Fricking Good Day

Should you come to NYC and desire an intellectual retreat The Frick Collection is where you should be. I knew I liked it from the moment I saw the large, no apologies, sign outside that ran NO CHILDREN PERMITTED (10-16 must be accompanied by an adult). It is quite difficult to contemplate a piece with screaming spoilt children running around (they were all over the MET, even the ones with leashes were difficult for the au pairs to handle). Even those working at the museum had an aloofness about them and a hint of snobbery ran throughout the collection--it was heavenly.
The collection itself was utterly fabulous and the ambiance of the courtyard and fount and the architecture of the Frick home was really an intellectual treat. I was able to see one of my professor's favourite paintings as well as discover a few of my own that I thoroughly enjoy. After a good three or so hours of contemplation I then headed up town to a small Irish pub and ordered a Belgian Brunette (1/2 Stella 1/2 Guinness--if you haven't you should) and just soaked in my day. I met up with Heather at her bookstore underneath Liza's apartment (21 G--should you be in the neighbourhood).
We stopped by a local diner for a pastrami on rye sandwich and then made our way to Union Square for a mani/pedi and some window shopping before heading home.

The Underground

After the Philanthropist I met up with Heather outside of Macy's and we went and saw the Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center (as well as Christie's and Sak's).
After an exciting afternoon in mid-town Heather, Shereena, and their friend Greg and I went down to the Lower East Side for some Italian food and a chance to just hangout in a trendy section of town. Heather and I were wiped out so headed home around 10:30ish.
The somewhat controversial topic of Mole People in NYC is kind of a crazy thing to consider late at night when you are on the Metro completely exhausted from your day. Heather and I were having a lighthearted Mole People discussion when the lights on our train turned off for a moment before the train came to a halt in between stops. Heather shot a look at me that implied this was somehow my fault (possibly because I had just ask what would happen if the train were to break down in the middle, would the mole people attack us? or perhaps worship us as the gods from the land of the sun?--no sooner had I asked had the train "broke"). Luckily the train was only stopped for a couple minutes, just enough for people to get a little agitated and for a legless beggar to get a couple of quarters from some woman across the aisle. We were back up and running, though, we curtailed our mole people debate for the remainder of our ride.

Times Square

Wed I decided to check out these 1/2 price Broadway tickets I kept hearing about all week. I decided on the Philanthropist at 2p and purchased my ticket in Times Square. The play was phenomenal! Matthew Broderick (Ferris Buehler's Day off) plays an English professor in this hilarious critique of the world of academia (particularly the English dept :)--highly recommend this to all my English major friends!! Whom will particularly enjoy the following quote from the play "masturbation is the intellectual man [sic] and woman's television"
So, not only did I go to see the perfect play for what my interests are, but I sat in the middle of the front row. 103 AA at the American Airlines Theatre--I could touch the stage from where I was sitting. Being a Wed afternoon showing it turned out to just be me and everyone's Bubbe.

It was during the intermission that I somehow found myself in the middle of a conversation with a group of older Jewish women. We were discussing the important matter of how to get out the grease stain from the slacks that one of them had just gotten "baaack from the cleaanas." When suddenly the topic switched to one of the older women being tired from being at a school all day. I asked what she did at the school (since, given the time she probably wasn't a teacher) and she replied that she shared her story of survival during the Holocaust with school children. Wow. I was completely blown away by the story this woman told about her escape as a child from Poland. Her entire family, father, mother and 6 siblings were all murdered. Her father hid her in a closet (or small trap in the house...the details were a little blurred and I couldn't think of a polite way to ask so I just let her tell me whatever it was she had to say) and she said that before he shut the door he told her to "remember to be a good person and to forgive" and that was the last thing she remembers her father saying to her. She then was hiding in a silo somewhere with a younger sibling and she left it to go and get food and when she returned the baby had been killed. All of this happened to her when she was 6 years old. I can't even comprehend what that must have been like. How it was not that long ago that the Sho'ah happened and what I have learnt from the survivors is truly a gift that I am eternally grateful for experiencing. Before long we were back in our seats and the comedy continued forth--still a spectacular play with a star studded cast, but I cannot help but think the only "starstruck" experience I had at that performance was meeting that nameless survivor for those few precious minutes.

The Day I Died and Went to Heaven

Tuesday I spent 7 hours at the MET. Yes, 7 glorious hours surrounded by Matisse, Picasso, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, David, Warhol, and so many others. I'll post my pics on facebook (and possibly some on here) when I get home--truly amazing day!
Got back home and grabbed some sushi with the roomies! Visited with Brianna's aunt and saw her two little cousins...despite being related to Bri, they are pretty cute ;). Then went to bed in complete exhaustion.

