New York sightings
After brunch today, Dustin & I went to the Apple store. After the Apple store, it was time for a nice aperitif. Since we were in Soho, and neither of us knew of a good local coffee shop, we ended up walking over to Cipriani on West Broadway.
There are a few seats outside (under little heaters). Right next to the door sat Rod Stewart - complete with little neck scarf and feathery hair and everything. We almost took a table beside him (there was no room inside) but there were barking dogs right there and we decided instead to go down the street to Barolo where we could sit inside.
When we finally sat down and got our drinks, we noticed that there was a Rod Stewart CD on at the restaurant. Coincidence!
Amusingly, the last time I was at Cipriani in Soho, Mickey Rourke was sitting in exactly the same place that Rod was today. It must be the celebrity seat or something. ;)
Birthday week!
My birthday kicked so much ass, although it did not start fantastically, it must be said. I woke up angry with the world - actually personally affronted - that I had to go to work, a mere day after getting back from Costa Rica and on my birthday, of all things!! I got to work and was a horrible grouch all day - generally grumpy, snippy with the news that we have less development time than I thought we would, annoyed that my pre-vacation instructions had not been followed to the T. None of it was really a big deal, but with the horrible offense that I should be expected to work, it was all just terribly dramatic. I got a huge number of happy birthday wishes that morning, though, which I think is all that bolstered me through the day.
I had nothing planned for the evening, but Gary suggested we go out for a drink and keep it low key. I had texted him while out of town bemoaning my lack of plans and he had promised: either something small on Thursday or something big on Friday. Monday is a stupid day for a big birthday, after all. Of course with my annoyed mood and him having to do a couple of late breaking things at work, we didn't actually end up leaving the office until around 7. Boo! I wanted to go to Sapa (fusion next to my apt, with great happy hour choices), but Gary had gone there last week so he suggested tapas at Pamplona, which was sort of surprising to me for some reason, but I went with it.
We got there, and I thought, oh look at that big group of people at that table next to the bar. We'd better find a seat not too close to them so they don't back their chairs into us every time they get up.
Um, yeah. Then I heard the "Surprise!"
And it was a surprise. A huge surprise. Apparently, while I was out of town, Gary and Wambui planned this - Gary looks after my apt when I'm gone, and he'd gone through my past eVites to see whom I'd invited, then my address book to get all of their email addresses. Wambui (who got the brunt of my grumpiness earlier that day - boy did I feel bad about that) somehow sourced the cutest happy face cupcakes (there is a story there, but it's a work thing) and it just ended up being one of the best birthdays ever... even if Dustin never will be able to have chocolate cake ever again.
The rest of the week saw lots of other going out for follow-up birthday partying. My friend Jen took me out, Jamie took me out (Craft - delicious!), Gant too me out to Morrocan... I have to say, if this is indicative of 30, I don't see why anyone complains. :>
Bloody Mary audit
Today, Dustin and I met for brunch. Then we decided to see what kind of bloody marys were around. Here are our results:
Restaurant (elmo) 7th Ave - pretty good, not very big but only $6; good eggs benedict and pancakes; very gay
City Crab Union Square - very cocktail saucey, served with a celery stick
Next stop: Pravda
Pravda was closed so we went to the Russian Tea Room - yum; the caviar we splurged on was awesome too
Petrossian - tastes like Campbell's soup, also the most expensive at $11
It's worth noting that we didn't finish all of the bloody marys we ordered. The Campbell's soup one, for example, earned like two sips before we were all, eugh.
The house, it is warm.
And yesterday, it was full of people. Eighteen people, to be exact. I hasten to remind you that this is a studio apartment. Cosy.
It was a wonderful party - sort of spur of the moment so I could do it before I went to the UK. There were several people who couldn't make it, and a few people I forgot to invite because I'm blonde blonde blonde. But we did have a good time overall.
I took some pictures. A few in the beginning, then I put the camera down so I could hostess and visit. When the crowd thinned out some, I picked it up again. As it usually turns out, this means that there are several of a few people and only a couple of the larger group. Sigh. Next time I'll have a photographer. ;)
| www.flickr.com |
New Apartment
I am moved in.
When I say moved in, I mean moved in. I am 100% unpacked and it looks like I've lived here for a year. There are no boxes. Pictures have been hung. Everything is mostly organized.
Dad arrived at about 1:00 on Sunday. We went to lunch, then realized we were missing the game, so we went to a sports bar to catch the Bears' defeat. :( After that, we did about two hours of packing - that's all that was left. I guess my packing schedule worked out okay after all. It seemed like this horrible insurmountable task but really? Not so much. It was okay.
Monday started early. We took a load of kitchen stuff over ourselves and then the movers came over an hour early. It was wonderful. It only took them about four hours to get all my stuff loaded up and unloaded at the new place. Everyone here was amazing. Totally helpful and wonderful. The maintenance guys kept us in the newspaper recycling bags and continually cleared the hall of cardboard boxes. The movers didn't leave until they were sure all of the furniture was in the right place. It went flawlessly.
On Monday night, I hurt everywhere. By Tuesday at about 3:30, we were done.
So, some pictures!
Continue reading New Apartment.
Floorplan considerations
I went to my new place today to take a few measurements and just check it out. They've painted it and it's gorgeous with the new colors. Really pretty. My friend Jen came with me and she agrees, it's perfect.
