So, apparently there is going to be a hurricane this weekend and it is ruining all of our plans.
All public transit stopped running at noon, and Clayton is over at Lauren's, and I am sitting in the livingroom in Williamsburg conversing with Kara and internetting and hoping that the rain will let up a teeny tiny bit so that I can bike over to Red Hook for my coveted Lobster Roll. I was hoping to go to Smorgasburg today, but due to hurricane warnings, half of everything is closed all weekend. CRY CRY CRY.
At least yesterday was beautiful. Clayton and I got up at a reasonable hour, went to Egg for breakfast, and then biked over the Williamsburg Bridge and up the Manhattan Greenway then over to Central Park. We grabbed some icecream and then sat reading in the sunshine for a few hours and it was a super lovely, lazy day. I haven't been as active as usual while we've been here, so I was really really exceedingly happy to get in a nice, long bikeride. Not to mention that in the past year, the MTA has made giant bus only lanes during rush hour, so biking around Manhattan is a BREEZE. BREEZE!!
Biked home for the early evening, and then Clayton rushed out to meet up with Lauren for some type of surprise that she had planned. I went and picked up some emergency supplies with Kara and then came home and spent the evening drinking beers on the patio and reading Sylvia Plath. Was supposed to meet up with my friend Lisa for drinks, but she went to sleep early. Then I was thinking of going to a show in the neighbourhood that an acquaintance invited me to, but instead I got sleepy and drank beers and read Sylvia Plath on the back porch.
Tonight there is a chance that we might have some folks over to hang out and drink, but there is also a chance that no one else will want to leave their snug apartments to venture across town. Also, I guess that I should go buy water soon?
That's all for now.
Oh, except that I just found out that the hurricane rains might drive thousands of sewer rats into the streets. sick.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
mellow days - late nights
It's been a few more days, and there is nothing particularly crazy or strange or amazingly interesting to report. Days and nights have been easy breezy and care-free. Every now and then I have a flash of panic about work that will need to be done when I get home and I wonder if I should check my work email but then I push those thoughts aside.
After posting the other day, I gave Mikey a text to see if he wanted to meet Clayton and I for dinner at the amazing burrito place from the night before. Turns out that it was closed, so we met him at a cheap little noodle place on Bedford instead.
Did I mention that Mikey leant Clayton his bike?? He's such a nice guy!! So Clayton and I biked around Williamsburg a little and it was just so lovely. The weather here is absolutely perfect this time around. It's not too hot. It's a little breezy. It's sunny. There's the occasional downpour, but they usually pass within the hour and it's clear skies once again.
After meeting Mikey, we went to find his new roommate Lily, and some of their friends to have a few drinks in a park, followed by a few more drinks in a weird little dive bar that used to be some kitchy family restaurant, where they served crappy beer for 2 dollars. I don't remember the names of anyone who we met, but they were all super lovely. Lily got pretty drunk and kept insisting that Clayton and I (a) come back to New York as soon as possible and sleep on her and Mikey's couches for several weeks (b) that we move to New York. I am pretty alright with both of these options. Sadly, she and Mikey were also leaving for Spain the next day, so no more visits this time around.
Bikes home. Sleeps. Wake up early to go and meet Lauren at her place.
We went out to Coney Island on Tuesday, which was great, but also made me feel a teeeeensy bit melancholy. MORE ON THAT LATER.
BEFORE Coney Island, we went to a super amazingly delicious restaurant for brunch! The Farm on Adderley was so incredible and wonderful. Lauren had a breakfast sammy, Clayton had a Beef Dip and I had a garlic, roasted tomato and bocconcini omelette. We also got a side order of toasted chocolate brioche with sea salt. AMAZING. We also had a super cute waiter, and since my initial potential vacation-romance plans are not going as... planned... I am dreamily checking out every nerdy boy who comes within 15 ft of my personal bubble (because I wouldn't be doing that anyways...)
After breakfast we were back on the train and Coney Island bound. It was not too hot, so it was actually nice to walk around and stuff. We grabbed a few beers and meandered down the boardwalk and looked at the ocean and watched people fish off the pier. We had initially been planning on going on the cyclone or the ferris wheel but quickly realized that none of us had any desire to do so that day, so instead just had a leisurely afternoon walking around. We grabbed another beer, heard that there had been an earthquake in new york, and suddenly all of the strange calls I had been receiving for the past hour made sense. Called my mom, who being as she is, was sobbing (DRAMATIC!! We have 6 point earthquakes in Vancouver ALL THE TIME), but was thankful that I called and was alright.
After Coney Island we went to the lower east side for dinner at a little vegetarian thai place where they had passionfruit mojitos (delicious) for 5 dollars, and the food was super delicious. We tried to go to a few more little bars for drinks, but the sun had made us sleepy, so I parted ways with Clayton and Lauren to make my way home. I walked by a super cute boy at a tiny little bar a few blocks from my house, and decided to go in and sit at the bar and have a beer and write in my notebook. Despite going in partly to see if I could talk to this person, I avoided his eye contact the entire time, and instead sat there nervously writing not much of anything. If I'm honest with myself, I was just trying to make myself feel better about a thing that I am feeling not so great about, and that's never a reason to hit on someone anyways, so it's probably best that I aloofed and brooded my way through my beer before dropping my moneys on the bar and bolting out the door.
At home,I showered away the day before crawling into bed with the most recent episode of True Blood and drifting off to sleep.
Today is "time alone" day, which will be really nice. It's great to spend all of your time with one of your besties, but time alone is so important because otherwise I feel like I might strangle someone. I'm sure that Clayton feels the same way.
Bike rides or subways to the MoMa and then I'm not sure.
Just under a week left.
After posting the other day, I gave Mikey a text to see if he wanted to meet Clayton and I for dinner at the amazing burrito place from the night before. Turns out that it was closed, so we met him at a cheap little noodle place on Bedford instead.
Did I mention that Mikey leant Clayton his bike?? He's such a nice guy!! So Clayton and I biked around Williamsburg a little and it was just so lovely. The weather here is absolutely perfect this time around. It's not too hot. It's a little breezy. It's sunny. There's the occasional downpour, but they usually pass within the hour and it's clear skies once again.
After meeting Mikey, we went to find his new roommate Lily, and some of their friends to have a few drinks in a park, followed by a few more drinks in a weird little dive bar that used to be some kitchy family restaurant, where they served crappy beer for 2 dollars. I don't remember the names of anyone who we met, but they were all super lovely. Lily got pretty drunk and kept insisting that Clayton and I (a) come back to New York as soon as possible and sleep on her and Mikey's couches for several weeks (b) that we move to New York. I am pretty alright with both of these options. Sadly, she and Mikey were also leaving for Spain the next day, so no more visits this time around.
Bikes home. Sleeps. Wake up early to go and meet Lauren at her place.
We went out to Coney Island on Tuesday, which was great, but also made me feel a teeeeensy bit melancholy. MORE ON THAT LATER.
BEFORE Coney Island, we went to a super amazingly delicious restaurant for brunch! The Farm on Adderley was so incredible and wonderful. Lauren had a breakfast sammy, Clayton had a Beef Dip and I had a garlic, roasted tomato and bocconcini omelette. We also got a side order of toasted chocolate brioche with sea salt. AMAZING. We also had a super cute waiter, and since my initial potential vacation-romance plans are not going as... planned... I am dreamily checking out every nerdy boy who comes within 15 ft of my personal bubble (because I wouldn't be doing that anyways...)
After breakfast we were back on the train and Coney Island bound. It was not too hot, so it was actually nice to walk around and stuff. We grabbed a few beers and meandered down the boardwalk and looked at the ocean and watched people fish off the pier. We had initially been planning on going on the cyclone or the ferris wheel but quickly realized that none of us had any desire to do so that day, so instead just had a leisurely afternoon walking around. We grabbed another beer, heard that there had been an earthquake in new york, and suddenly all of the strange calls I had been receiving for the past hour made sense. Called my mom, who being as she is, was sobbing (DRAMATIC!! We have 6 point earthquakes in Vancouver ALL THE TIME), but was thankful that I called and was alright.
