Week 5 of the job hunt continues. I've had about 6 interviews since returning to New York after the holidays. Some of them have been promising, while others were more meet and greets. However, in this business, it's never bad to meet as many people as you can. I've found that a lot of companies are looking, but hesitant to hire staffers right now. Most people I have spoken with need help, but are afraid to commit to anything. It's understandable. What looks like good times, could be only a month from hardship. I am confident I will find a new gig in the coming weeks. I only hope that some of my fellow fallen friends feel the same.
I would love to tell tales of Manhattan Mayhem, but I have lead a fairly boring few weeks. My days have been filled with reading and watching movies when I'm not on the computer sending out resumes or calling perspective employers. The high point of my week was a spontaneous trip to Subway...ok, maybe not the high point but one of the few things I did worth pointing out. I've been running more; trying to get into some shape other than round. Not that weight is really a problem, I'm actually thinner than I was a year ago, but it's about that time of winter when you can feel the inactivity settle in your muscles and bones.
A very good friend will be arriving in a week. A friend that always enjoys a palaver. Someone that can make you smile in the baddest of bad moods. A person you love to share good news with and know will comfort you when the news is less than cheerful. One that listens, but never judges. We have been friends from afar the last year and I look forward to spending time with them face to face and growing our friendship.
So until next time my dear readers, if there are any of you left, wish me luck on the job front. I hope to report back with good news soon.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Long time, no blog
I doubt anyone is still reading this after my little 6 month hiatus, but just in case. So what has happened the last six months? More than you care to know. So how about some brief points to get you caught up, so to speak.
I am very excited about a friend of mine that will be moving to New York soon. She will be the second of my friends to relocate since I touched down almost a year ago. You can never have too many good people around you and both additions are friends that I care very much about.
Recently I joined the nearly 5% of Americans that are currently unemployed. It happened just before Christmas. One of my favorite statements I heard from friends (God love them) was "That's a terrible time to get laid off." This is true, but I wonder, is there a good time to lose your job? I do have one request for the next company that can no longer keep me, please do it in the summer. This is twice now in the winter. At least let me be able to sit outside for 10 hours a day while I job search.
Speaking of Christmas, the holidays were great. I spent a week in sunny Florida with my mom and then a week in Ohio with the childrens. They was good. It had been the longest period consecutively I got to spend with them since moving to NY. Both seemed happy, at least as happy as you can expect them to be while going through this whole experience.
Just before I left I got my official welcoming to NYC. Two guys decided that they needed to have my $20, debit card with about $75 in the account and corporate credit card. The cards were canceled immediately and your hero escaped unscathed. If the events didn't have a violent theme, it actually would have made a great Apple commercial. I handed my wallet and cash over within seconds, but protected my iPhone like a bear would defend her cubs. The assailants stated they had a gun; however, I was unrelenting. After a few minutes they ran off, and I still had my baby...I mean phone.
Ohio State played in yet another BCS game. I was bummed they didn't win, but felt they played well enough to get some respect back from the previous two years disastrous performances.
That's pretty much the long and short of recent history. Everything prior is kind of a blur. I know that tends to happen in life and New York seems to intensify the haziness. Until next time, stay classy internet perusers and I promise to not be a stranger.
I am very excited about a friend of mine that will be moving to New York soon. She will be the second of my friends to relocate since I touched down almost a year ago. You can never have too many good people around you and both additions are friends that I care very much about.
Recently I joined the nearly 5% of Americans that are currently unemployed. It happened just before Christmas. One of my favorite statements I heard from friends (God love them) was "That's a terrible time to get laid off." This is true, but I wonder, is there a good time to lose your job? I do have one request for the next company that can no longer keep me, please do it in the summer. This is twice now in the winter. At least let me be able to sit outside for 10 hours a day while I job search.
Speaking of Christmas, the holidays were great. I spent a week in sunny Florida with my mom and then a week in Ohio with the childrens. They was good. It had been the longest period consecutively I got to spend with them since moving to NY. Both seemed happy, at least as happy as you can expect them to be while going through this whole experience.
