals. In the end we just picked some alternatives. Maybe they weren't as cute as our original picks but they at least served the same function. Because we'd be damned if we had to pay the delivery fee more than once.

We got some coffee/side tables, a COUCH, a rug, a dining table, a table for the kitchen and then some. Of course, after standing in line we had to have a snack of non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or, if you are Jackie, you get a Pepsi with NO ICE...BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT OF THAT TOO. Then we decided to go back and get more tables. Get ready to leave, make it past the receipt checker, down the stairs only to realize the $8 table you're carrying has a DENT in it. So one has to go back and exchange it. And then see your roommates like this:

So yesterday night our place transformed..a bit. From this:

Literally cardboard and boxes ya'll.

Hard at work. Carrying those pieces through the subway was AWFUL.

!!!

Basked in sunlight.

There will be more. Our couch was special delivery so please stay tuned for the next 10-14 business days.  GET EXCITED.

Working girl

I've decided to show ya'll my commute to work!

I would post pics of the apt but it is BARE and I do not know if I feel like sharing until my bed gets here. We shall see.

So I wake up in the morning feeling like P.Diddy...just kidding.

Every morning I leave this cute apt:


Turn the corner and walk down Broadway, a main and busy street in Astoria. I love it:


I walk to the subway and wait for my train, outside of Manhatten most of the trains run above ground:


I get off my first train and then transfer to a train that comes, literally, into my building. Hello Manhatten! View from the platform:


The above ground trains move rather slowly compared to underground ones. I always pass this awesome building I named the graffiti building:


I think the building is so cool and I enjoy seeing it everyday. One day I'll visit.

The train then wooshes into Grand Central and I exit like this:


Yes, the 7 train is about 6 stories underground. I walk up the stairs usually because the escalators are so slow. And for the morning commute, both go up only.

I pass a Starbucks and YAY work!


I make my way to my tiny desk. Okay, so I don't have a cube yet...this is temporary, we're moving soon to the upper floor and this is what I got. But I also got the best computer. And see my Smuckers' jars? ACCOUNT REPRESENT:


And as a bonus, what I wore to work today:


Do I look like a seasoned New Yorker yet? The canvas tote I carry has my lunch in it. I prefer not to put food inside my baby aka my beautiful, yellow bag. Duh.

Resurrection

I think it's the right time for me to bring back my blog. Why? Because I am now back in NYC...permanently.

I was blessed enough to graduate college and land a job in my dream city. Which also happens to be the dream city of millions of others. I am excited to report my adventures, musings and missteps to my...ahem..DEDICATED readers.


I live in Astoria, Queens. I love it here. I get low rent but a large apartment. Cozy cafes, bustling bars and small grocers line the streets along with all the other necessities such as laundromats and discount stores.

It's cute and homey. Our land lady/owner is a nice, first generation Italian named Ninfa. She has the cutest Italian accent and knows all the neighbors who are Italian as well. Joe and Lucy, our neighbors even grow grapes in their back yard. It's quite lovely.

My nabe also feels very safe. I have no qualms, yet, about walking home at night from the subway alone. We live pretty much in the heart of Astoria close to the main streets of Broadway and Steinway so there is always something to do.

So, I hope ya'll are ready for more posts. I want to be more prompt and informational than last summer. I know my friends and family would also love updates about my oh-so-glamorous life as a New Yorker.

Autumn in NYC!

YAY! I'm taking a little trip to NYC this weekend. Why you may ask? To shop, eat, catch up with some friends and oh yeah...visit my boyfriend!

I have a list of things I need to do/redo once I land. Get excited!!!

The End of NYC

So the end of my summer in the Big Apple ended about a week ago. There was so much that happened that I'm behind on posting. Who knows when I'm going to get to it as I have to move in to my apt before classes start on Wednesday. I have lots to do and as always, a lot of anxiety about it.

On another note, my dad took me to Vegas for my 21st birthday. I can honestly say it one of the best vacations I've been on, ranking up there with my trip to Boston with Mattie and NYC freshman spring break. I'm coming home with money in my pocket, more than I started with, and a developed taste for delicious foods (I love Vegas buffets). It was nice, relaxing and exciting because I've never been carded so much in my life.

So here's to VEGAS! Thanks Dad, you are awesome.