September Stuff

It's been a little too long in between posts. The fact is, I've been really busy and not that busy at the same time. Graduate students achieve a new dimension of busy. Now that I have been out of school for  a little over five months (yikes!) I think I am settling into the "busy for a normal person" mode. Also, Ashley is finally here (here as in NY and here as in appearing in my blog as a New Yorker). Hi Ash! As you can see, Colby is here too. They are both super stoked about it.

I dare you to find a cuter pic. So sweet!

So, here's what we've all been up to lately...

We've obtained more furniture and hung up some art. Our place is starting to resemble a home albeit a home with Barbie-sized everything. Forgive me, but I still crack up watching Jason carry furniture in a subway.

Carrying our newly acquired Craig's List purchase home...

Down the subway steps...

Keeping it safe on the subway

And we're almost home!

Here she is, all settled in.

We've had some incredibly delicious food...a long time ago and also more recently. This is from September. We dined at my cousin Alyssa's restaurant and it was so incredibly good. Also, something I learned in NY - you may never eat a fry again because many places serving food have to post the calories you are about to pile on. Honestly, I don't want to know. That's why I asked you to cook this and not me. Add 35 sticks of butter...just don't tell me about it! Incidentally, this food weighed in at like 5 calories. Presenting the vegetable soup and watermelon cooler from Le Pain Quotidien.










We visited The Met on a lovely rainy Friday afternoon!! We hadn't been as official New Yorkers. I'll be honest, there are about a trillion things I sort of hate about New York (i.e. lugging laundry and groceries all over town = not fun), but access to places like The Met makes it a lot better. I love a lot of things too. NY and I have a love/hate relationship.

We visited the Egyptian exhibit. If you have seen the
Neverending Story...RUNNNNNN!

Tell me you don't think he is about to
shoot lasers at you!

And then we saw some medieval stuff...

Like this medieval unicorn!!!!!!!

And a medieval Teletubby.

And then I had an epiphany...in impressionist paintings. Remember the cult classic (can we call this a cult classic yet?) Clueless? Remember Cher's line to Tai about the girl being a total Monet? It's like all of the sudden - bam! I get it! From far away... but from close up she's all blurry and water-colored. And it took a trip to The Met to help me connect dots from the 90's.

No, that didn't happen. But do you think someone didn't know Monet and had to stare at his work to figure it out? And maybe still didn't get it? I wonder about things like that.








Here's some more awesomeness. My art tastes are neither sophisticated nor pretentious. Honestly, I like the well-known masters. And I sat there in awe for about thirty minutes admiring these. So sue me.

After making through many of the exhibits, one painting took me by surprise. Just look at this man for a while. What do you notice about him that you've maybe never seen on another man from his era?

He is wearing glasses! Actually, it appears someone graffitied the painting. Those do not look real!

Okay, what else? Ah, Ashley and I went salsa dancing and it was the kind of night that left me (not Ash) green and dying for the next 24 hours. I wish I were being hyperbolic but no...I even rejected Chinese food. And by rejected I mean I ate nearly a quart of vegetable lo mein, but I did not enjoy it. When we were reviewing the aftermath, Ash says:
A: "Let's look at the pics from last night."
J: "What pics? I just took one of my amazing Mexican martini."
A: "Ha....hahahahha. You are not serious."
J: "Um."

Who is this man?
Check out my Michael Jordan tongue-out focus, though.

Who is this man?
Why am I wearing this hat?

Needless to say, I have no idea what happened that night. Except I think I learned (or tried really intently to learn) to salsa dance incredibly drunk and have since forgotten everything. Good grief.

Some other fun things: 1. Game night. It gets a little wild with Nick and Dave, but they serve a mean cocktail and host the best game nights. I always learn a new game and new things. For example, have you ever played Cards Against Humanity, the worst and most terrible version of Apples to Apples that you could imagine? You can run and you can try to hide, but you will be offended. See Exhibit A.

I don't know how well you can read this but it says:
"In Rome there are whisperings that the Vatican
has a secret room devoted to..."

In another game, David is blindfolded and guessing the sound of Sarah's plucked pantyhose
("I'm not wearin' pantyhose.")

2. We had a semi-legit Rosh Hashanah dinner.
Should I admit I had to Google the spelling of our New Year? Fail.
Check out Ash rolling the matzo balls. She makes the most delicious soup from scratch.

Eating on the makeshift dining room table/coffee shop office table for Jason/Jaimie

3. The drink that got me in a world of hurt but it was so utterly delicious.

4. Have you ever wondered what the view from Roosevelt Island looks like
on an overcast late afternoon?
Have you even heard about Roosevelt Island? Yeah, me either.
We went on a table hunt and all we got was this picture.

Okay, that sums it up for now. Also, (#5) sometimes the students at my school break out into spontaneous dance parties. The students are pretty amazing.

