The first week

I’m starting to get used to the big transition, although some things are still a bit tough to adapt to. Take for example what I like to call “ultra-cooking.” We have a gas stove, and if you aren’t used to this, be prepared to speed things up. For example, with an electric stove, you may find yourself waiting for the skillet to heat up in order to fry some eggs. Not here. You better have those eggs ready to crack in one hand and the spatula ready to flip in the other because a gas stove takes no time to go from zero to really darn hot. Although this is a very different way of cooking, it puts a speedy twist on making dinner.

Another change I encountered was laundry. Today marked the one-week anniversary of living in New York City and my first time doing laundry since my arrival. Since most apartments (at least in our price range) do not have a washer and dryer in the building, there are laundromats on every block. Luckily ours just happens to be directly across the street. While hauling your clothes around in a bag is not ideal, Alex and I kept our Midwestern flair by using our Indiana University sack. Go Hoosiers!

Anytime you want to stock up on groceries, be prepared to make two pit stops. The first at the grocery store where you can get bread, milk and all the necessities, and the second at the corner produce stand to get your fruit and vegetables. This may seem odd, but those corner stands not only house hot dogs and soft drink vendors, many are devoted only to produce. This is the best place to buy produce, also. Bananas are typically five for $1, and lemons are three for $1.

While walking home from downtown along Fashion Avenue yesterday I also found a unique feature of the city. Many stores that display the cutest most fashionable outfits in the windows are not open to the public. This is because these stores are for wholesale only. Let me tell you how much of a tease that can be! These window displays show 10 or more mannequins dressed to the nines and you can’t buy a thing. No worries, because I found the downtown Macy’s on my walk to the subway home as well, and that is definitely open to the public!

One week in my new place and still a lot to embrace!

The people

While touring some of the must-see tourist locations in New York, I got a pretty good feel for the wide variety of people that really do live on this small island. Little Italy and Chinatown get their name for the primary population living in those neighborhoods. The areas also accommodate the population as if they were actually Chinese or Italian cities stuck right in the middle of New York City. Each store in Chinatown displays Chinese writing for prices and products. Even the Chase bank sign has Chinese writing for the locals to read.

The markets and restaurants are also native to the population of these areas. There are fish markets selling raw fish and clothing stores selling kimonos. Little Italy also houses Italian restaurants and bakeries with gelato and every variety of traditional Italian cooking you can imagine. This will definitely be the area I go to when I’m looking to splurge on real pizza!

Not only are the people diverse, but they are plenty! I learned this when attending the Macy’s fireworks show on the Hudson River. Thousands of people flocked to the event to catch a glimpse of the over-the-top fireworks for Independence Day, and I got a true feeling as to how only around 2 percent of all apartments in New York City are unoccupied at any given time. I kept my patience, and aside from a little subway mix up, it took Alex and me only about an hour to get home from the event.

A big misconception is that people in the city are rude and pushy. While I’m sure the city gives way to people of all types, those whom I have come into contact with have been very nice and more than willing to help a Midwesterner. Aside from the one girl that rode by the crowd of firework-watchers on her bike yelling “F*** everyone”, (I hope she was drunk), I have really met some genuinely nice people. For example the nice man in the building next door could have scoffed at our attempt to rid our apartment of our moving trash in one bin, disregarding the New York state law that requires recycling, but instead he helped us separate our trash and explained thoroughly the process to us.

Learning every day to know the way of a big city girl.

Finally here

And here I am, plopped down right in the middle of the concrete jungle in my quaint apartment on 65^thStreet. Alex and I moved in yesterday and hustled to get all of our things in place in order to make our apartment seem more like home. His must-have bicycle currently resides in front of our “fireplace,” but other than that decorating faux pas, our place is really shaping up!

If anyone needs advice for moving to the city that never sleeps, this is the place to find it. Coming straight from a first-timer that has lived in the city a total of 48 hours, here are the must-dos/don’ts and the best advice I can offer when moving to Manhattan.

