Monday, October 29, 2012

On an island... in a hurricane

Well Hurricane Sandy has arrived! It's kinda crazy to think about how I'm stuck on an island in the middle of a hurricane. At this point all public transportation has been stopped and bridges/tunnels are all closed so I definitely won't be leaving Manhattan any time soon!

I'm doing fine so far, and probably won't have any problems where I'm at. Work was closed today- the whole mall at the Time Warner shut down yesterday afternoon and was closed today, and will now be closed Tuesday as well. During all my trips up and down the stair Saturday I did get some supplies in case we lose power. Things were pretty picked over, but I got food, water (it was pretty fun to haul a 24pk of water 3 blocks and up my stairs), and batteries so I should be good!

I went to Duane Reade for a few extra groceries this morning just in case- it was pretty crazy to be out at 10am and have everything on the street closed and dark. Lots of stores had taped up their windows in preparation.



Since that little trip out this morning I haven't been outside, but I have ventured down the stairs to the exterior doors of the building to peek outside. The wind was blowing pretty loud when I was down here taking this picture- but it was even louder the next time I went down for a peek.

 
I can't hear or see the full strength of the storm from my apartment- I'm pretty protected on the back side of the building. But what I can hear has definitely been getting louder and there have been a few loud cracks/crashes- not sure what they were...

So far the power is still on, it has flickered a few times but managed to still stay on. I lost internet for awhile but it came back on- lucky for you since that means I can update the blog.

My Place

Without further ado, here is the grand tour...

 
We'll start with the stairs. See all the way down, actually you can't even see all the way down the bottom of the stairs. It just keeps going. If you need motivation to lose weight or be in shape, move to NYC. You'll walk so much (especially if you live in a walkup), and food is so expensive that you'll inadvertantly be on a diet and in shape in no time!

The hallway view from my doorway
Up first are the living room and kitchen- all completely furnished :) My roommate has a loveseat coming to go in front of the bookcases- well hopefully. As it's currently in a warehouse in New Jersey waiting to be delivered, who knows...  Also, since we're the corner apartment at the back side of the building, all of our windows look out to a lovely view of... brick walls. The living room and kitchen windows look into these little alleys on either side of the building and the bedroom windows look out to this random gravel covered brick enclosed open space in the middle of the block. Not a great view, but at least we get natural light into the apartment!

Living Room

My kitchen is pretty awesome. It's bigger than my room. You think that's an exaggeration but its not. Compared to the kitchens in all the other apartments it is huge! Which is fine with me, I'm quite enjoying being able to cook and not having to eat out every night like I have the past 2 weeks :)



A pretty amazing kitchen for NYC
Yum! My first meal in my new place
Just had to show off my cute cereal bowls that I got at west elm with my discount :)
The bathroom is right off the kitchen- it's small but it has everything you need!
 


And finally... the closet. I mean, my bedroom that is the size of a closet ;) The entire width of my bedroom is what you can see in the picture plus about 18". It's nice and cozy. All that would fit in my room is a twin bed, so that's what I bought. I've been sleeping in a queen bed for the last few months so it was a bit of an adjustment the first night! I did not sleep well at all. In the middle of the night I rolled over and smacked my knees on the wall. I actually have a bruise (to be fair I had smacked my knee on a gate the day before and had a small bruise- this just made it bigger...).

My fantastic view
 
Using my Hurricane Sandy 24pk of water as my nightstand

The actual closet
 
It's so great to be in my own place. And I have plenty of time to enjoy it this week since I'm stuck inside due to Hurricane Sandy!


No more suitcases!

No more living out of a suitcase- I'm finally moved into my apartment! Yay! I've been subletting a girl's room for the past few weeks while she was out of town. It was much cheaper than being in a hotel until my apartment was available, but it meant I couldn't really unpack anything...

Saturday was the big day! Thanks to my friend Frances- my best friend in elementary school in California, who happens to live in NYC (yay, I know somebody here!)- and her boyfriend Matt for helping me move. It was SOOOOO much easier to haul my giant suitcases to the taxi and into the apartment with their help, especially since I didn't even have to carry the heavy ones up the stairs :)

We had an ornery taxi driver on our little moving adventure- we got to my apartment and he pulled to the left side of the road (it's a one way street and my building was on the right side). So we mentioned we needed to be the on the other side and he said "why didn't you tell me?!" Probably because we had already given the address and the even numbers (which my address is) are on the west side of the road, didn't think we needed to explain that but apparently you do- at least to this guy. I guess that's just not common sense, even for someone who makes a living dropping people off at addresses all over the city, go figure ;)

After we brought my suitcases in we headed off to Cafe Lalo for brunch. You may recognize this cafe from the movie "You've Got Mail." Frances and I went here a couple weeks ago when I first arrived and she wanted to take her boyfriend to try it. They have about a billion different types of eggs and really yummy desserts.
Brunch at Cafe Lalo

The great thing about the Upper West Side is that there are little cafes and bakeries like this all over the place- if only I had the money to go try them haha.