Just before I left I got my official welcoming to NYC. Two guys decided that they needed to have my $20, debit card with about $75 in the account and corporate credit card. The cards were canceled immediately and your hero escaped unscathed. If the events didn't have a violent theme, it actually would have made a great Apple commercial. I handed my wallet and cash over within seconds, but protected my iPhone like a bear would defend her cubs. The assailants stated they had a gun; however, I was unrelenting. After a few minutes they ran off, and I still had my baby...I mean phone.
Ohio State played in yet another BCS game. I was bummed they didn't win, but felt they played well enough to get some respect back from the previous two years disastrous performances.
That's pretty much the long and short of recent history. Everything prior is kind of a blur. I know that tends to happen in life and New York seems to intensify the haziness. Until next time, stay classy internet perusers and I promise to not be a stranger.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
EV Part I
When I first arrived in New York, I was excited for a number of reasons. One of those being my favorite band in the whole world was doing a small tour and NYC was one of the stops. However, I found out about it too late and the show was sold out before I could get tickets. I looked into a ticket broker but the cheapest seats were going for over $200 each. So, needless to say I was a bit disappointed. But, when Eddie Vedder announced he would be doing a solo tour I jumped on the opportunity. Last night was the first of two shows.
The venue was absolutely gorgeous. The United Palace Theatre on 175th and Broadway is just about as far north in Manhattan as you can get. And a tidbit of trivia, it's where Malcolm X was shot. The theatre is a refurbished church that is still used for services and from what I gathered, a pretty popular one. The inside reminded me a lot of the Fox Theater in Detroit, very elegant with a touch of an old roman architecture. I showed up to see the last song of the opening band, a guy by the name of Liam Finn. It was him and some woman on a tiny little set up. From what I saw, he seemed like he would put on a good show. But honestly, I won't get there any earlier tonight to see his entire show. Around 8:45 Eddie finally came on stage.
His stage set up was pretty low key. He had a large rug with a stool centered surrounded by a little table stage left, a row of guitars, acoustic and electric as well as a mandolin, and his amps stage right. Unlike most Pearl Jam shows I have seen, Eddie didn't walk out with a bottle of wine in his hand, just his notebook that he carries with him constantly. Instead he just had a glass of water that the crew had put up before he came out. Eddie said hello and went into the first two songs, which were two songs I've heard once or twice but am not all that familiar with, Walking the Cow and Trouble Around the Bend. The sound was very good and his voice was amazing as usual. At times the sound got a little hot, but it was rare.
Next on the list was I Am Mine, it was a great version of the song, but I have to admit, I kind of missed the rest of the band on this one. One of the things I like about this song is the percussion, but still he played it very well. Dead Man Walking was the first of the Sean Penn/Eddie Vedder connected songs. The song being from the Penn film titled the same. I had only heard this song maybe one other time live. Vedder went back to the Pearl Jam catalog with I'm Open, one of my all-time favorite tracks. Although he only played the chorus, it was great to hear this one live. The next song was another movie song that you will remember from the end credits of Big Fish titled Man of the Hour. I've recently learned to play this song on guitar, but since he decided to play it on a mandolin, it sounded much different that I am used to. It was a beautiful rendition though. He closed this portion of the set list with the first song off the third album called Sometimes. This is another one of those songs that PJ doesn't play often so it was cool to get to hear it live.
After Sometimes, the background scenery changed and Vedder announced it was time to go from New York and Into the Wild where he proceeded to play 5 of the songs from the album. I really enjoyed that album and hearing these songs live for the first time was great. Vedder segued out of the Into the Wild tracks into a song that I'm not sure if it was a cover or a new song he is working on called Millworker. The crowd seemed to chill out a bit for this one, many people using the opportunity to use the restroom or get a refill. He followed that with Soon Forget which is about a greedy man that is consumed by money. He prefaced Soon Forget by saying it was about the man from Millworker. I've always like Soon Forget because Vedder plays it on a ukulele. Eddie explains how he learned to play ukulele when he was going through a hard time and that it seemed like such a happy sounding instrument, but felt he had to bring it down with him, which lead him to the next song called Goodbye. Goodbye is a sad song about saying goodbye to a loved one that you will never see again even though it's all you want.