After Coney Island we went to the lower east side for dinner at a little vegetarian thai place where they had passionfruit mojitos (delicious) for 5 dollars, and the food was super delicious. We tried to go to a few more little bars for drinks, but the sun had made us sleepy, so I parted ways with Clayton and Lauren to make my way home. I walked by a super cute boy at a tiny little bar a few blocks from my house, and decided to go in and sit at the bar and have a beer and write in my notebook. Despite going in partly to see if I could talk to this person, I avoided his eye contact the entire time, and instead sat there nervously writing not much of anything. If I'm honest with myself, I was just trying to make myself feel better about a thing that I am feeling not so great about, and that's never a reason to hit on someone anyways, so it's probably best that I aloofed and brooded my way through my beer before dropping my moneys on the bar and bolting out the door.
At home,I showered away the day before crawling into bed with the most recent episode of True Blood and drifting off to sleep.
Today is "time alone" day, which will be really nice. It's great to spend all of your time with one of your besties, but time alone is so important because otherwise I feel like I might strangle someone. I'm sure that Clayton feels the same way.
Bike rides or subways to the MoMa and then I'm not sure.
Just under a week left.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Another Summer.
This summer I decided to make another trip to NYC, this time with my friend Clayton.
He's a pretty swell guy.
I meant to update this blog earlier in our trip, but there wasn't really an opportunity... or maybe there was, but I was too lazy.
Clayton and I woke up at 4 am on Thursday August 18th to head out to YVR for our 8 am flight. This time, when flight booking, rather than just look for the cheapest flight, I actually looked at ones with reasonable times. Yes, 8 am is early, but it also meant that we arrived in Newark at 7 pm and didn't have to wait a billion hours for the train to Penn Station, and then a million more hours for the subway. We made the mistake of not mapping out our route into Williamsburg before leaving home, so we kind of had to wing it. One too far subway trip and cab ride later, we were settled into our temporary home.
We dropped off our things, and almost immediately headed out to a bar called Post Office to meet up with Lauren, a friend of Clayton's (who by the way, is a completely lovely person). Post Office had a good selection of beers and a REALLY good selection of whiskeys. They also had some pretty delicious food. On my insistence, Clayton ordered a chicken liver and bacon sandwich, which he said was quite possibly one of the most tasty things in life ever.
After some drinking and chatting, I realized, to my confusion that my phone was ringing. Most people knew I was away, so I didn't see who would be calling me at this time from Vancouver. Turns out it was Becky's roommate (Becky is the lady we are subletting from). Turns out, we were not supposed to lock the deadlock on the door. Further turns out that it was now almost 2 am, and she had tried to call me about 5 times, and she had to get into the apartment so that she could go to sleep to get up and work very early in the morning. WOOPS!! Thankfully we were not too far from home, so I literally sprinted back with the keys and let her in. She apologized profusely for being grumpy on the phone and I apologized profusely for locking a door that she could not open. I said goodnight and was back outside on my way to Post Office when I realized I was not 100% sure on how to get back. I started walking in the right direction and figured that I would ask someone along the way. Halfway there, a handsome young hiptery black man came out of a bar and asked me where I was going, he was running a night there and thought that I should come in for a drink. I told him that I was on my way to meet friends, but he insisted that I come in and have a shot with him, and who am I to say no... I feel like this kind of random occurrence just does not really happen in Vancouver, and it's one of the things that I love about New York. We chatted for a bit and I told him that I didn't live here, and I was from Vancouver and hoped to one day move here to which he responded that he ran some kind of music company and if I ever wanted a visa I should give him a shout and he would try to figure out how to get me a job here. I can't say that I 'm not tempted to see if he was serious or not.
ANYWAYS... back to the bar and more drinks, one of the nicest bar tenders ever, one more bar with a huge patio and more beers and then it was time to call it a night. Clayton headed off to Lauren's and I went to Becky's for sleeps. SLEEEPS.
Slept in pretty late and debated sleeping in for many more hours, but then Chris Ferguson convinced me via the internet that I had to start getting on New York time right away, or I never would. Met up with Clayton and Lauren for a somewhat mediocre brunch on a place with a super nice patio and then we just grabbed some beers and went and sat in a park.
I don't really recall how the rest of our day mashed into itself, but we basically spent the evening bar hopping around Williamsburg.
The first place that we went was the Brooklyn Brewery. It was a good place to check out, but was a little underwhelming, and I was pretty sad that they didn't have their Summer Ale on tap. After drinking a few beers, we went outside only to be assaulted by a torrential downpour. We quickly ducked into a nearby bar where we grabbed a few beers and some nachos to wait it out. Thankfully, unlike in Vancouver, the rainstorms here and short and sweet, so we were on our way within a little over an hour.
The next bar that we hit was called Barcade, a long room with a good selection of beers and a GREAT selection of old school video game machines; it might just be a nerd's dream bar. A couple of hours later, we went to maybe the best karaoke bar I have ever been to in my life. If I lived in this neighbourhood in real life, I would probably go there every week. The crocodile would pretty much look like your typical bar from the street, but in the back there is a little room with a stage where you can croon your heart out every Thursday night. I am not exaggerating when I say that they have the best selection of karaoke songs that I have ever seen in my life. It was full enough to be interesting, but also small enough that Clayton and I each got to sing three songs. HURRAY!! The other interesting thing about this place is that with every beer, you get a ticket that you can use to get an entire freshly baked cheese pizza. Not a slice. A whole pizza. This is both great and horrible. Great, because there is never a point in the evening where you think to yourself "I have had too much to drink and I reaaaaaally need a snack". Not great because, OH GOD I ATE SO MUCH CHEESE PIZZA. OW! MY STOMACH LINING!"
I think that we went somewhere else after that, but I don't remember.
Stumbled home.
Sleeped.
Sleeped in.
Brunch.
Saturday morning I yelped close brunch places and Clayton and I decided on Le Barricou. OMG. SO DELICIOUS. Quite possibly some of the best brunch I have ever had in my life. Tasty omelette, perfectly seasoned potatoes and a big salad on the side. The room was super pretty and the service was impeccable. TEN OUT OF TEN.
We hopped the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge and strolled across and took some tourist shots, then walked around Manhattan for a bit before heading to Lauren's for some drinks. More subways. Then a very long, epic night of bands, short films and tons of free beers on an amazing rooftop. HURRAY
At 4 am, I was once again subway-ing my way home, when who do I run into... the only boy who I have had awkward makeout with in the entirely of new york. We drunkenly made out one night while I was here last summer then hung out one more time, when i realized we had nothing in common, and never called him again. HOW DID I RUN INTO HIM ON THE SUBWAY AT 4AM?!? SO AWKARD.
Got home, and wouldn't you know it, the deadbolt was locked. REALLY?! I didn't have a key anymore, so I just had to knock on the door until someone got up and let me in.
Internets. Netflix. Sleeps.
SUNDAY! Tried to make it to the Red Hook Lobster truck at the BK Flea Market, but then Lauren and Clayton got kind of lost and were late and we missed it. ANOTHER DAY.
We ducked into a tiny italian place to hide from another downpour and snacked on some tasty foods before running over to Mikey's apartment.
Hurray Mikey! The last time that I was here, we hung out for one afternoon, as later that day he was on his way to Spain. This trip is almost no different. We spent the evening hanging out with him and his roommate and were going to head to a rooftop party, except that sadly it had been rained out. Early tomorrow Mikey is heading to Spain again, so sadly, there will be no epic party night this time around. NEXT TIME.
On the way home, we stopped at a restaurant called Caiexico where I had the best burrito that I have ever had in my entire life. I'm not even joking. Everything about it was completely amazing. YUM!! SO MANY DELICIOUS FOODS!
Ok. so I know that this post is exceedingly long and at the moment there aren't even any photos.
So I'll wrap it up!!
The next morning, TODAY, Clayton and I went for brunch at Egg. I would highly recommend this place. I got an egg with chees in brioche and it came with some wilted kale and roasted tomatoes. The whole meal was magical, but the real star was the kale. It was so perfectly prepared that a description could not possibly do it justice.
I then weirdly bartered on a 12 pack of pbr at a corner store, and now here I am on the patio off of our room, typing out this blog post.
Oh. I also went to yoga this morning. By donation. How great is that!
DONE!!
It's now almost 4 pm, and I think that Clayton and I are going to bike around the city a bit and then who knows.