Navigating the Largest City in the USA on My Own

Navigation was an overall success :) Thankfully I have my mom's sense of direction-haha.
I got to sleep in and then drop by Shereena's work at Breadstuy to give her the keys (and have a quickie lunch) before heading up town.
I ended up catching the A to Broadway/Nassau then the 4,5 to Central and then switching over to the 6 to get to the financial district. My plan was to see Ground Zero and then wonder around Wall Street and Battery Park for a bit.
Ground Zero was an odd experience. There really is an entire gaping block in the middle of the financial district. You see the construction, and at first you don't even realize what it is you are looking at. The enormity of what happened there and how close all of the buildings are is incredibly striking. Everyone is hustling and bustling by carrying on with their day--it is just a really odd moment to experience.
After that I headed towards the harbor for a nice walk down by the waterside and ended up in Battery Park. I was watching families going on the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour boats when I saw a kid throwing a major temper tantrum (not my first brat encounter in NYC...just the first one where the parents didn't just give in to the demands...thus noteworthy). The dad, finally just yells at the kid, "Fine if you can't behave we are not going, this lady can have our tickets" and then thrusts out the ferry/tour tickets into my hands. So, I then quickly hopped on the Circle Line for my free Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tour.
Statue of Liberty was some nice photo opps, but Ellis Island was a really neat experience. I don't even know how many times dad has fallen asleep with the History Channel special about Ellis Island--thus commandeering the television viewing experience for all in the room. As a TESOL/Applied Linguist the immigration experience is one that I have always found fascinating as well, and the treatment of immigrants is something that I always pay close attention to. There is also the odd feeling of knowing that my ancestors were in that same room, looking out the same windows, and seeing the same ceiling and city skyline. Just a really eerie and surreal feeling.
I ended back at Battery park and then tramped around the financial district some more and got a few touristy shots and a slice of pizza before heading back home.
After my day of free touring I came home to my NY roomies and we just had quick bite and called it a day.

A Day in China and an Afternoon in Italy

Heather and I ventured out to China town and Little Italy Sunday. We wondered the streets all day, stopping for a foot massage in China town--heavenly! and then for an amazing Italian late-lunch in Little Italy (followed by more wonderings). We saw the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges--really pretty :) and walked along the waterside for a bit. We came home, wiped out, and then just did something simple for dinner and hit the hay pretty early--Heaths and Shereena have work Monday, and I have a big day touristing across town all by myself :)

New York Minute

I haven't had time to catch up on my blogging this week since I have been so busy hitting the town. I have successfully figured out the metro :) and how to cross the street like a New Yorker. Since I last blogged I have really pulled out all of the tourist stops, so I think the easiest way to write about these past couple days would be in a couple of shorter posts (I don't have that kind of attention span).

Late Saturday night Shereena and I hit up Coney Island for some much needed beach time. There is just something really soothing about being at the seashore at night. It was really a nice chance to hang out and relax (despite the coupling going on in a nearby dune). On our way back we stopped by a local bar and ended up crashing a 50th birthday party. Being the only non-black people there, we kinda stood out, but we were funny and they enjoyed watching me (shereena is good) trying to dance. Then we caught the metro back home (which took 45 min or so--I do love the idea of public transportation but it is such a bummer when you are exhausted and just want to go home and get to bed).

Don't Pet The Dogs

So, I'm on the metro today (night) and see on the other platform--what appears to be a terrier sized dog just walking around without an owner. I then tell my friend, "oh no someone lost their dog"--and I'm concerned...what if it falls on the tracks or something. She then points out to me that it was a rat and I should put my glasses on.

Start spreading the news...

Well fellow trekkers, I made it to NYC yesterday evening (despite some hiccups at Dulles airport). Currently in Brooklyn with Heather and Shereena playing tourists!! I already am in love with this city :) I have met some of the most interesting people in the past two days (some made me nervous...we were serenaded today on the metro by a woman with a drum singing "you gotta eat" while banging the hell out of her drum--she apparently plays her drum to support her family--they cannot be doing well).

Last night we went to a really fun Cuban bar--best mojito ever!

Today we had an early start at playing tourists. Caught the metro up-town (look at me, what a new yorker...) and saw Central park, I had a hot dog for a $1 (sadly my two vegans could not partake in the pleasures of this NYC treat), went to see Heath's bookstore she works at...which is underneath the home of LIZA MINNELLI! I kno, I kno, I am so glad she told me afterwords or I would have queened out at her job, saw Central Station, NYC Public Library--which had a holocaust exibit, then off to Willamsburg for NYC's one and only vegan fastfood restaurant--foodswings--which was really good!

Some prime people watching so far:
2 joggers--one in khaki's and a polo in central park, the other in a cheetah skin-tight body suit in Wlliamsburg
Met 2 Goddesses who perform herstory--really fun!
Astrologist
Archaeologist
Super Rich and Super Poor people everywhere--and a lot of in-betweeners

After day one: I really think my odds of living here, at least for a wee bit are pretty strong :)

There was a lot of wondering in between destinations that are so far, unaccounted for, but may be if I somehow get a second wind today.

Touring STL

Back home in STL getting ready for my trip to NYC on Friday =D  

Almost unpacked, only to repack again soon.
Spent today hanging out with Mommie dearest and Boomer and ended up going to Ted Drewes for the first time in quite awhile--Boomer was just so excited to have a car ride (and a mini cone)--I love having a dog again.  

Currently job hunting.  So far: Babies R Us, Panera, Blockbuster, KMart and a little cafe near my house called First Watch.  To work at Panera you have to fill out a huge application online.  230 or so questions that all read along the lines of "Is it permissible for an employee to steal if they have seen the manager stealing?"  Ugh.  We'll see how that ends up going for the summer.  Luckily I have some hours working kennels to keep my sanity this summer.

Had an interesting phone call today...looks like there may be some more destinations to come in the near future...more when it is finalized.  

piss elegance

I only have two finals and a paper between me and my degrees =) 

I've been balancing my studying with last minute catching-up with everyone.  Thursday I was able to meet up with my English friends at our martini bar and then went over to the lobdell's appartment for one last round of Taboo with my fellow RAs.  Yesterday Brieeves and I went and grabbed a "quick" coffee with Dr. Gaies (though that "quick" turned into a lovely three hour chat).  Then Brieeves and I took the Swan out to dinner--so much fun!  And...I got to meet Crispin :)--who is just the sweetest dog.  I am really going to miss having classes with him and pestering him during office hours.  We went to Galleria de Paco and just had a wonderful time.  The painting and decor was really amazing--it was all done with spray paint!  Check the link...   

More soon :)