At this point, Eddie's comedic bone kicked in and he asked if he could play another said song. The song is about a women at a convenience store, the clerk asks, "what do you want?" she answers, "liquor" (lick her), to which the song ends, "I'll never work there anymore." Vedder continues the humor by playing about 40 seconds of Walk Hard from the Dewey Cox movie. He abruptly stopped siting that's all he knew. Vedder kept the mood light by going into Drifting, which is another song I haven't heard live and followed with another Penn connection, the Beatles cover of You've Got to Hide Your Love Away from I Am Sam. It was the first time I had heard this song live as well and it was amazing. He closed the first set with an acoustic version of Porch. Contrary to many of the other songs, I've heard this one live probably 15 times. It's one of those songs that no matter how many times I hear it, it's incredible. Eddie's take on it was just as fresh; however, this is one of those songs that, while it's cool to hear in this fashion, nothing beats the the entire band playing it. It did showcase Eddie's talents on guitar, but I miss the long solos that normally ensue with the band playing together. Regardless, it was a great way to leave the crowd wanting more.
After a five minute recess, Vedder came back out and played Wishlist. Followed by an awesome cover of Pete Townshend's Let My Love Open the Door. Eddie enlisted the crowd to help sing, with the guys singing one part and the gals another. The guys stepped up to the plate; however, the ladies were barely noticeable. Still it was a cool performance. Vedder jumped back to the Into the Wild album with Society, bringing out Liam Finn to play guitar as well. One of the best songs on the album and just as good live. After Liam walked off the stage, Eddie was fumbling around trying to set up the next song when someone shouted out a request for Masters of War. Eddie acknowledged the request and stated that every fucking day he thought about the words of that song. It was by far the most emotional song he sang the entire night. The raw energy coming from his voice and guitar was something that I have rarely seen. You could fully see that this song was powerful to him. After a short speech on current issues, he proceeded to a song about a war veteran that was paralyzed from the chest down in Iraq, called No More War. I applaud Eddie for not getting too political as is his normal MO, instead he urged us to all discover for ourselves the state of our Union. Vedder ended the first encore with the vocal track, Arc. Basically he sang into a machine that recorded his voice, then played it back while he laid down another layer of vocals...rinse and repeat. He walked off stage after a bow with his vocals looping through the speakers.
There was no doubt that he would be coming back for at least one more song. A few seconds after he went back stage those thoughts were confirmed when a drum kit was wheeled out. Minutes later, he returned again with Liam Finn and the woman from the opening act. He proceeded to play the only big song from Into the Wild that we hadn't heard, Hard Sun. It was a great performance of the song and the first time I had heard it live. Eddie for the first time got off the stool and was dancing around on stage like most of us are accustomed to. You could tell he was rocking on stage, although I can't help but feel the stage presence on this song to be a little contrived. He was bouncing around like he was playing Even Flow or Once, but this song just isn't that kind of a track to me. I don't think it was fake, but it felt a little weird to me. I guess the important thing though was that the song sounded great.
After that, Eddie left the stage for the final time that night to a thunderous applause after just over 2 hours of playing. With the encore breaks, he played a solid two hour show and blew through 28 songs. Overall, I'd rate this as a very good show. Yet, being more of a fan of the band in general than just it's front man, I can't say that it was better than any of the 20 some PJ shows I've seen. It was just a different experience. Having seen them as many times as I have and seeing the people they bring on stage sometimes, I was a bit disappointed that Eddie didn't have anyone else on stage with him other than Liam Finn. I was hoping that being in NY would give him the opportunity to attract a fellow artist/friend of the band to play one or two songs with him. However, since this is really my only gripe, I tend to think I am just a spoiled fan that has been to too many shows.
Tonight is the second and last show he is doing in NY. I am looking forward to this one because if there is one thing I've learned from going to 20+ PJ shows it's that they rarely play the same set list on back to back nights. Of course, he'll play most of the songs from Into the Wild again, but I expect to hear some more obscure tracks from the PJ library that they normally don't play on tour. Bottom line is, if your a Pearl Jam fan and Eddie Vedder is coming to your city, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
The venue was absolutely gorgeous. The United Palace Theatre on 175th and Broadway is just about as far north in Manhattan as you can get. And a tidbit of trivia, it's where Malcolm X was shot. The theatre is a refurbished church that is still used for services and from what I gathered, a pretty popular one. The inside reminded me a lot of the Fox Theater in Detroit, very elegant with a touch of an old roman architecture. I showed up to see the last song of the opening band, a guy by the name of Liam Finn. It was him and some woman on a tiny little set up. From what I saw, he seemed like he would put on a good show. But honestly, I won't get there any earlier tonight to see his entire show. Around 8:45 Eddie finally came on stage.