Did I mention my apartment is a walkup? And I'm on the 4th floor? Yeah, it's just a few stairs... I spent all Saturday afternoon walking back and forth and up and down the stairs between Bed, Bath & Beyond, Duane Reade (like a Walgreen's- but with some groceries), and Whole Foods buying all the essential since I basically just brought clothes and my computer with me. Luckily they are all within about 7 blocks, but I could only buy what I could carry at the time so I had to make a couple trips to BB&B. They do deliver, but it just seems like a waste of money when I live 1 1/2 blocks away and I have two legs ;)

What I really miss? Walmart. Yeah, never thought I'd say those words. In fact I was laughing thinking of a conversation Krisann and I had one day on a beginning of the school year/new apartment trip to Walmart. We said how excited we were to graduate and be able to afford to shop at Target instead of Walmart, because that somehow felt like moving up in the world haha. And now, I wish I had a Walmart- unfortunately the closest one is in New Jersey, and the only Target on the island is way up on 125th on the East Side- because it would be so much more affordable to get all the basics!

But anyway, here I am! All moved in :) Next post with pictures of the new place!

Monday, October 22, 2012

DUMBO

Yes, the title of my post is the word DUMBO. And no, it does not refer to the flying elephant (I never liked that movie as a kid. Kinda creeped me out). It stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Basically it is the small area in Brooklyn under/near the Manhattan Bridge. It's a growing area, and pretty cool actually. But this is one of those times when I just really wonder about people. How does a name like DUMBO first of all get proposed as a neighborhood, and then how does it actually get enough people to go along with it? Nobody thought of the connection to the creepy flying baby elephant?!

Anyway, that being said. DUMBO is pretty cool. It has some fun stores, and a great park. One of those stores is the new West Elm Market store I was helping to open. I spent all last week there unloading and processing lots of boxes, organizing the store room, and beginning to set up the store. The store looks like it is going to be pretty cool and they have some fun stuff- I'm going to have to go back to check it out when they open!

Getting to work everyday was a bit of a journey. It consisted of a walk to the subway station (luckily only about 1 1/2 blocks from the place I'm staying), three different subway lines, and then another walk once I arrived in Brooklyn. I basically felt like a subway pro after I successfully made all the transfers the first day! To be fair, I got directions from my manager and I took a test trip out there the day before I started. But I was still pretty impressed with myself. Minus the last day's delay, I did pretty good in getting back and forth to Brooklyn.

The last day I had to work I made it through the first transfer successfully, then had to wait a long time for the F train- the last train in my little journey. It got held up a couple stops back due to a customer requiring assistance so it was running pretty late by the time it got to my station. At which time they announced they'd decided to skip a few stops to make up for lost time. So I had to run upstairs to a new line, which would end up at a completely different station and mean a completely different walk. Grrr. Luckily I had taken that trip to Brooklyn last week for the pizza (still haven't made up my mind on that one) so I at least knew where this station was- although it was late and in the dark when I had seen it a week ago. I made it to the station and actually made it to the store pretty easily- thanks to the maps on my phone :)

While in DUMBO, I did a little venturing down the streets and ended up at the Brooklyn Bridge Park. It's this great park with a lawn, paths along the water, a carousel, and a view of the Manhattan skyline. I ate lunch and read a book in a couple different spots- I wish it were closer so I could hang out there more often! Guess I'll have to settle for Central Park ;)
 


 


 




The Everyday Things $$$+$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Yeah, that's how much it costs here. My rent (the number which shall not be named) would blow your mind- it's certainly going to blow my wallet. But that's just the way it is here. The other thing that is going to blow my wallet- groceries. Guess how much for the food in the picture below:


Guess again.
If you guessed $20, try double. That's right. $40 for this tiny pile of groceries. I would also like to point out that those are the teeny containers of peanut butter and jam. Side note: the bread is called Bimbo bread (I mean really? Nobody thought that might be a bad name for a brand?!).

I should have taken a picture of the market. I'll have to remember to get one another time. Basically it is a tiny shop with miniscule aisles. Everybody carries around a little basket and if somebody is already in the aisle, you're stuck- there's not even enough room to slide by. It's kind of overwhelming and a little bit claustrophobic. There's just all this stuff piled high and close on all sides. Definitely just a little different than the grocery stores I'm used to! My brother, upon seeing this picture and the price, said he needed to send me a care package. You can all text me for my address ;)

Girls of the Power House- remember when we thought it was the greatest thing in the world that we had a washer and dryer in the house rather than the bottom level of the apartment complex? Well, it really was the greatest thing... and unfortunately I don't have it. It's not even in my building. Try down the street.