So far, it's been a pretty great trip!
Bye for now!
He's a pretty swell guy.
I meant to update this blog earlier in our trip, but there wasn't really an opportunity... or maybe there was, but I was too lazy.
Clayton and I woke up at 4 am on Thursday August 18th to head out to YVR for our 8 am flight. This time, when flight booking, rather than just look for the cheapest flight, I actually looked at ones with reasonable times. Yes, 8 am is early, but it also meant that we arrived in Newark at 7 pm and didn't have to wait a billion hours for the train to Penn Station, and then a million more hours for the subway. We made the mistake of not mapping out our route into Williamsburg before leaving home, so we kind of had to wing it. One too far subway trip and cab ride later, we were settled into our temporary home.
We dropped off our things, and almost immediately headed out to a bar called Post Office to meet up with Lauren, a friend of Clayton's (who by the way, is a completely lovely person). Post Office had a good selection of beers and a REALLY good selection of whiskeys. They also had some pretty delicious food. On my insistence, Clayton ordered a chicken liver and bacon sandwich, which he said was quite possibly one of the most tasty things in life ever.
After some drinking and chatting, I realized, to my confusion that my phone was ringing. Most people knew I was away, so I didn't see who would be calling me at this time from Vancouver. Turns out it was Becky's roommate (Becky is the lady we are subletting from). Turns out, we were not supposed to lock the deadlock on the door. Further turns out that it was now almost 2 am, and she had tried to call me about 5 times, and she had to get into the apartment so that she could go to sleep to get up and work very early in the morning. WOOPS!! Thankfully we were not too far from home, so I literally sprinted back with the keys and let her in. She apologized profusely for being grumpy on the phone and I apologized profusely for locking a door that she could not open. I said goodnight and was back outside on my way to Post Office when I realized I was not 100% sure on how to get back. I started walking in the right direction and figured that I would ask someone along the way. Halfway there, a handsome young hiptery black man came out of a bar and asked me where I was going, he was running a night there and thought that I should come in for a drink. I told him that I was on my way to meet friends, but he insisted that I come in and have a shot with him, and who am I to say no... I feel like this kind of random occurrence just does not really happen in Vancouver, and it's one of the things that I love about New York. We chatted for a bit and I told him that I didn't live here, and I was from Vancouver and hoped to one day move here to which he responded that he ran some kind of music company and if I ever wanted a visa I should give him a shout and he would try to figure out how to get me a job here. I can't say that I 'm not tempted to see if he was serious or not.
ANYWAYS... back to the bar and more drinks, one of the nicest bar tenders ever, one more bar with a huge patio and more beers and then it was time to call it a night. Clayton headed off to Lauren's and I went to Becky's for sleeps. SLEEEPS.
Slept in pretty late and debated sleeping in for many more hours, but then Chris Ferguson convinced me via the internet that I had to start getting on New York time right away, or I never would. Met up with Clayton and Lauren for a somewhat mediocre brunch on a place with a super nice patio and then we just grabbed some beers and went and sat in a park.
I don't really recall how the rest of our day mashed into itself, but we basically spent the evening bar hopping around Williamsburg.
The first place that we went was the Brooklyn Brewery. It was a good place to check out, but was a little underwhelming, and I was pretty sad that they didn't have their Summer Ale on tap. After drinking a few beers, we went outside only to be assaulted by a torrential downpour. We quickly ducked into a nearby bar where we grabbed a few beers and some nachos to wait it out. Thankfully, unlike in Vancouver, the rainstorms here and short and sweet, so we were on our way within a little over an hour.
The next bar that we hit was called Barcade, a long room with a good selection of beers and a GREAT selection of old school video game machines; it might just be a nerd's dream bar. A couple of hours later, we went to maybe the best karaoke bar I have ever been to in my life. If I lived in this neighbourhood in real life, I would probably go there every week. The crocodile would pretty much look like your typical bar from the street, but in the back there is a little room with a stage where you can croon your heart out every Thursday night. I am not exaggerating when I say that they have the best selection of karaoke songs that I have ever seen in my life. It was full enough to be interesting, but also small enough that Clayton and I each got to sing three songs. HURRAY!! The other interesting thing about this place is that with every beer, you get a ticket that you can use to get an entire freshly baked cheese pizza. Not a slice. A whole pizza. This is both great and horrible. Great, because there is never a point in the evening where you think to yourself "I have had too much to drink and I reaaaaaally need a snack". Not great because, OH GOD I ATE SO MUCH CHEESE PIZZA. OW! MY STOMACH LINING!"
I think that we went somewhere else after that, but I don't remember.
Stumbled home.
Sleeped.
Sleeped in.
Brunch.
Saturday morning I yelped close brunch places and Clayton and I decided on Le Barricou. OMG. SO DELICIOUS. Quite possibly some of the best brunch I have ever had in my life. Tasty omelette, perfectly seasoned potatoes and a big salad on the side. The room was super pretty and the service was impeccable. TEN OUT OF TEN.
We hopped the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge and strolled across and took some tourist shots, then walked around Manhattan for a bit before heading to Lauren's for some drinks. More subways. Then a very long, epic night of bands, short films and tons of free beers on an amazing rooftop. HURRAY
At 4 am, I was once again subway-ing my way home, when who do I run into... the only boy who I have had awkward makeout with in the entirely of new york. We drunkenly made out one night while I was here last summer then hung out one more time, when i realized we had nothing in common, and never called him again. HOW DID I RUN INTO HIM ON THE SUBWAY AT 4AM?!? SO AWKARD.
Got home, and wouldn't you know it, the deadbolt was locked. REALLY?! I didn't have a key anymore, so I just had to knock on the door until someone got up and let me in.
Internets. Netflix. Sleeps.
SUNDAY! Tried to make it to the Red Hook Lobster truck at the BK Flea Market, but then Lauren and Clayton got kind of lost and were late and we missed it. ANOTHER DAY.
We ducked into a tiny italian place to hide from another downpour and snacked on some tasty foods before running over to Mikey's apartment.
Hurray Mikey! The last time that I was here, we hung out for one afternoon, as later that day he was on his way to Spain. This trip is almost no different. We spent the evening hanging out with him and his roommate and were going to head to a rooftop party, except that sadly it had been rained out. Early tomorrow Mikey is heading to Spain again, so sadly, there will be no epic party night this time around. NEXT TIME.
On the way home, we stopped at a restaurant called Caiexico where I had the best burrito that I have ever had in my entire life. I'm not even joking. Everything about it was completely amazing. YUM!! SO MANY DELICIOUS FOODS!
Ok. so I know that this post is exceedingly long and at the moment there aren't even any photos.
So I'll wrap it up!!
The next morning, TODAY, Clayton and I went for brunch at Egg. I would highly recommend this place. I got an egg with chees in brioche and it came with some wilted kale and roasted tomatoes. The whole meal was magical, but the real star was the kale. It was so perfectly prepared that a description could not possibly do it justice.
I then weirdly bartered on a 12 pack of pbr at a corner store, and now here I am on the patio off of our room, typing out this blog post.
Oh. I also went to yoga this morning. By donation. How great is that!
DONE!!
It's now almost 4 pm, and I think that Clayton and I are going to bike around the city a bit and then who knows.
So far, it's been a pretty great trip!
Bye for now!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
signing off
What to say...
One last morning in a cafe in DUMBO, one last cigarette outside the loft (Kar: I know, I know... I said that I had quit... I'm an asshole), one last lunch and one last subway ride.
I can't even begin to express how amazingly wonderful and cathartic this experience has been. This trip has been such a long time coming; it has given me a new perspective, allowed me to know myself better, and given me a better understanding of where I am going and what I want from my life. When I get back to Vancouver, I am going to make an earnest effort to pay of my debt. This is my goal for the year. My student loans are this overbearing monkey on my back, and while I have shrugged them off in the past, I want them gone. It seems overwhelming, but I am sure that if I put my mind to it, I can do it.
Other things:
- I am going to live in New York again, for longer than three weeks.
-I have known for a long time that I didn't belong in Vancouver, and this trip has been a solid affirmation of that; I love Vancouver, and it will always be my home... I guess that I feel about it like it's my 'parent's house' of the world. It gives me great comfort to be in Vancouver, and I know it so well, but I don't want to live there forever.
