Work life

It's been a while since I've written due to a lot of recent activity in the job department! I accepted a job with the media agency, MediaCom a few weeks ago, and recently completed my first two weeks with the company. I am so fortunate to be working with a great group of people, and my office just happens to be on the 22nd floor, five blocks south of Times Square overlooking beautiful downtown NYC. I have finally officially transitioned into adulthood, and I couldn't be happier.

Before my employment, I had not completely been a part of the New York lifestyle, but I also didn't notice. Since I had not previously had to ride the subway at the exact same time as everyone else in the city, having to ride the subway at prime working hours is a big difference for me. Now that I am with the wave of the majority, I know exactly what being a New Yorker is all about.

No matter what time between the morning hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. you are attempting to catch the subway to work, you will be forced to make like a sardine and cram into the cars. Yes, it is exactly like what you'd imagine millions of people trying to arrive in one central location at the same time would look like. Luckily my commute only calls for a 15 minute ride, so the claustrophobia is bearable. On the other hand, the 20 minutes of walking should be interesting in the winter time, as I’ve already experienced it in the rain. I was saved during one downpour when I forgot my umbrella because a vendor was selling cheap umbrellas outside of my subway stop. I swear I will always bring my umbrella from now on, even if there isn't a cloud in the sky!

New York is a very work-oriented city, also, which is probably why it is so prosperous. Although mine and Alex's jobs do not call for a strict 9 to 5, it makes things more efficient. I think the motto for work in NYC is stay until all work is complete, which sometimes can make for a long night.

Weekends are the times when we really explore the city, in between our adult responsibilities. This weekend we explored the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or “The Met.” Seeing artifacts and original paintings from the world's most renound artists like Monet and Van Gogh really made me understand just how much I have still yet to do and see in the city. Fall is around the corner, along with the cold weather, so I’m anticipating the new season in the city.

Work hard, play hard.

Life in the fast lane

Today marks the official two-month anniversary of moving out to the big city. I feel like certain things are becoming the norm for me, and to be honest, it kind of scares me. No longer am I studying a map when jumping on the subway line, but rather I’m simply making my way while not even having a map with me! While at first, the Macy’s store seemed overwhelming and impossible to navigate, now I have no problem making the trip downtown to the store to pick up my makeup or shop for a new pair of shoes. Things that I figured I would never get accustomed to, I am now somewhat taking for granted. The tall buildings and bright lights of Times Square have become an area in which I try to avoid simply because of the heavy traffic of tourists. What have I become?!

I am still mesmerized by the view of the city from the tall buildings, as I have been interviewing at companies directly downtown. Each time I enter the HR office that overlooks the city and sours 30 to 40 floors high, and I hope that the view I am greeted with never becomes old to me. In fact, on more than one occasion I have actually had my ears feel pressure while riding the elevator up to the offices. This is a unique feature of city life that I enjoy.

Alex and I had dinner last week at The Boathouse, a well-known restaurant on the lake in Central Park. It is mostly well-known for its cameos in “Sex and the City,” and is a place I would recommend to anyone visiting the city. The restaurant literally is opened completely and while it is covered overhead, you are practically outdoors. The view on the lake at sunset is amazing, and the food, while on the pricey side, is just as remarkable. When we left the restaurant, I finally experienced Central Park at night. Now I know why it is so dangerous. Although there are lamps lining the paths, they are dim and there are many secluded areas that could encourage dangerous activity. I would recommend not venturing to the park at night, and especially not alone.

We have been fortunate to eat out at several amazing restaurants in the city and have not yet visited the same one twice. One thing I have noticed about restaurants is their need for originality to keep them unique in a city where they are in competition with about 20,000 other eating establishments. For example, at one restaurant we visited, we were given grapes at the end of the meal that had been soaked in a homemade wine. The server brought out the large vase and speared the grapes with a long spear and fed them to everyone in our party. Although they were disgusting, the traditional aspect was amusing. At another restaurant, we were given small desserts and shots at the end of the meal. Again, not the most appetizing selection, but enough to make us remember our visit. Each restaurant we have visited was unique and delicious.

I’m still a sucker for the tourist attractions and hope to see the Statue and go to the Empire State Building soon, but for now, I am living the NYC life like a native.

Big city things

Recently, Alex and I joined a gym in the city, and I’m not sure if the differences that I encountered are because I am used to a college atmosphere in the gym , or because we are just minutes from the stereotypical New Jersey folk with all of their characteristics, but either way they are plenty. First, I find it interesting that each time I enter the locker room, I am greeted with a feminine body part I would rather not see. Women aren’t ashamed to bare it all after their workout, which may be due to the outspoken, confident attitude portrayed by most women in the city, but it’s definitely not something I am used to.