His stage set up was pretty low key. He had a large rug with a stool centered surrounded by a little table stage left, a row of guitars, acoustic and electric as well as a mandolin, and his amps stage right. Unlike most Pearl Jam shows I have seen, Eddie didn't walk out with a bottle of wine in his hand, just his notebook that he carries with him constantly. Instead he just had a glass of water that the crew had put up before he came out. Eddie said hello and went into the first two songs, which were two songs I've heard once or twice but am not all that familiar with, Walking the Cow and Trouble Around the Bend. The sound was very good and his voice was amazing as usual. At times the sound got a little hot, but it was rare.
Next on the list was I Am Mine, it was a great version of the song, but I have to admit, I kind of missed the rest of the band on this one. One of the things I like about this song is the percussion, but still he played it very well. Dead Man Walking was the first of the Sean Penn/Eddie Vedder connected songs. The song being from the Penn film titled the same. I had only heard this song maybe one other time live. Vedder went back to the Pearl Jam catalog with I'm Open, one of my all-time favorite tracks. Although he only played the chorus, it was great to hear this one live. The next song was another movie song that you will remember from the end credits of Big Fish titled Man of the Hour. I've recently learned to play this song on guitar, but since he decided to play it on a mandolin, it sounded much different that I am used to. It was a beautiful rendition though. He closed this portion of the set list with the first song off the third album called Sometimes. This is another one of those songs that PJ doesn't play often so it was cool to get to hear it live.
After Sometimes, the background scenery changed and Vedder announced it was time to go from New York and Into the Wild where he proceeded to play 5 of the songs from the album. I really enjoyed that album and hearing these songs live for the first time was great. Vedder segued out of the Into the Wild tracks into a song that I'm not sure if it was a cover or a new song he is working on called Millworker. The crowd seemed to chill out a bit for this one, many people using the opportunity to use the restroom or get a refill. He followed that with Soon Forget which is about a greedy man that is consumed by money. He prefaced Soon Forget by saying it was about the man from Millworker. I've always like Soon Forget because Vedder plays it on a ukulele. Eddie explains how he learned to play ukulele when he was going through a hard time and that it seemed like such a happy sounding instrument, but felt he had to bring it down with him, which lead him to the next song called Goodbye. Goodbye is a sad song about saying goodbye to a loved one that you will never see again even though it's all you want.
At this point, Eddie's comedic bone kicked in and he asked if he could play another said song. The song is about a women at a convenience store, the clerk asks, "what do you want?" she answers, "liquor" (lick her), to which the song ends, "I'll never work there anymore." Vedder continues the humor by playing about 40 seconds of Walk Hard from the Dewey Cox movie. He abruptly stopped siting that's all he knew. Vedder kept the mood light by going into Drifting, which is another song I haven't heard live and followed with another Penn connection, the Beatles cover of You've Got to Hide Your Love Away from I Am Sam. It was the first time I had heard this song live as well and it was amazing. He closed the first set with an acoustic version of Porch. Contrary to many of the other songs, I've heard this one live probably 15 times. It's one of those songs that no matter how many times I hear it, it's incredible. Eddie's take on it was just as fresh; however, this is one of those songs that, while it's cool to hear in this fashion, nothing beats the the entire band playing it. It did showcase Eddie's talents on guitar, but I miss the long solos that normally ensue with the band playing together. Regardless, it was a great way to leave the crowd wanting more.