- Anything is possible in your life if you just make it happen.
*sigh*
Thoughts on New York:
My own impression is that New York is not as glamourous as it is often made out to be on film; New York is dirty and gritty and it's a struggle, people do not always go out in fancy dresses for endless parties; I think that people here do casual fashion better than in Vancouver, but I also feet far more comfortable getting really dressed up for no reason at all when I'm in Vancouver... though maybe that's also the season, as it's tough to dress up when it's 35 degrees outside.
Everyone here is working towards something; people go hard, in their social lives and in their work lives - this is what I find amazing and why I have always found myself drawn to larger cities. I think that if you are the kind of person who gets lost, that New York would swallow you whole... but if you are the kind of person who is inspired by the drive and success of others, and who thrives the most when you are challenged, then there is nothing better than being in a city where laziness will kill you.
disclaimer: I feel like this post is a little wishy washy and all over the place... but my thoughts are scattered at the moment, and I'm feeling very reflective blah blah blah.
Other thoughts: I wish that I had been more bold in the beginning of my trip with people that I wanted to hang out with, one person in particular. I would have liked to get to know him better, and it makes me a little sad that we only really had these last three days. That being said, I have a renewed faith that the possibility is out there that I will one day find someone to date again... and that's pretty great.
I have not taken anywhere near as many photos as I would have liked on this trip... I mean, I have taken a lot of photos of inanimate objects, but not enough of people. I hate flashes, and when you socialize largely at night, that's all you've got.
Blah blah blah.
------------
Yesterday I spent most of the day walking around and just taking in the city. I did not go on the Staten Island ferry to see the statue of liberty. Try as I might, I just can't get into 'seeing the sights', even if maybe I should. I went and hung out in the BBP and read, but eventually just went home to nap. It was just too hot out. There isn't a lot that you can do when it's 35 degrees outside.
It was a Monday night, and most people were busy and in the end there was no big New York party send off. I went and had a drink at the Jay Street bar and read and wrote and some guy who reminded me strangely of my brother Michael talked to me about his plan to make it rich.
Jenner came and met me when he was done work, and I was happy to have him rescue me from a tedious conversation of small talk. And also just that he was there. At 7, Codrin's friend Lisa came by and I was so glad to get to meet her even though it was at the last minute. She was awesome, and I have no doubt that if we had met closer to the beginning of my trip that we would have become awesome fast friends. The three of us sat and talked and had some drinks, and around 9:30, Jenner and I went home.
We thought about meeting up with Rian and Caspar for a beer when they got back from babysitting, but in the end, everyone was exhausted and it was nice just to snuggle on the couch.
This morning, I said some goodbyes, and am writing cards and packing and tying up loose ends.
At 12:30, I'm meeting Jenner for lunch, then back to the loft to grab my stuff, drop of the keys at Caspar's workspace, then off to Newark.
I REALLY HOPE that I can keep it together and NOT CRY AT LUNCH.
Final thoughts:
This will be my last entry for Broke New York.
In the end, my trip wasn't all that broke. I could have eaten in more exciting restaurants, bought more clothes, and seen more sights, but somehow, those things are fairly inconsequential. I've had the chance over the past few weeks to see amazing art, meet some incredibly lovely and truly wonderful people and really reflect on my life.
I love this city, and it is now a part of me, and it will always have a very dear place in my heart.
On that note, this is it. Tonight, I will walk through the doors of my apartment and fall into my own bed and snuggle with Rosemary and Thomas. On Wednesday I will see friends, and eat sushi and ride my bike, and reacquaint myself with the streets of Vancouver. And on Thursday I return to temporary work at the RTDO at Children's Hospital.
Thanks for reading, and see you all soon.
<3 <3 <3
Altaira Northe
One last morning in a cafe in DUMBO, one last cigarette outside the loft (Kar: I know, I know... I said that I had quit... I'm an asshole), one last lunch and one last subway ride.
I can't even begin to express how amazingly wonderful and cathartic this experience has been. This trip has been such a long time coming; it has given me a new perspective, allowed me to know myself better, and given me a better understanding of where I am going and what I want from my life. When I get back to Vancouver, I am going to make an earnest effort to pay of my debt. This is my goal for the year. My student loans are this overbearing monkey on my back, and while I have shrugged them off in the past, I want them gone. It seems overwhelming, but I am sure that if I put my mind to it, I can do it.
Other things:
- I am going to live in New York again, for longer than three weeks.
-I have known for a long time that I didn't belong in Vancouver, and this trip has been a solid affirmation of that; I love Vancouver, and it will always be my home... I guess that I feel about it like it's my 'parent's house' of the world. It gives me great comfort to be in Vancouver, and I know it so well, but I don't want to live there forever.
- Anything is possible in your life if you just make it happen.
*sigh*
Thoughts on New York:
My own impression is that New York is not as glamourous as it is often made out to be on film; New York is dirty and gritty and it's a struggle, people do not always go out in fancy dresses for endless parties; I think that people here do casual fashion better than in Vancouver, but I also feet far more comfortable getting really dressed up for no reason at all when I'm in Vancouver... though maybe that's also the season, as it's tough to dress up when it's 35 degrees outside.
Everyone here is working towards something; people go hard, in their social lives and in their work lives - this is what I find amazing and why I have always found myself drawn to larger cities. I think that if you are the kind of person who gets lost, that New York would swallow you whole... but if you are the kind of person who is inspired by the drive and success of others, and who thrives the most when you are challenged, then there is nothing better than being in a city where laziness will kill you.
disclaimer: I feel like this post is a little wishy washy and all over the place... but my thoughts are scattered at the moment, and I'm feeling very reflective blah blah blah.
Other thoughts: I wish that I had been more bold in the beginning of my trip with people that I wanted to hang out with, one person in particular. I would have liked to get to know him better, and it makes me a little sad that we only really had these last three days. That being said, I have a renewed faith that the possibility is out there that I will one day find someone to date again... and that's pretty great.
I have not taken anywhere near as many photos as I would have liked on this trip... I mean, I have taken a lot of photos of inanimate objects, but not enough of people. I hate flashes, and when you socialize largely at night, that's all you've got.
Blah blah blah.
------------
Yesterday I spent most of the day walking around and just taking in the city. I did not go on the Staten Island ferry to see the statue of liberty. Try as I might, I just can't get into 'seeing the sights', even if maybe I should. I went and hung out in the BBP and read, but eventually just went home to nap. It was just too hot out. There isn't a lot that you can do when it's 35 degrees outside.
It was a Monday night, and most people were busy and in the end there was no big New York party send off. I went and had a drink at the Jay Street bar and read and wrote and some guy who reminded me strangely of my brother Michael talked to me about his plan to make it rich.
Jenner came and met me when he was done work, and I was happy to have him rescue me from a tedious conversation of small talk. And also just that he was there. At 7, Codrin's friend Lisa came by and I was so glad to get to meet her even though it was at the last minute. She was awesome, and I have no doubt that if we had met closer to the beginning of my trip that we would have become awesome fast friends. The three of us sat and talked and had some drinks, and around 9:30, Jenner and I went home.
We thought about meeting up with Rian and Caspar for a beer when they got back from babysitting, but in the end, everyone was exhausted and it was nice just to snuggle on the couch.
This morning, I said some goodbyes, and am writing cards and packing and tying up loose ends.
At 12:30, I'm meeting Jenner for lunch, then back to the loft to grab my stuff, drop of the keys at Caspar's workspace, then off to Newark.
I REALLY HOPE that I can keep it together and NOT CRY AT LUNCH.
Final thoughts:
This will be my last entry for Broke New York.
In the end, my trip wasn't all that broke. I could have eaten in more exciting restaurants, bought more clothes, and seen more sights, but somehow, those things are fairly inconsequential. I've had the chance over the past few weeks to see amazing art, meet some incredibly lovely and truly wonderful people and really reflect on my life.
I love this city, and it is now a part of me, and it will always have a very dear place in my heart.
On that note, this is it. Tonight, I will walk through the doors of my apartment and fall into my own bed and snuggle with Rosemary and Thomas. On Wednesday I will see friends, and eat sushi and ride my bike, and reacquaint myself with the streets of Vancouver. And on Thursday I return to temporary work at the RTDO at Children's Hospital.