Last weekend while venturing to Rockaway Beach in Brooklyn, we were unfortunate enough to set up camp on the sand next to three Brooklynites that were clearly unashamed of their conversations, no matter what the content. As they chattered about everything from sex to manicures, all I could really pick out were the profanities that came after every other word. The girls did not seem to care the atmosphere or the company in their surroundings, because they never acknowledged that their boisterous voices and harsh language may offend the children and others around them. I did get a kick out of one thing though- that heavy New York accent. When I first joined the gym mentioned previously, the trainer told me he actually heard a glimpse of the Midwest twang in my voice, but the New York draw in words like “wuata” (water) and “quafee” (coffee) is unmistakable and always amuses me from the natives.

The little things that New Yorkers do still entertain me to no end. For example, instead of loading groceries into a cart then into a car, the cashiers at the local grocery store recognize that most likely customers will be carrying their bags back to their apartment, which in some cases could be blocks away. One trend I found is that when putting large items like toilet paper and paper towels in the bag, the cashiers tie another bag to the handles to ensure that you can carry the bag comfortably with a long handle strap. If only every city thought of that then one’s fingers wouldn’t get cramped trying to carry grocery bags home!

Another adjustment I fortunately do not need to worry about is with having a vehicle. You’ll notice vehicles have rubber bumper savers on the front and rear bumpers as they are crammed bumper to bumper along the city streets. One thing is for sure, I wouldn’t purchase a nice new vehicle until I was sure I could have a garage or a safe place to park it. I have seen drivers in NYC, and they disregard traffic lights, other drivers, ‘turn only’ lanes and lanes altogether. I am perfectly content taking public transportation during my living stint in the city.

Every day a new city way.

Characters and such

Several things I do and see around my neighborhood in NYC are very unique, as I’m sure any new place is to new residents.


One thing about my neighborhood that I’m finally getting used to are the characters that linger around. The first man, I am confident is a hoarder. This is because I have seen him, number one, picking out of the trash, and number two, putting trash into one of three vehicles he owns that are stuffed to the maximum with trash inside. He is very kind and a little odd, as Alex and I found him washing his jeans in a bucket full of water on the sidewalk about a week ago. The hoarder has filled his cars with so much junk, that he now has to strap garbage on top and onto the back of his cars.


Character number two is good friends with our superintendent, and is our makeshift “doorman” that you can pretty much always find on the steps outside of our apartment. He is very kind, although I can’t understand 90 percent of what he says. Picture the guy that mumbles from the movie, “The Water Boy,” and you will have a perfect idea of my neighbor. This wouldn’t be so bad except for that he makes a comment every time we see him outside. It’s getting a little easier to decipher his words, but smiling and shaking our head usually does the trick of fending him off until we get inside.


Since our apartment is over 100 years old, the plumbing does have its flaws. For example, when turning on the water in the shower, think about how you usually get to the hot water, and that will give you cold water. Now, barely turning the nozzle, when you think you’d get cold water, is where you get hot water. It’s just a reversal of what I’m used to, but not that difficult to adapt. This brings me to my third character- our toilet. Yes, we have given her the animate pronoun “she” although “she” happens to be an inanimate object. This is because each time you go to flush “her”, she lets out a little screech until the water is down. Sometimes her screeches are louder than others which for lack of human contact, perhaps, in turn forces Alex and I to comment on our opinion on her mood for the day.


Another small adjustment we have made to our Midwestern lives is going the extra length to save some money. We have found that even the off-brand of cereal at our local grocery store, Gristede’s, is twice as much as we want to pay, and half as tasty. We have beat the system though, and now get our cereal from CVS. Yes, this may seem odd, but the local CVS is always running a deal on cereal, whether it be two for $5 or two for $4, it beats spending $6 per box. We may not always get our first choice, but usually Kellogg’s and Honey Bunches of Oats are in the mix, so we are content with this extra step to splurge later on something better.


Oh, the things you’ll find in time when changing you’re state of mind.

Central Park

If you aren’t from New York, mentions of Central Park probably trigger imagery of trees and maybe even fields. Being within the large park proves that it in fact houses a lot more.

Last weekend, Alex and I walked over to the park, which luckily for us is only about four streets west of our apartment. Our goal was to walk throughout and then visit the zoo. What we found was so much more.

First of all, just about every 30 yards, you will find someone expressing their musical talent to try to earn a quick buck. We encountered everything from a fiddler, a guitarist, and violinist, to a man with a cart full of toys that was spinning a plate on a stick while balancing it on his chin. These aren’t the only characters you will find. You will also pass bike tours discussing the history of the park and kiosks set up of people selling artwork, t-shirts, magnets or cold drinks and street meat. Not to mention the randoms such as the lady on stilts dressed in full Statue of Liberty garb or the man walking around dressed like Elmo.