So my next fun adventure was to the laundromat. You'd think all those years in college using coin-operated washers and dryers would mean the laundromat was a breeze, but those things had me stumped. They probably wouldn't have had me stumped if I'd read the directions first (in my defense- in the end that wasn't what caused the problem). I put my clothes in the washer, put in my coins, pushed the button for the settings I wanted and waited for it to start. It didn't. I tried opening and closing the door, adding another coin, pushing the buttons... nothing worked. And I stood there thinking- I have multiple college degrees! I should be able to at least use a washing machine!!! I was doing the same thing with the next machine for my dark clothes, and go figure- did the same steps and it started. Finally I went and got help, the lady looked at me like I was dumb (okay I was) then came over to the machine. She jiggled the handle and it started right away. Turns out you have to reeeaaallly latch the handle. Round 1 goes to the washing machine. Don't worry, I'll win next time. I'll get plenty of practice to perfect all this!

Both washing machines working. Finally.

 
Oh and D, I'm still waiting for that care package.

Just by chance? I think not.

Can I just tell you how grateful I am? I can't even believe that I have the opportunity to be here, and although things haven't worked out exactly the way I wanted them (let's face it- when do they?!), things are working out. I came prepared for the worst and things are working out better than I expected... at least better than my worst expectations... and one day I'll get an architecture job :)

I have to admit. When I was encouraged to apply at a retail store in SLC a couple years ago, I thought it was just another part-time job to get me through school. I certainly didn't think it would have any relevance to my post graduation life- let alone that it would be one of the major factors in allowing me to move to NYC as I could transfer with that company. I'm so grateful to have a job here- something that allows me to pay my outrageous rent (trust me you don't even want to know) and buy ridiculously overpriced groceries (more about that later) so that I can at least stay here- working and waiting for my chance! I'm so grateful and I know it's not just chance or coincidence. I have a loving Heavenly Father who knows and cares about me- and who helps me. Although I don't know everything that awaits me in this life- He does, and He cares enough to help me through. I couldn't have foreseen the circumstances that led me here, but here I am- with overflowing gratitude for a wonderful and loving Father in Heaven.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

And so it begins

I got lucky. Usually when you move to a new city you have no friends... But I timed it just right so that I had friends visiting NYC when I moved there. So I guess I got semi-lucky since they left after a few days and I was on my own again ;).

I came out a few days earlier than I was going to start work to join up with some of the professors and students from the U of U architecture program. They were kind enough to let me tag along on all the architecture firm visits and introduce me to people at each firm. And instead of going back to an apartment with nothing to do at the end of the day I got to go hang with people I knew.

We visited a few firms, toured some great buildings, and ate a lot of pizza. I had New York style pizza three times that week. I think I'm good on pizza for awhile! One of our pizza nights turned into an adventure as we ventured across the bridge to Brooklyn. That's a long ways to go for pizza!




When we set out for the place, called Grimaldi's (recommended by someones friend) they didn't know it was in Brooklyn- they had just been told it was down under the Brooklyn Bridge and assumed it was on the Manhattan side. As we approached the bridge (and we were starving by this point), we got a call from some other classmates who had discovered it was on the other side... We figured since we'd already come part of the way we might as well keep going. So across the bridge we went. I think it took about 30 minutes to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge so by the time we got there we were extremely hungry. Then we got lost getting from the bridge to the pizza place. Then there was an hour long wait at the pizza place. Seriously?!
Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Yay! for Sonal coming to hang out with me :)

We figured this better be the best pizza we'd ever tasted. I don't even like pizza that much so it really needed to be impressive to make this trip worth it ;) Since we'd already come all that way we stuck out the wait and finally made it in. The pizza was actually delicious. And we took the subway back (much faster!).

The jury is still out on whether or not the pizza was worth the trip- but if you took the subway and planned for the wait it probably would be. That being said- the Brooklyn Bridge is worth walking over at least once. You get a great view of the NYC skyline- especially at night with all the lights. As I stood on the bridge looking back toward the city I couldn't believe that this is now the place I call home!


As it turns out- it was a good thing we took our little adventure to Brooklyn. The work I would be doing the next week was opening a new West Elm Market store- which happened to be in Brooklyn. It definitely helped to at least know how to get there!

More adventures in the next post...

Getting There

Late night/last minute packing. That's how every adventure begins, right?
Well, that's how mine began- and by popular request... here is the blog to document my adventure(s). Thank you to all for your love and support- I've discovered that you're never so popular as when you move somewhere cool :) I've had more texts, phone calls, and e-mails than I could even respond to- love you all!!!
After years of dreaming and weeks of planning, I finally made THE BIG MOVE! In the weeks before the move, I couldn't quite believe it was real. I honestly wasn't sure if I was being brave or just absolutely insane! When I arrived on the streets of NYC- I was absolutely sure. This is where I am supposed to be- so NYC here I am! Ready for my big adventure. We'll just take it one day and one bite out of the Big Apple at a time.

WARNING: Duffel bags are much larger in real life than they appear... and heavier!