Thanks for reading, and see you all soon.
<3 <3 <3
Altaira Northe
Monday, August 30, 2010
one more day
Last full day in New York.
*sigh*
Yesterday, Jenner and I met up with some friends and subwayed out to Coney Island. It's a bit of a ride, but our place is super close to the F train, so at least we didn't have any transfers. Plus, most of the ride is actually above ground, so it's not like you're spending an hour in the dank New York subway underground.
When we finally get out to the Coney Island stop, the first thing that we notice is the heat. OH GOD, THE HEAT. It must have been at least a few degrees hotter than it had been in the city, and it was just SO SUNNY. I mean, not to complain, but we probably could have planned this out a little better. It was so bright out that I was squinting even with my sunglasses on. We walk up and down the boardwalk, checking things out.
There is a pit where you can shoot paintballs at 'the freak' for something like 75 bucks for 20 rounds; there is a long row of food vendors selling corn and drinks and hotdogs; there is a man singing what appears to be karaoke to a crowd of onlookers; and there is every variety of beach freak you could imagine, from a tanned hulk hogan type standing around in tight white boxer briefs and a fanny pack, to a granny in a mini skirt and shimmery bikini top, pushing a walker.
Coney Island is not what I had imagined. First of all, I think that in movies and TV shows, I have only seen it in the Winter months, when it is largely deserted. I had imagined a slightly desolate boardwalk, in the middle of an industrial wasteland. I had imagined that it would be largely devoid of people. This, however, is actually the opposite of the summertime Coney Island that we encounter today. It is SWARMING with people, and actually bordering what appears to be a mixed use residential-commercial neighbourhood. I also didn't know that there was an enormous beach along one side of it; somehow I had thought that there was just a long boardwalk that dropped off into the water. Secondly, I didn't know that there were SO MANY rides on Coney Island, and that it was actually a Playland type amusement park. I had been under the impression that it was basically just the Cyclone and the Ferris Wheel, with a bunch of carnival booths. Interesting.
The last friend that we are waiting for arrives, and we make our way over to the Cyclone. It's 8 dollars, which is an astonishing rip-off, but this is basically what we came out here for, so we all pay it without getting our panties in too much of a knot. I haven't been on a rollercoaster in a while, and as we wait for our turn, I can feel the terror rising in my chest. It seems funny that I am paying to give myself a tiny panic attack. Finally, we board the ride, and are fastened very securely into our seats. Here we go. The first thing that I should mention is that as you round the first corner, you really get the sense that this roller coaster is OLD... and maybe not in the best shape? It creaks and jerks and the wood along the edges looks as though it might rot and fall apart at any moment. This only adds to the nervous feeling that this roller coaster induces. As we climb the first hill, the girls are squealing in fearful anticipation and the boys are laughing, and kind of making fun of us. Finally, we're at the top of the first hill... and AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
I have never been one of those people who can throw my hands up in the air when going down a big drop on a ride; I am usually clutching the bar or the person next to me, with my jaw clenched and breath held tightly, maybe with my eyes closed, trying not to die. Hill after hill, until the hills are no longer large and steep enough to induce panic, this is how I react. The Cyclone is a decently long roller coaster that at the end of you it, you don't feel ripped off. And besides, it's a icon; if you're going to visit Coney Island, it's just something that you have to do. For 5 more dollars, you can immediately ride the the coaster again, but we opt not to. Once was enough.
We walk around some more and debate whether or not to go on another ride, but decide to get a snack instead. We walk over to Nathan's hotdogs, which is apparently somewhat of an institution; this is the place where they have the hotdog eating contests every year. sick.
We order cheese fries, and I am expecting fries with cheese on them, but instead they are fries with what appears to be some reconstituted cheese powder sauce mix that is probably about 3 steps lower than 7/11 nacho cheese. Despite my disgust, I I scarf back some fries, because let's face it, when have I ever been one to turn down a snack; I also kind of feel like disgusting snack food is part of what makes a day at a crappy amusement park complete.
We sit in the sand, in the shade, and try to avoid the ill-behaved screaming mountains of children that are running around us. A few more friends meet us, and we hang out for about half an hour longer, before we decide that WE JUST CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT, so we need to GET THE HELL OUT OF [CONEY ISLAND]
It was a bit of a short stay, but we are all perfectly satisfied. I would like to return here in the fall sometime, when it is less crowded and have a photo date with a friend. I can imagine that without the glaring sun and the crowds that it would be an awesome place to bike around with a good friend, a flask in your back pocket, and a camera slung over your shoulder.
On the train ride back, we are all sleepy and each dose off for at least a moment or two.
We head back to the loft to grab a blanket and use the bathroom and then walk over to the Brooklyn Bridge Park to enjoy the last hours in the sun on this beautiful day. The view from the BBP (this is not a real abbreviation that people use... I used it here because I was lazy, but now here I am typing out this huge explanation... that was useful)... anyways... as I was saying.. the view is AMAZING. The park sits between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, and you can see all of Manhattan across the water, with the Statue of Liberty and Governer's Island to your left. It was the perfect end to the afternoon.
Just after 8, we once again head back to the loft and order pizza and watch true blood. People keep asking me how long I am here for or where I live and it hits me that I am leaving in a few short days and I wonder how I will feel when I get home.
Everything on this trip has just been so perfect and easy; I feel this city calling me. I know that vacations are different from real life, but I just feel so much like there is so much more here that I need to do; so many more people that I need to meet, or that I need to get to know better, so many more bikerides and late night walks and summer concerts and dinners with friends.
After True Blood everyone else leaves and Jenner and I watch Mad Men and then it's time for bed.
Kissing, snuggling, sleeping.
It's the perfect end to the perfect day, and a pretty perfect last weekend in New York.
Today I'm thinking of maaaaaaybe taking the Staten Island Ferry out to get a closer peek at the Statue of Liberty, running around the city a bit (hopefully finding a post office??), and later going to Brooklyn Bowl for some karaoke.
Tomorrow at this time, I will be getting my stuff together and getting ready to head out to Newark to catch my flight.
New York, I love you.
*sigh*
Yesterday, Jenner and I met up with some friends and subwayed out to Coney Island. It's a bit of a ride, but our place is super close to the F train, so at least we didn't have any transfers. Plus, most of the ride is actually above ground, so it's not like you're spending an hour in the dank New York subway underground.
When we finally get out to the Coney Island stop, the first thing that we notice is the heat. OH GOD, THE HEAT. It must have been at least a few degrees hotter than it had been in the city, and it was just SO SUNNY. I mean, not to complain, but we probably could have planned this out a little better. It was so bright out that I was squinting even with my sunglasses on. We walk up and down the boardwalk, checking things out.
There is a pit where you can shoot paintballs at 'the freak' for something like 75 bucks for 20 rounds; there is a long row of food vendors selling corn and drinks and hotdogs; there is a man singing what appears to be karaoke to a crowd of onlookers; and there is every variety of beach freak you could imagine, from a tanned hulk hogan type standing around in tight white boxer briefs and a fanny pack, to a granny in a mini skirt and shimmery bikini top, pushing a walker.
Coney Island is not what I had imagined. First of all, I think that in movies and TV shows, I have only seen it in the Winter months, when it is largely deserted. I had imagined a slightly desolate boardwalk, in the middle of an industrial wasteland. I had imagined that it would be largely devoid of people. This, however, is actually the opposite of the summertime Coney Island that we encounter today. It is SWARMING with people, and actually bordering what appears to be a mixed use residential-commercial neighbourhood. I also didn't know that there was an enormous beach along one side of it; somehow I had thought that there was just a long boardwalk that dropped off into the water. Secondly, I didn't know that there were SO MANY rides on Coney Island, and that it was actually a Playland type amusement park. I had been under the impression that it was basically just the Cyclone and the Ferris Wheel, with a bunch of carnival booths. Interesting.