After a five minute recess, Vedder came back out and played Wishlist. Followed by an awesome cover of Pete Townshend's Let My Love Open the Door. Eddie enlisted the crowd to help sing, with the guys singing one part and the gals another. The guys stepped up to the plate; however, the ladies were barely noticeable. Still it was a cool performance. Vedder jumped back to the Into the Wild album with Society, bringing out Liam Finn to play guitar as well. One of the best songs on the album and just as good live. After Liam walked off the stage, Eddie was fumbling around trying to set up the next song when someone shouted out a request for Masters of War. Eddie acknowledged the request and stated that every fucking day he thought about the words of that song. It was by far the most emotional song he sang the entire night. The raw energy coming from his voice and guitar was something that I have rarely seen. You could fully see that this song was powerful to him. After a short speech on current issues, he proceeded to a song about a war veteran that was paralyzed from the chest down in Iraq, called No More War. I applaud Eddie for not getting too political as is his normal MO, instead he urged us to all discover for ourselves the state of our Union. Vedder ended the first encore with the vocal track, Arc. Basically he sang into a machine that recorded his voice, then played it back while he laid down another layer of vocals...rinse and repeat. He walked off stage after a bow with his vocals looping through the speakers.
There was no doubt that he would be coming back for at least one more song. A few seconds after he went back stage those thoughts were confirmed when a drum kit was wheeled out. Minutes later, he returned again with Liam Finn and the woman from the opening act. He proceeded to play the only big song from Into the Wild that we hadn't heard, Hard Sun. It was a great performance of the song and the first time I had heard it live. Eddie for the first time got off the stool and was dancing around on stage like most of us are accustomed to. You could tell he was rocking on stage, although I can't help but feel the stage presence on this song to be a little contrived. He was bouncing around like he was playing Even Flow or Once, but this song just isn't that kind of a track to me. I don't think it was fake, but it felt a little weird to me. I guess the important thing though was that the song sounded great.
After that, Eddie left the stage for the final time that night to a thunderous applause after just over 2 hours of playing. With the encore breaks, he played a solid two hour show and blew through 28 songs. Overall, I'd rate this as a very good show. Yet, being more of a fan of the band in general than just it's front man, I can't say that it was better than any of the 20 some PJ shows I've seen. It was just a different experience. Having seen them as many times as I have and seeing the people they bring on stage sometimes, I was a bit disappointed that Eddie didn't have anyone else on stage with him other than Liam Finn. I was hoping that being in NY would give him the opportunity to attract a fellow artist/friend of the band to play one or two songs with him. However, since this is really my only gripe, I tend to think I am just a spoiled fan that has been to too many shows.
Tonight is the second and last show he is doing in NY. I am looking forward to this one because if there is one thing I've learned from going to 20+ PJ shows it's that they rarely play the same set list on back to back nights. Of course, he'll play most of the songs from Into the Wild again, but I expect to hear some more obscure tracks from the PJ library that they normally don't play on tour. Bottom line is, if your a Pearl Jam fan and Eddie Vedder is coming to your city, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Why so Serious?
For those that have not seen this movie yet, drop whatever plans you have and go. It was incredible. The first movie in a long time to live up to the hype. The action was phenomenal and the performances were well above average, with Ledger stealing the show. This Joker makes Nicholson's portrayal look like Santa Claus. The Joker is the story of this movie, not Batman, not the mob, not the love story of Bruce and Rachel Dawes (which by the way , she was the only weak link in the film. Maggie Gyllenhaal was B list at best). I really think Ledger's performance was a great send off to his career. Oscar worthy? I wouldn't say so just because of the genre, but great nonetheless. However, I can't give him all the credit. Somebody had to write the script and the actions he would perform. This fantastic role is a combo of great writing and acting.
By far this is the best comic book movie we've ever seen and is possibly one of the best action flicks in a decade, if not longer. Bottom line, don't wait for the DVD. It's too good to miss.
By far this is the best comic book movie we've ever seen and is possibly one of the best action flicks in a decade, if not longer. Bottom line, don't wait for the DVD. It's too good to miss.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Dreams and perspirations
I have been plagued with dreams. On the outside these dreams seem more like a blessing. I wake up many times a night feeling as though I have solved life's greatest mysteries. A great feeling, right? Imagine that when you awake you realize that you just invented time travel. The formula is at your finger tips, only there's one itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny problem. You don't understand quantum psychics. This is how I feel about 5 times a night.