The conversions I had figured on my little floorplans were not quite right. My furniture takes up more room than I had anticipated so I'm back to the drawing board with laying stuff out. Also, I just purchased a nightstand and a chest of drawers and, well, I'm just not sure. The furniture is good stuff - so, expensive - and I'm thinking... do I want to spend that kind of money and cram it into a little space? I have 73" closet in the bedroom area, most of which is divided into a top and bottom and I have some elfa drawers that could go under the clothes rail on the bottom. It's actually what I'm using for a chest of drawers currently, so I know my stuff fits.
I've done a few updated floorplans, which I will include here, in case you want to take a look at them and comment or give me feedback, any of which would be much appreciated.
Option 1 with the currently ordered 'Calvin' furniture: one drawer nightstand, five drawer chest
Option 2 with a Parsons table
Option 3 with a 'Slim' table
Option 4 is just a different configuration of the rest of the furniture
Option 5 is just a different configuration of the rest of the furniture
Option 6 is just a different configuration of the rest of the furniture
Option 7 is just a different configuration of the rest of the
furniture
Option 8 is just a different configuration of the rest of the furniture
Option 9 is just a different configuration of the rest of the furniture
Option 10 is just a different configuration of the rest of the furniture - I think this is the one I'm going to go with. What do you think?
So there we go. My options. What do you guys think? (If you want to give it a go yourself, let me know. I have an unflattened PNG that you can play around with.)
Note: The 'high table' that's in there is not actually 24" x 12". It's 48" x 24". :)
The hunt for movers.
So I've gotten a few quotes. Ohhhhh the disparity.
Quote 1: 3 man crew (est. 3 hours to move me) + 1 hour travel time @ $100/hour = $400
Quote 2: 3 man crew (est. 2 hours to move me) + 1 hour travel time @ $86/hour = $258
Quote 3: 4 man crew (est. 5 hours to move me) + travel time (negligible) @ $120/hour = $600
FOUR GUYS TAKING FIVE HOURS!!! What will they be doing that that will take them so long?!
And what should I do about all of this?
Edit: After asking around and, as hapes suggested, checking the Better Business Bureau, I chose an entirely different mover. They were registered with the BBB and had no complaints filed against them, and they were very professional and thorough about checking what I had and what they were to move. I'm happy. It was more around the $600 mark but I feel confident like I didn't with the others. :)
Honored.
Last night, after work, Wambui (a friend of mine with whom I work) and I headed to the Indian Consulate for an evening way more intellectual than we had anticipated. The pair of us and about 150 other people were adressed by former Indian Ambassador Alan Nazareth, Professor Akeel Bilgrami (Philosophy, Columbia Uni) and Professor Dennis Dalton (Poli Sci, Barnard College), and then there was a Q&A session with the three of them acting as panelists. The talks were not about Gandhi so much as his influence and some of his ideas. I'll do a crappy job of describing this, so I defer to the summary in the thank you email I got this morning:
It was certainly something for the intellectual: the panelists offered detailed analyses of Gandhi's philosophy of religious inclusion, economics and his sphere of influence; something for the cultural enthusiast: a performance of "Lotus" which featured Bharata Natyam, Odissi, Manipuri, Middle Eastern, Burmese and Flamenco dancers; something for the gourmand: a full buffet of traditional Indian cuisine...
I feel like I've reached my cultural quota for the month. At least. ;) It was really really very cool.
When we were on our way out, I got a text from Mat, who has been my best friend since early high school: "Ryan and I are thinking of having a commitment ceremony this fall... Will you officiate?"
There are not words to describe the honor I feel. I am overwhelmed. And so very happy.
So, all of you who are reading this: Have any of you officiated weddings or commitment ceremonies or anything like that? Any tips? Advice? I really want to do this right.
I found it.
The building is The Vanguard Chelsea.
It's on 24th and 6th: like two blocks from my office.
My leasing manager at the Solaire, Carlos, sent me over there - where his sister is leasing manager.
So there's no broker fee to pay.
It's a block away from Whole Foods.
I walked in, and I felt, for the first time since I've started to look for a place, relieved.
I felt like I'd found home.
Then I called my dad and burst into tears.
And now Gary is mocking me. :)
(But we both know he'll use my couch as crash space after a night out in Chelsea at least once.)
(Also, work said it loved me. Yay.)
Letters I'm composing in my head
Dear New York,
Why do people like you so much? What's so great about you? Seriously, I just don't get it. Why do you have to be rich to get a place larger than 200 sq ft in a nice area? Is that some kind of a joke?
Dear Apartment on 66th St,
Seriously, 47x income requirement? Do you think if I had 47x, I would be looking at paying THAT MUCH for a 300 sq ft apartment?
Dear Apartment on 58th St That I Saw Last Week,
Are you still available?
Dear Taxi Driver,
Why don't you complain some more about the route that it is my right to tell you to take. Seriously, wtf?
Dear James,
Is it wrong that sometimes I wish we weren't splitting up and that we could be happy together? You're such a great guy. Splitting up is scary.
Dear Job,
Are you worth all of this? Really? Do you appreciate me as much as you should? Are you going to show me some love when it comes time for love to be shown next year?
Dear Furniture,
I love you. I'm really trying to find you a home.
Dear London,
I miss you.
Dear Change,
I hate you.
Dear Self,
Suck it up, for Christ's sake.