The last friend that we are waiting for arrives, and we make our way over to the Cyclone. It's 8 dollars, which is an astonishing rip-off, but this is basically what we came out here for, so we all pay it without getting our panties in too much of a knot. I haven't been on a rollercoaster in a while, and as we wait for our turn, I can feel the terror rising in my chest. It seems funny that I am paying to give myself a tiny panic attack. Finally, we board the ride, and are fastened very securely into our seats. Here we go. The first thing that I should mention is that as you round the first corner, you really get the sense that this roller coaster is OLD... and maybe not in the best shape? It creaks and jerks and the wood along the edges looks as though it might rot and fall apart at any moment. This only adds to the nervous feeling that this roller coaster induces. As we climb the first hill, the girls are squealing in fearful anticipation and the boys are laughing, and kind of making fun of us. Finally, we're at the top of the first hill... and AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
I have never been one of those people who can throw my hands up in the air when going down a big drop on a ride; I am usually clutching the bar or the person next to me, with my jaw clenched and breath held tightly, maybe with my eyes closed, trying not to die. Hill after hill, until the hills are no longer large and steep enough to induce panic, this is how I react. The Cyclone is a decently long roller coaster that at the end of you it, you don't feel ripped off. And besides, it's a icon; if you're going to visit Coney Island, it's just something that you have to do. For 5 more dollars, you can immediately ride the the coaster again, but we opt not to. Once was enough.
We walk around some more and debate whether or not to go on another ride, but decide to get a snack instead. We walk over to Nathan's hotdogs, which is apparently somewhat of an institution; this is the place where they have the hotdog eating contests every year. sick.
We order cheese fries, and I am expecting fries with cheese on them, but instead they are fries with what appears to be some reconstituted cheese powder sauce mix that is probably about 3 steps lower than 7/11 nacho cheese. Despite my disgust, I I scarf back some fries, because let's face it, when have I ever been one to turn down a snack; I also kind of feel like disgusting snack food is part of what makes a day at a crappy amusement park complete.
We sit in the sand, in the shade, and try to avoid the ill-behaved screaming mountains of children that are running around us. A few more friends meet us, and we hang out for about half an hour longer, before we decide that WE JUST CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT, so we need to GET THE HELL OUT OF [CONEY ISLAND]
It was a bit of a short stay, but we are all perfectly satisfied. I would like to return here in the fall sometime, when it is less crowded and have a photo date with a friend. I can imagine that without the glaring sun and the crowds that it would be an awesome place to bike around with a good friend, a flask in your back pocket, and a camera slung over your shoulder.
On the train ride back, we are all sleepy and each dose off for at least a moment or two.
We head back to the loft to grab a blanket and use the bathroom and then walk over to the Brooklyn Bridge Park to enjoy the last hours in the sun on this beautiful day. The view from the BBP (this is not a real abbreviation that people use... I used it here because I was lazy, but now here I am typing out this huge explanation... that was useful)... anyways... as I was saying.. the view is AMAZING. The park sits between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, and you can see all of Manhattan across the water, with the Statue of Liberty and Governer's Island to your left. It was the perfect end to the afternoon.
Just after 8, we once again head back to the loft and order pizza and watch true blood. People keep asking me how long I am here for or where I live and it hits me that I am leaving in a few short days and I wonder how I will feel when I get home.
Everything on this trip has just been so perfect and easy; I feel this city calling me. I know that vacations are different from real life, but I just feel so much like there is so much more here that I need to do; so many more people that I need to meet, or that I need to get to know better, so many more bikerides and late night walks and summer concerts and dinners with friends.
After True Blood everyone else leaves and Jenner and I watch Mad Men and then it's time for bed.
Kissing, snuggling, sleeping.
It's the perfect end to the perfect day, and a pretty perfect last weekend in New York.
Today I'm thinking of maaaaaaybe taking the Staten Island Ferry out to get a closer peek at the Statue of Liberty, running around the city a bit (hopefully finding a post office??), and later going to Brooklyn Bowl for some karaoke.
Tomorrow at this time, I will be getting my stuff together and getting ready to head out to Newark to catch my flight.
New York, I love you.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
a few hangovers and a few days: an overview
Let me just preface this by saying that I have possibly one of the worst hangover headaches of my life right now. No joke. I don't even know how I am possibly this hungover, because it's not as though I drank an obscenely large amount of liquor last night, and I ate a big dinner before going out, blah blah blah.
Oh my god. The hangover. Why is this happening to me?
-------------------
I don't remember if I wrote about my day at all yesterday, and I'm too lazy to even go back to my previous post and check right now... all I really did was sit around and read in the park, so no big deal there.
At night, the plan was to meet up with Chris and Olivia and friends for bowling at Brooklyn Bowl. I bike over, and it turns out that there is a 15 dollar cover. For bowling. Brooklyn Bowl is also a music venue, which is great, but there is no bloody way that I am going to pay 15 dollars in cover (ummmm... I find out later that the band was a pink floyd cover band... really?) and then 50 bucks an hour for a bowling lane. Just. No.
The others haven't arrived yet, but when I text them about the extra cost, we agree to go to a different bowling alley (the gutter) right around the corner. This alley is more my style. It's just a shitty old awesome bowling alley with crappy neon signs everywhere, some busted up pool tables and cheap beer. Hurray!!
There are 10 of us, and we have to take a number and wait for two lanes to open up.
--------------------
Later in the day: I couldn't keep writing because I was starving and my head was pounding and it was time to go for brunch.
--------------------
The next day: I suppose that I had time to write yesterday, because all I did all day was go for brunch and then watch movies with roommates and nap.
Ok... back to where I left off.
Bowling!! It was really great. Who doesn't love bowling, anyways? It's pretty much the perfect social activity. We had beers and bowled our faces off and made up secret handshakes and generally had a great time. After several games, we strolled over to a local bar to grab a drink.
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I am so glad that Zoe introduced me to Chris and Olivia over the internet. They are such lovely people, and their friends are equally lovely. The problem with meeting great people in other cities is that you always wish that you could wrap them up in your pocket and take them home with you to your city. I mean, I guess that the plus side is that you then have people all over the world to visit (Olivia is from Sydney, Australia and Chris is from London), but wouldn't it be great if you could just teleport them over for a visit any time you wanted to see them???
After wrapping up, I biked home and then hopped on a train to go and see Jenner and a friend at some birthday party they were at - here's where my evening went horribly wrong. It was already midnight when I got home and I hadn't been in touch with Jenner since just before 11; google maps gave me really shitty directions and I ended up waiting for a train for something close to 45 minutes; there were further shitty google maps directions after I got off the train.
I bought a pack of American Spirits and asked a nice looking girl for directions to the street of the bar that I was going to, followed by "ummm... just out of curiosity, is this an ok neighbourhood for me to be walking around in by myself in the middle of the night??"
Side note: I have no idea which neighbourhoods are good or bad here, and compared to Vancouver, a lot of Brooklyn looks pretty dingy and like it MIGHT not be the greatest area of town. This means that I often feel like I am walking somewhere sketchy when it's actually safe, or biking through a neighbourhood where people get mugged and feeling like I'm totally alright. It's weird.
Also, because only super fancy buildings are brick in Vancouver, even the projects here look to me like they are probably a nice place to live.
The girl on the street tells me that I am ok to be walking around here, so I'm on my merry way. I find the bar and it's clear that Jenner and his friends are no longer here. WHY DIDN'T I TEXT TO MAKE SURE??!? I decide to grab a beer none-the-less and hang out near the wall, scanning the crowd. Some big kind of weird guy walks up to me and starts a conversation. Normally, I would try to avoid him, but I'm tired and kind of drunk so I decide that there's no harm in indulging him. It's funny, because people can obviously tell that we are not together, and keep catching my eye over his shoulder to see if I need to be rescued. Literally, about 10 people gave me that "Hey! Is that guy bothering you? I can come in and pretend to be your bestie if you want, just give me a signal." It's not like the guy was an asshole or sketchy, just... I don't know. If you're a girl, maybe you know what I mean without my having to describe it. I down my beer and decide to leave. A few blocks away, I come to a familiar corner and realize that I know exactly how to get home from here. Hurray! It's nice out, and I don't want to go wait in the scorching hellish stuffy subway and I also don't want to spend a bagillion dollars on a cab, so I decide to walk. You might be thinking, THAT's a bad idea, you asshole! But it was literally one major street all the way home, with lots of shops open, cars, and people out and about, and absolutely no chance in hell of getting lost. The only bad part of the walk was that I chain smoked the entire way home. When I finally got onto High Street, I was so proud of myself for my much improved navigation skills. A few minutes later, I was home and collapsed into bed.