On an unrelated note, here's what Jason looks like when he's not carrying furniture. If you aren't my Facebook friend, you may not have seen the epic photo bomb by this unfortunate naked sculpture over his right shoulder.

Maybe I'll blog again in January when I am a snow(wo)man.

On Life and Laundry

As I steered my laundry cart down the sidewalk and played chicken with an oncoming mother and her screaming toddler, I congratulated myself on approaching another NYC milestone: laundry.

Observing the walk signage flash a blinking red, I thought better of my wobbly, overflowing cart and our successful cross of the street in time. As a newly aggressive New Yorker, I've noted it's pretty much the Wild West out here regarding traffic laws. If you feel like walking during a green light which runs perpendicular to your path, you go. And so, I go...even though I am still amazed the drivers don't seem to ever hit anyone. This time was different and I decided to wait - as it happens, this conservatism nearly saved me.

It turns out I am a terrible cart driver and I had to accelerate to Michael Jordan tongue out concentration so as not to dump two weeks of laundry onto the gross and horrendously bumpy sparkling clean, freshly paved street.  Let's put it this way, if cart driving is any indication of my fitness as a mother, add me to the do not reproduce list. Further, if foreshadowing is any indication, I suspected this was going to be a bumpy ride.

Unlike most new experiences, I entered the laundromat with my head held high. I practically minored in laundry in college. If I am good at anything in life, it's this. I rarely turn anything pink and lose very few socks. Also, this is the stuff movies are made of. You always meet cool new friends in the local laundromat. While I am not looking for a partner, you are supposed to meet many options for those, too. I even recall a Doritos commercial where two people met and immediately started dancing. The possibilities are endless! So I thought.

Two elderly women peered at me as if I was interrupting their very private afternoon tea. Okay, no Doritos dancing. I can see that now. "Jaimie, focus on the task. Get your head in the game. You'll make friends later." I turn to the machines. Wonderful - it seems the author of the IKEA furniture directions also does laundromats. Don't panic...don't panic. Well, the clothes have to go in them. I know that much. So I do that. The two ladies begin cackling in their native tongue and I am reminded of my superhero wish: to be able to communicate with any living thing. Sigh, it seems today is not the day I become a superhero.

The rest is clumsy but it happens. Many quarters later. Well, it's in the process of happening. I don't see any suds in my machines which is of slight concern. It reminds me of the time I tried to bake a cake in 2003. Yes, I can recall the number of the times I've attempted to do this because it's often not gone well. I am certain I forgot flour for this particular cake because it resembled creme brulee. I kept adding sugar thinking that was it. Fail. I have the WORST domestic (read: kitchen previously but maybe now add all domestic) instincts. I know I added soap. At least, I am almost 100% certain I did.

Update: I DID make a friend with one of those ladies after all. My mom Skyped me mid-drying and I answered. We spoke for a sec and then hung up. The woman inquired about Skype and I gave her a tutorial. Holla!!! Maybe she will teach me some of her laundry ways - she totally out-laundered me. Her clothes smell amazing and she is a really good folder. Mine are damp and sort of smell like damp, only-partially clean, soccer socks. Ick.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Microwave

As I type this blog, I can't help but feel like Carrie for a second, sans Jimmy Choos. Okay, now to the story...

Have you ever had a friend do something sweet for you? Maybe like bequeathing you items for your new apartment? Well, we have such a friend/family member (thanks, Alyssa) and we inherited a few treasured possessions: shower caddy, Swiffer, Brita pitcher, and a microwave. NYC is teaching me many regional lessons. For example, if you lived in most anywhere else in America, you'd probably drive to pick up said items, stuff them in your backseat, and move on. Well, not in NYC where personal cars are cumbersome...here we take subways, buses, and feets - EVERYWHERE.

So maybe we (ahem, Jason) carried a microwave across two boroughs. 

First we waited for subway #1

Then we boarded subway #1. As you can see, Jason is super excited
I am taking his pictures all over town.

Now we're on transfer subway #2

And walking down one street...

Annnnd another. This is our local grocer (in case you are interested)
where you can purchase a single tomato for $5.

This lucky microwave got to see so much of NYC in its 45 minute journey. She turned out to be quite the conversation starter. One nomadic fellow wondered if we would warm our morning beverages ("Yo, you gonna make some hot tea in there? [insert odd cackle]" while another was convinced Jason used it to pick me up. I know people must be forced to travel with odd items regularly but I hadn't seen evidence of it myself. I wondered if we'd be the punchline of someone else's blog post until I saw this...

Okay, not him but I did see this, clocked at 1:35 am on Saturday night. 

The picture is a little blurry but homegirl was returning from a surf trip, by herself, at one o'clock in the morning. She wins. I will keep you posted if anyone ousts her as most interesting subway passenger. Alyssa (savvy Manhattanite cousin, previous owner of the traveling microwave) once sent me a picture of someone sitting in their lazy boy and another of a goat on the subway.