Here's the scene, you troubled narrator, stirs from slumber, all but sits straight up in excitement. Begins to decipher the sequence of illusions. In a matter of mere moments, excitement turns to frustration as I struggle to translate the thoughts. The only option is to try to transition back to slumber in hopes of recapturing the resolution. The scene shifts to solving situation two. Rinse and repeat. So now, I have invented time travel and cured cancer, but lack the tools to translate the tabulations. The problem doesn't lie in not being able to comprehend these dreams, it's trying to figure out what my subconscious mind if trying to tell me.
One of the dreams deals with work while the other is, to quote Nirvana, about a girl. Here's the kicker. Work is fantastic and the girl is exactly where she needs to be. I'm not feeling pressure in either "real life" situation, so what's the problem? I've made my share of mistakes in life...are my past experiences trying to tell me that things are not kosher? I was having similar sleep patterns a few weeks ago. Finally, I woke up one morning and decided to give myself a mental enema. It worked, for a short time. I'm using this forum to clear my thoughts and try to give myself another fresh start. Hopefully it takes a little better than the previous attempt.
And so it goes...
Here's the scene, you troubled narrator, stirs from slumber, all but sits straight up in excitement. Begins to decipher the sequence of illusions. In a matter of mere moments, excitement turns to frustration as I struggle to translate the thoughts. The only option is to try to transition back to slumber in hopes of recapturing the resolution. The scene shifts to solving situation two. Rinse and repeat. So now, I have invented time travel and cured cancer, but lack the tools to translate the tabulations. The problem doesn't lie in not being able to comprehend these dreams, it's trying to figure out what my subconscious mind if trying to tell me.
One of the dreams deals with work while the other is, to quote Nirvana, about a girl. Here's the kicker. Work is fantastic and the girl is exactly where she needs to be. I'm not feeling pressure in either "real life" situation, so what's the problem? I've made my share of mistakes in life...are my past experiences trying to tell me that things are not kosher? I was having similar sleep patterns a few weeks ago. Finally, I woke up one morning and decided to give myself a mental enema. It worked, for a short time. I'm using this forum to clear my thoughts and try to give myself another fresh start. Hopefully it takes a little better than the previous attempt.
And so it goes...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The weight you bear
Eddie has struck again. This time, unsolicited. Generally I will turn to music to compliment my mood. However, last night it set the tone. The song so powerful, like it reached in my head and was belting out my thoughts. It freaked me out. But, thought followed. Thoughts that had eluded my conscious. And now, here it is. Lying on the table like a man, innards exposed. My first inclination was to post the lyrics of the song for all to analyse. But no, this is sacred. Much too personal. You'll draw conclusions. I would. Have. Instead, know this. I have finished the 500 piece puzzle. The image is beautiful. A place so peaceful and gorgeous, you wonder if it really exists. It does, just not for me to lay my eyes upon.
Depressing, right? No, and that's why I have decided to keep this song to myself. You won't understand. How can you? When I flip this puzzle and see the cardboard underbelly, it is not beautiful, peaceful, gorgeous. It is real life. Bland, boring, blank. Blank. A canvas, waiting to be brought to life. One of life's mysteries, solved.
The other mysteries are a bit more difficult. Some of them are intertwined. Like the tangled mess of wires behind your entertainment center. Each of them independently has a function; however, together produce a symphony of sound and a visual masterpiece. Right now the picture is a bit fuzzy and the audio, noisy. The solution? Unplug everything and begin unraveling. Only then will I find the dysfunctional cable, reconnecting the components as they were meant to be seen and heard.
And so it goes...
Depressing, right? No, and that's why I have decided to keep this song to myself. You won't understand. How can you? When I flip this puzzle and see the cardboard underbelly, it is not beautiful, peaceful, gorgeous. It is real life. Bland, boring, blank. Blank. A canvas, waiting to be brought to life. One of life's mysteries, solved.
The other mysteries are a bit more difficult. Some of them are intertwined. Like the tangled mess of wires behind your entertainment center. Each of them independently has a function; however, together produce a symphony of sound and a visual masterpiece. Right now the picture is a bit fuzzy and the audio, noisy. The solution? Unplug everything and begin unraveling. Only then will I find the dysfunctional cable, reconnecting the components as they were meant to be seen and heard.
And so it goes...