Since this is such a big tourist attraction in the city, it is no wonder that the park can’t simply be a park. There is also the zoo that has everything from penguins to ants (still not sure about that one), and an amusement park with rides comparable to the local fair. Also, in the park close to The Dakota where John Lennon lived and was assassinated, is a memorial dedicated to him. Now don’t get me wrong, disregarding the few restaurants and the tourist sites that aren’t really park-esque features, there are very scenic parts of the park, also. There are several ponds, the Great Lawn, many baseball diamonds, and a path for bikers and joggers to get in their daily workout.

One feature of the park that is great in some instances and frustrating in others is that there are hardly any roads linking the Upper East Side to the Upper West Side of Manhattan that go across the park, and no subway lines take this route, either. This means that if I want to get from East 65^th Street to West 65^th Street via the subway, I need to go south then transfer to a line that goes west, and finally go north. Although this can be a stressful travelling route when the easiest way would be to cut straight across the park, the quiet getaway that the park is from the bustling city makes me understand why the system is set up as it is.

Central Park is beautiful and very calming in comparison to the heavy traffic of cars and people in the city.

It’s a nice place to get away especially during a Summer day.

The subway

Getting used to the subway system has been an interesting experience during my time in the city, to say the least. There are some trends I have noticed on these lines that any first-timer in NYC venturing out onto one of these may want to know.

First of all, people in New York are always in a hurry. This means that even though the escalators taking you up and down to reach the subway platform are going at a steady pace, it is not steady enough for the majority. When stepping onto one of these, always remain on the right. Just as in traffic, staying on the right side will ensure that you will not be bothered by the fast-moving traffic on the left. Remaining on the right side is proper subway escalator etiquette so those who want to walk the escalator as it is moving can do so.

Secondly, do not be alarmed if you hear a strange song being sang or played on a unique instrument while waiting for the subway. Many artists looking to make a quick buck share their musical talents on the subway platforms. I have had the pleasure to hear everything from a fairly good rendition of Drake’s “Find Your Love” to an improvised song about chicken. Yes, a guy literally sang, “I am looking for money to get some chicken. Fried chicken, chicken nuggets, chicken sandwich,” and he went on and on. Sometimes these characters even make it into the subway to ask for spare change while belting out a Spanish tune. I am yet to see this work out well for the beggers.

Thirdly, make sure you bring something to occupy yourself that is not texting, talking on the phone, or browsing the Internet. Once you descend to the subway area, you will not have any service. AT&T, Verizon or whoever, you will have zero bars below ground. Because of this, I suggest bringing a book or an iPod to pass the time, as the ten minutes of isolation from the cell-phone world can seem almost unbearable.

The nice thing about the subway as opposed to the bus system is that it goes very quickly and can get you to your destination fast. Yes, the cars are air-conditioned, although the platforms are not. Also, be sure to invest in a map of the different lines to ensure that you are getting on the right train going the right direction.

When you know how to go, you’re one step closer to being a pro.

Not what I am used to

Last weekend marked a few firsts for me in my big city adventure. It was the first time I went out on the town, and the first time I attempted to cook a meal that required a recipe in NYC.

When we ventured out to enjoy the city’s nightlife, we decided to check out the Murray Hill location, because this is where a few New Yorkers informed us would be bustling with folks our age. Although our neighborhood is only about 30 blocks north of this area, we noticed an immediate demographic change when we hopped off the bus. The streets were lit well and many yuppies were dressed up ready to party. We met up with one of Alex’s coworkers there before heading to the bar, Arlo and Esme.

When we arrived at the bar, the bouncer notified us that it would be a two-hour wait to get inside. I believe he did this to every group to deter overcrowding in the bar. Anyways, we stepped aside to wait, and within five minutes he came over and told us it would be ok for us to come inside. I immediately understood his reasoning when going inside, as the bar was overflowing with people. The cover was only $5, and the old-fashioned aesthetic of the place was neat because it looked like a century-old house turned bar. The prices of drinks were not that neat. I am used to the Indiana college town specials like 15 cent pints, so you can imagine my surprise when I was charged $20 for two vodka tonics. Next time, more pre-drinking will ensue before heading out.

Making pasta salad seems like an easy task, but not when every grocery is local and therefore does not sell the ingredients you are used to. The first ingredient I needed was Zesty Italian dressing. Not there. They had Robust Italian and regular Italian, but no Zesty. Fail number one. The second ingredient was salad seasoning. I am used to the spices being located in alphabetical order in the spice aisle. This grocery store arranges their spices around the store next to items they believe you will need them with. So, after a long search I found the seasoning by the vegetables and of course it wasn’t the type I usually use. When making the salad lacking the two main ingredients, it definitely did not taste the same. I will need to get used to the brands and types of foods these groceries sell before my next cooking attempt.

Learning the style may take a while.