Blog post #2 - update on other NYC living experiences/purchases

If you come to visit (and you love crepes) we are going here. Behold - the apples, brie, honey, balsamic, salt/pepper, arugula crepe. We found it at the Chelsea Marketplace.

We are considering this Crate & Barrel bedding but I wanted to see what it looks like outside of the showroom. Methinks not bad! Perhaps we'd replace the sheets for something less bananas.

Here's some of the IKEA furniture Jason built sitting in our bedroom. In case you are curious, yes...that is a full bed and its shoved up against the wall as far as it would let me. I'll post another pic when the room is complete. Mattresses are on the way, as are our THIRD and FOURTH roommates!

Oh lawd - this caddy was one of the most challenging purchases yet. 

Prior to its purchase, we'd be balancing the day's purchases all over town  like Christmas trees. Admittedly, I took the form of a Charlie Brown Tree to Jason's Griswold Christmas masterpiece.

Jason

Jaimie

Long story short, the caddy saved our butts. Now we can bring back things like this! IKEA makes a cool scarf organizer and it's currently hanging off the side of our armoire. For a girl from two incredibly warm states, why the h-e-double hockey sticks I have so many scarves is beyond me!

Okay, I think that's all for now. We did venture out to the movies tonight and realized the price is only two times a Texas ticket. Sigh. Also, go see The Campaign. So good!

J's in the City

Well, we've been here for a little less than three days and so much has happened. And changed. Wow, my life is going to be vastly different here. Really our lives will be different but I am the one who seems most affected by everything. Also, I am the one who blogs about it. So...my life it is. 

Change #1: Did you know you have to carry what you buy? From any place you buy it? If you trek 20 minutes to your nearest Trader Joe's, you have to account for your biceps. And mine are small.

Exhibit A: Grocery shopping.

Change #2: I am a criminal. I am now am accomplice to a hit and run...so, yeah, basically a criminal. Okay, it's didn't happen to US but a couple named Naimie and Nason. They look just like us, but more dystopic. You see, Nason was driving their moving van and, after ripping off two parking tickets from the windshield he acquired at 5:00 that morning (for two charges Naimie unsuccessfully lost her shit contested), he proceeded to drive the wrong way down a one-way street. Once righted, he may have side swiped someone's mirror while trying to avoid an oversized mailtruck. Don't worry - he fixed it and we are sure that person has learned their lesson so that future efforts will yield conforming to the cardinal adjusted side mirrors rule. ALL OF THE OTHER CARS TURNED THEIR MIRRORS INWARD. In a way, they are lucky they still have a side mirror. In a way, we performed an act of kindness and philanthropy. I will not be adding a picture of this because I don't know Naimie and Nason personally.

Change #3: We live in a fourth floor walk-up. Translation: I am going to have a butt of steal. And calves. And everything. I am going to be rock solid. Except that we can't stop eating. Everything is delicious and I haven't even had a bagel yet. Pizza, Chinese, local diner, check! I am proud to report I WALKED around the corner (maybe 150 steps) to procure this delicious feast. For $20. 

Panda Delight's finest

So, even though I climb at least 21 flights of stairs per day and walk everywhere, I may become an Oompa Loompa. Ultimately I've decided this is fine because winter is approachin'. I am preparing for hibernation.

Speaking of our apartment, did you know I am marrying a "maximizer"? Jenn Leach knows which is why she and Jason are kindred spirits. If this term is unfamiliar to you, allow the Happiness Project to elucidate: "Maximizers want to make the optimal decision. So even if they see a bicycle or a photographer that would seem to meet their requirements, they can’t make a decision until after they’ve examined every option, so they know they’re making the best possible choice." Translation: we must overturn EVERY stone before selecting our stone. Our bedframe. Our desk. Our armoire. Guess how many laps we hoofed around IKEA? I don't have that many fingers and toes, so I lost count. Nonetheless, five hours later we emerged with a lot of things. This surprised even us. Thanks Jane (ahem, Dr. Vogler!) and Kevin for your contribution to the pile!

Our impressive IKEA loot

It's very fortunate our furniture came in boxes because there is simply no way possible it would find its way to our apartment. I almost left it on our stoop once it was unloaded from the truck, but Jason is a superhero of sorts. He incredible hulked it upstairs. Three narrow flights. I learned I make an excellent cheerleader. I have pretty much medaled in it since our move.

Me pestering Jason as
he does something productive

That's pretty much the haps. Jason was kind enough to tell me about the woman he saw get robbed an hour after he got home tonight from returning Nason's truck. Perfect. I am so thankful I am a yellow belt plus one stripe in karate. I can still count to five in Korean. I can still probably punch someone too.

Stay tuned for future misadventures of J's in the City. In two weeks, we'll have J's plus an A. Watch out world!