The next morning, everyone at the loft was hungover. I went for brunch with Rian and a friend at a cute little place a few blocks away. It reminds me a bit of Cafe Medina.
Side note: A lot of places here that serve brunch only include hashbrowns as a side. WHAT THE FUCK?!?!? Also, no free coffee refills? YOU'RE KILLING ME NEW YORK BRUNCH!! That being said, there ARE a lot of places that have ALL YOU CAN DRINK brunch. I feel like if my Vancouver friends went there, we would probably shut the place down. They would never know what hit them.
Ok. So after brunch, we go for a walk around Brooklyn Bridge Park and then go home to crash the day away. I was torn a bit between hanging out with people, and feeling like I should be out seeing the city, but I decide on the hangouts. We literally watched four movies on Saturday. Later that night, Jenner and Rian were heading out to a show in Williamsburg and they invite me to go with them. The band is called Autolux, and they are great. They have a female drummer who is actually totally awesome, and the band members each take turns singing different songs; all of their voices are equally angelic. The downside of the show was that there was a big group of douchebags in front of us that were drunk and rowdy and kept stepping on mine and Rian's feet. We actually almost started a fight with them. No joke. Here's how one of the interactions went:
Me: Excuse me. Could you please move forward a bit, you keep bumping into my friend and I and stepping on our feet.
Douchebag: Are you German?
M: What? (guessing, in disbelief, where he is going with this...) No.
D: Are you a member of the Gestapo or something?
(REALLLY?!?!? ASKING YOU TO NOT STEP ON MY FEET MAKES ME A NAZI?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!)
M: Wow. You're really fucking racist.
When I call him a racist, he shuts up and turns around. Let me just say, I am SO bothered by people throwing around the term 'nazi' like it is no big deal. It's a really big fucking deal. Also, I'm pretty sure that the Germans have enough nazi shame as a country without us casually throwing it in their faces all the time. It's NOT OK to throw the term nazi around. (side note: there were definitely times in the past where I have said something like, 'don't be such a nazi', but I'm pretty sure that that's because I was being ignorant)
Other than the total douches, and almost getting in a fight (what kind of big beefy guy picks a fight with two small girls because he is stepping on their feet??), the show was really great.
Afterwards, we cab to Chinatown for some karaoke and a going away party. Sadly, they do not have my customary Blink 182 Adam's Song on the books, so I decide to sing "I've got you under my skin" by Sinatra instead. Thankfully, I don't botch it too badly. Hurray!!
I spend part of the night snuggling and kissing with a super awesome and cute boy. Which is pretty great.
----------------------
Now I'm hanging out at "home" waiting for some people to stop by so that we can make our way over to Coney Island. Hurray!!
I can't believe that there are only a few short days left before I am home. It feels like I have been here forever, and I wish that I could stay for just a while longer. I am just starting to figure things out here and would love to figure them out more. The people who I have met are so incredibly nice and awesome, and I feel so lucky to have met them.
Meow meow meow.
That's all for now.
See you soon, Vancouver!!
Oh my god. The hangover. Why is this happening to me?
-------------------
I don't remember if I wrote about my day at all yesterday, and I'm too lazy to even go back to my previous post and check right now... all I really did was sit around and read in the park, so no big deal there.
At night, the plan was to meet up with Chris and Olivia and friends for bowling at Brooklyn Bowl. I bike over, and it turns out that there is a 15 dollar cover. For bowling. Brooklyn Bowl is also a music venue, which is great, but there is no bloody way that I am going to pay 15 dollars in cover (ummmm... I find out later that the band was a pink floyd cover band... really?) and then 50 bucks an hour for a bowling lane. Just. No.
The others haven't arrived yet, but when I text them about the extra cost, we agree to go to a different bowling alley (the gutter) right around the corner. This alley is more my style. It's just a shitty old awesome bowling alley with crappy neon signs everywhere, some busted up pool tables and cheap beer. Hurray!!
There are 10 of us, and we have to take a number and wait for two lanes to open up.
--------------------
Later in the day: I couldn't keep writing because I was starving and my head was pounding and it was time to go for brunch.
--------------------
The next day: I suppose that I had time to write yesterday, because all I did all day was go for brunch and then watch movies with roommates and nap.
Ok... back to where I left off.
Bowling!! It was really great. Who doesn't love bowling, anyways? It's pretty much the perfect social activity. We had beers and bowled our faces off and made up secret handshakes and generally had a great time. After several games, we strolled over to a local bar to grab a drink.
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I am so glad that Zoe introduced me to Chris and Olivia over the internet. They are such lovely people, and their friends are equally lovely. The problem with meeting great people in other cities is that you always wish that you could wrap them up in your pocket and take them home with you to your city. I mean, I guess that the plus side is that you then have people all over the world to visit (Olivia is from Sydney, Australia and Chris is from London), but wouldn't it be great if you could just teleport them over for a visit any time you wanted to see them???
After wrapping up, I biked home and then hopped on a train to go and see Jenner and a friend at some birthday party they were at - here's where my evening went horribly wrong. It was already midnight when I got home and I hadn't been in touch with Jenner since just before 11; google maps gave me really shitty directions and I ended up waiting for a train for something close to 45 minutes; there were further shitty google maps directions after I got off the train.
I bought a pack of American Spirits and asked a nice looking girl for directions to the street of the bar that I was going to, followed by "ummm... just out of curiosity, is this an ok neighbourhood for me to be walking around in by myself in the middle of the night??"
Side note: I have no idea which neighbourhoods are good or bad here, and compared to Vancouver, a lot of Brooklyn looks pretty dingy and like it MIGHT not be the greatest area of town. This means that I often feel like I am walking somewhere sketchy when it's actually safe, or biking through a neighbourhood where people get mugged and feeling like I'm totally alright. It's weird.
Also, because only super fancy buildings are brick in Vancouver, even the projects here look to me like they are probably a nice place to live.
The girl on the street tells me that I am ok to be walking around here, so I'm on my merry way. I find the bar and it's clear that Jenner and his friends are no longer here. WHY DIDN'T I TEXT TO MAKE SURE??!? I decide to grab a beer none-the-less and hang out near the wall, scanning the crowd. Some big kind of weird guy walks up to me and starts a conversation. Normally, I would try to avoid him, but I'm tired and kind of drunk so I decide that there's no harm in indulging him. It's funny, because people can obviously tell that we are not together, and keep catching my eye over his shoulder to see if I need to be rescued. Literally, about 10 people gave me that "Hey! Is that guy bothering you? I can come in and pretend to be your bestie if you want, just give me a signal." It's not like the guy was an asshole or sketchy, just... I don't know. If you're a girl, maybe you know what I mean without my having to describe it. I down my beer and decide to leave. A few blocks away, I come to a familiar corner and realize that I know exactly how to get home from here. Hurray! It's nice out, and I don't want to go wait in the scorching hellish stuffy subway and I also don't want to spend a bagillion dollars on a cab, so I decide to walk. You might be thinking, THAT's a bad idea, you asshole! But it was literally one major street all the way home, with lots of shops open, cars, and people out and about, and absolutely no chance in hell of getting lost. The only bad part of the walk was that I chain smoked the entire way home. When I finally got onto High Street, I was so proud of myself for my much improved navigation skills. A few minutes later, I was home and collapsed into bed.
The next morning, everyone at the loft was hungover. I went for brunch with Rian and a friend at a cute little place a few blocks away. It reminds me a bit of Cafe Medina.
Side note: A lot of places here that serve brunch only include hashbrowns as a side. WHAT THE FUCK?!?!? Also, no free coffee refills? YOU'RE KILLING ME NEW YORK BRUNCH!! That being said, there ARE a lot of places that have ALL YOU CAN DRINK brunch. I feel like if my Vancouver friends went there, we would probably shut the place down. They would never know what hit them.