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
3 Days Grace
As the ambassador of Sun, I announce the arrival of Summer. I know officially it doesn't begin until Mid-June, the 22nd, I believe. However, when it comes to tourism, summer starts with Memorial Day and ends with Labor Day. While I was blessed with great weather the first two weeks in NYC, the following 3 were terrible. Gray and rain, not unlike my previous home. Apparently, you can't escape that by merely moving a few hundred miles east. But, as though the Gods were giving clemency, the skies blued and the sun reemerged. The Sun has delivered us from evil. Amen!
My first three day weekend was more than I could have asked for climately. 70+ and sunny. Friday was great. A half day. Well, more like 4/9ths, but I ain't good at math, so we'll go with half. How did I take advantage of this free time? Laundry of course. Before you rake me over the coals, listen to my logic. I could have gone to the park, parked at a bar or try to maneuver the parking lots known as the NYC roads. I had 72 hours of nothing to do ahead of me starting Saturday and laundry was "something" I didn't want to do. So after a short lunch, I went home to cycle the suds. With clean laundry and a quick shower, the weekend was at hand around 8:30.
The weekend was exactly what the doctor prescribed. Lots of sun, plenty of suds (the beer type, not laundry), good friends and great locations. For the first time since I got here I was able to really see the city. My travels took me to Brooklyn, Jersey (a second trip may not ever happen), Central Park, SoHo, West Village and beyond. I got a real feel for the energy that pumps through New York like booze through Lindsey Lohan.
I've noticed that no matter what time you get going here, the city is alive and ready to serve. One of the biggest trends I've noticed since moving here is the phenomenon called Brunch. It's a Saturday and Sunday staple. Nearly every restaurant in town has a brunch menu from 11-4. It may seem odd to most to be eating brunch at 2:00 in the afternoon, but when you don't go to bed until 3 AM, waking up around 11:30 and finally leaving the house around 1:00 isn't all that uncommon. It's actually the norm. While I haven't fully embraced this NY habit, I have learned to appreciate a good midday meal. What you have to watch out for is what I call the faux-brunch. This is a restaurant that offers brunch, but has a very limited menu. Basically an omelet or some kind of a fruit platter. Sure they have breakfast items past 11:00, but lets face it. In a city this big, options should never be this limited. So far I haven't found a place that is a must eat. But stay tuned blog fans as you will be the first to hear of the great ones I come across.
And so it goes...
My first three day weekend was more than I could have asked for climately. 70+ and sunny. Friday was great. A half day. Well, more like 4/9ths, but I ain't good at math, so we'll go with half. How did I take advantage of this free time? Laundry of course. Before you rake me over the coals, listen to my logic. I could have gone to the park, parked at a bar or try to maneuver the parking lots known as the NYC roads. I had 72 hours of nothing to do ahead of me starting Saturday and laundry was "something" I didn't want to do. So after a short lunch, I went home to cycle the suds. With clean laundry and a quick shower, the weekend was at hand around 8:30.
The weekend was exactly what the doctor prescribed. Lots of sun, plenty of suds (the beer type, not laundry), good friends and great locations. For the first time since I got here I was able to really see the city. My travels took me to Brooklyn, Jersey (a second trip may not ever happen), Central Park, SoHo, West Village and beyond. I got a real feel for the energy that pumps through New York like booze through Lindsey Lohan.
I've noticed that no matter what time you get going here, the city is alive and ready to serve. One of the biggest trends I've noticed since moving here is the phenomenon called Brunch. It's a Saturday and Sunday staple. Nearly every restaurant in town has a brunch menu from 11-4. It may seem odd to most to be eating brunch at 2:00 in the afternoon, but when you don't go to bed until 3 AM, waking up around 11:30 and finally leaving the house around 1:00 isn't all that uncommon. It's actually the norm. While I haven't fully embraced this NY habit, I have learned to appreciate a good midday meal. What you have to watch out for is what I call the faux-brunch. This is a restaurant that offers brunch, but has a very limited menu. Basically an omelet or some kind of a fruit platter. Sure they have breakfast items past 11:00, but lets face it. In a city this big, options should never be this limited. So far I haven't found a place that is a must eat. But stay tuned blog fans as you will be the first to hear of the great ones I come across.
And so it goes...
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