Ok. So after brunch, we go for a walk around Brooklyn Bridge Park and then go home to crash the day away. I was torn a bit between hanging out with people, and feeling like I should be out seeing the city, but I decide on the hangouts. We literally watched four movies on Saturday. Later that night, Jenner and Rian were heading out to a show in Williamsburg and they invite me to go with them. The band is called Autolux, and they are great. They have a female drummer who is actually totally awesome, and the band members each take turns singing different songs; all of their voices are equally angelic. The downside of the show was that there was a big group of douchebags in front of us that were drunk and rowdy and kept stepping on mine and Rian's feet. We actually almost started a fight with them. No joke. Here's how one of the interactions went:
Me: Excuse me. Could you please move forward a bit, you keep bumping into my friend and I and stepping on our feet.
Douchebag: Are you German?
M: What? (guessing, in disbelief, where he is going with this...) No.
D: Are you a member of the Gestapo or something?
(REALLLY?!?!? ASKING YOU TO NOT STEP ON MY FEET MAKES ME A NAZI?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!)
M: Wow. You're really fucking racist.
When I call him a racist, he shuts up and turns around. Let me just say, I am SO bothered by people throwing around the term 'nazi' like it is no big deal. It's a really big fucking deal. Also, I'm pretty sure that the Germans have enough nazi shame as a country without us casually throwing it in their faces all the time. It's NOT OK to throw the term nazi around. (side note: there were definitely times in the past where I have said something like, 'don't be such a nazi', but I'm pretty sure that that's because I was being ignorant)
Other than the total douches, and almost getting in a fight (what kind of big beefy guy picks a fight with two small girls because he is stepping on their feet??), the show was really great.
Afterwards, we cab to Chinatown for some karaoke and a going away party. Sadly, they do not have my customary Blink 182 Adam's Song on the books, so I decide to sing "I've got you under my skin" by Sinatra instead. Thankfully, I don't botch it too badly. Hurray!!
I spend part of the night snuggling and kissing with a super awesome and cute boy. Which is pretty great.
----------------------
Now I'm hanging out at "home" waiting for some people to stop by so that we can make our way over to Coney Island. Hurray!!
I can't believe that there are only a few short days left before I am home. It feels like I have been here forever, and I wish that I could stay for just a while longer. I am just starting to figure things out here and would love to figure them out more. The people who I have met are so incredibly nice and awesome, and I feel so lucky to have met them.
Meow meow meow.
That's all for now.
See you soon, Vancouver!!
Friday, August 27, 2010
I don't have a title for this post
Thursday the plan was to head to the Moma. Hurray! Out of all of the museums in New York, this was the one that the most people had said that I must go to.
I take the subway rather than biking, because I don't want to be a sweaty disgusting exhausted mess when I get there. The visit starts off with snotty museum staff who are unpleasant and who also force me to check my bag, even though it is tiny, and I later see people with unchecked messenger bags on their backs. I put my valuables into a small plastic sac that they provide, and I'm off. There are designated times to visit the special Matisse exhibit, and mine is now, so I head straight to the 6th floor.
Turns out that I really like modern art. The Pompidou was my favourite in Paris, and I think that the MoMa was my favourite here, followed closely by the Brooklyn Museum (the equivalent, in my mind, of the Musee D'Orsay).
I'll be honest... I 'm not really in a writing mood at the moment, and I don't really have any idea what to say right now.
I walked around the MoMa, took a shit ton of photos, took a video or two, got some espresso ice cream and sat in the sculpture garden in the sunshine. I was vaguely irritated when I realized that my book was in my backpack in coat check so that I couldn't read it while I was enjoying my ice cream, but I got over it pretty quickly. It was warm and lovely all day. I spent something like 4 hours at the MoMa, and if you go with your ticket from the same day, you can get into PS1 for free. I google mapped my route (thankfully, just about all museums have free WiFi. Hurray!!), then hopped on the subway. I realized rather quickly that I had gotten on the train going in the wrong direction. Womps! I get on the train in the right direction and 20 minutes later, I am there.
Sadly, there are no photos allowed in the PS1. This is extra sad because the building is AMAZING!! AMAZING. It's an old school building and it's full of exposed brick, and moody stairwells, and crown molding and creaky wood floors. I WANTED TO TAKE PHOTOS SO FUCKING BADLY!!!! A friend pointed out later that I could have easily snuck some photos, but I always hate it when I see people ignoring photo rules for museums and I would rather not be a hypocrite about these things.
Got home, made some dins and then headed to the Brooklyn Bridge Park to watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with some friends. Woot!! When I got there, it was packed. PACKED. I tried to find a spot where we could all fit in (I was the first one there), but it was just not happening. I asked some people if they were using the foot of space in front of them, and they got insanely grumpy, saying "well, we were planning on lying down for the movie". Are you fucking kidding me?? This is a PACKED park space and you are going to be the obnoxious jerks that take up as much space as humanly possible so that a lot of people can't actually watch the movie. you are awesome. I walked away, and I guess that they felt badly because they later made room and said that I could sit by them. There was EASILY room for a few more people, but they had been so weird that I didn't want to tell others to come and sit near me. After 20 minutes of sitting alone, I got a text from Jenner saying he was sitting with some friends over the hill, so I decided that I could watch Indy another time and that I would rather sit with some friends. Hurray!
Drank beers and chatted and laughed in the park then headed home for hangouts and a few more beers before bed time.
Today I spent the morning reading in the sun in the park, and then came home to try to make room on my computer (my compact flash card was full yesterday), to recharge all of my cameras and such.
Tonight I'm bowling at Brooklyn bowl and then who knows. Last weekend in New York!
Meep!
I take the subway rather than biking, because I don't want to be a sweaty disgusting exhausted mess when I get there. The visit starts off with snotty museum staff who are unpleasant and who also force me to check my bag, even though it is tiny, and I later see people with unchecked messenger bags on their backs. I put my valuables into a small plastic sac that they provide, and I'm off. There are designated times to visit the special Matisse exhibit, and mine is now, so I head straight to the 6th floor.
Turns out that I really like modern art. The Pompidou was my favourite in Paris, and I think that the MoMa was my favourite here, followed closely by the Brooklyn Museum (the equivalent, in my mind, of the Musee D'Orsay).
I'll be honest... I 'm not really in a writing mood at the moment, and I don't really have any idea what to say right now.
I walked around the MoMa, took a shit ton of photos, took a video or two, got some espresso ice cream and sat in the sculpture garden in the sunshine. I was vaguely irritated when I realized that my book was in my backpack in coat check so that I couldn't read it while I was enjoying my ice cream, but I got over it pretty quickly. It was warm and lovely all day. I spent something like 4 hours at the MoMa, and if you go with your ticket from the same day, you can get into PS1 for free. I google mapped my route (thankfully, just about all museums have free WiFi. Hurray!!), then hopped on the subway. I realized rather quickly that I had gotten on the train going in the wrong direction. Womps! I get on the train in the right direction and 20 minutes later, I am there.
Sadly, there are no photos allowed in the PS1. This is extra sad because the building is AMAZING!! AMAZING. It's an old school building and it's full of exposed brick, and moody stairwells, and crown molding and creaky wood floors. I WANTED TO TAKE PHOTOS SO FUCKING BADLY!!!! A friend pointed out later that I could have easily snuck some photos, but I always hate it when I see people ignoring photo rules for museums and I would rather not be a hypocrite about these things.
Got home, made some dins and then headed to the Brooklyn Bridge Park to watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with some friends. Woot!! When I got there, it was packed. PACKED. I tried to find a spot where we could all fit in (I was the first one there), but it was just not happening. I asked some people if they were using the foot of space in front of them, and they got insanely grumpy, saying "well, we were planning on lying down for the movie". Are you fucking kidding me?? This is a PACKED park space and you are going to be the obnoxious jerks that take up as much space as humanly possible so that a lot of people can't actually watch the movie. you are awesome. I walked away, and I guess that they felt badly because they later made room and said that I could sit by them. There was EASILY room for a few more people, but they had been so weird that I didn't want to tell others to come and sit near me. After 20 minutes of sitting alone, I got a text from Jenner saying he was sitting with some friends over the hill, so I decided that I could watch Indy another time and that I would rather sit with some friends. Hurray!
Drank beers and chatted and laughed in the park then headed home for hangouts and a few more beers before bed time.
Today I spent the morning reading in the sun in the park, and then came home to try to make room on my computer (my compact flash card was full yesterday), to recharge all of my cameras and such.
Tonight I'm bowling at Brooklyn bowl and then who knows. Last weekend in New York!
Meep!
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