First things first- do not attempt to move your stuff. Yes, this may seem odd, but having Alex’s company professionally move all of our items out here in order to simply catch to flight to meet the movers in time to unpack was a blessing. Why? Because, this isn’t just a move where you shimmy your truck right up into the driveway and unload. This is Manhattan. Busy streets bustling with people and traffic, not to mention a way of life that moves so fast that even Usain Bolt couldn’t keep up. So, save up the bucks and have someone else do the dirty work. I promise, it will be worth it.

Second of all, you might want to measure the space between your couch and your entertainment center before purchasing a 55” inch flat screen. Yes, when you are moving in with Mr. Technologically Advanced it may be hard to settle for anything less than the best, but keep in mind that space is limited. Perhaps a smaller TV would work for the initial move and that could be moved to the bedroom to make way for Papa TV in the living room when you move into a bigger space. Our 55” works well, luckily, and I think we will be the go-to friends when our neighbors want to see the newest movie out on Netflix.

Last but not least, do not forget the wine opener. After two long days of unpacking and decorating you will be more than ready to settle down with a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon. Do not resort to using a drill and pliers like Alex and I had to do. Bring your opener, hit up the local liquor store and enjoy your first calm night as a New Yorker.

I have embraced the city wholly with my first experiences and loved every minute of it. I can only hope I will grow to love it even more.

Different space, different place.

Random differences, but important nonetheless

While driving through southern Indiana this afternoon, I really took in the atmosphere. The greenery, the wildlife and the realization that I would soon be trading it for very different surroundings. The biggest difference, though, will be that I was in fact driving.

Due to the high price of parking a vehicle in NYC and the impossible driving course that is Manhattan, I will not be taking my car to the city. Apparently I will need to learn the subway routes and get accustomed to seeing rats on the tracks. (I saw two in my four day visit earlier this month!) Transportation will most likely be the most challenging change for me during my transition. No longer will the term "railroaded" be used in my vocabulary as I'm sure the New York natives have never heard of the term. The coasting of my Ford Escape behind a John Deere on a back road will soon become the abrupt stop-and-go of a taxi behind a Maserati.

Now to completely change the subject...

I had the opportunity of attending karaoke at a local restaurant this week where I realized there is something about the Midwestern feel that I'm really going to miss. As I watched the 60-year-old man dressed in plaid sing Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me" while incorporating hand gestures to the line "Picture this we were both butt naked..." (you know the rest), I paused to really see the charm of it all. Where else can you get this kind of sheer entertainment that makes you feel so uncomfortable because the performer is so comfortable? Not Broadway! Only in a small town of Indiana will you see these characters who butcher every country song in the books and feel as if they truly are Keith Urban or Tim McGraw putting on a concert.

Similarities will be few, but I'm ready for the "new."

Beautiful people

It is no wonder New York City is known for the fittest, most fashionable, beautiful people in the world- the town is made to accommodate this lifestyle! First, you’ll notice that every street from the Upper East to the Upper West side is lined with shops. Shopping for shoes, clothes and not mention the mother of all Tiffany & Co. stores downtown.

So once you’ve successfully dressed to impress, it’s on to getting into shape. A trend you’ll notice at each restaurant, from local cafés to Sbarro, is that calories are listed beside each entrée item regardless of how large the count may be. So, you may think twice before indulging in that extra breadstick knowing it is in fact another 250 calories. This may be why the streets seem to be lined with modelesque men and women every day. This also may be why Indiana consistently ranks in the top 15 fattest states in America, according to some online poles, while New York remains at the bottom of the totem pole closer to 40^th. The need to take public transportation also keeps New Yorkers walking and exercising, as well.

Manicures and pedicures are frequented often too because of the extremely low prices. How low you ask? A full manicure and pedicure is $19 for both at most places I have seen! It is no wonder every person keeps their hands and feet fully primped when it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to maintain them!

Relaxation is the key to not being stressed out and thus preventing the effects of aging. Good thing New York City has a massage parlor on every block so the population remains stress-free and thus, beautiful. Other states may want to take a lesson from this New York trend and start whipping their citizens into shape!

The city helps you look your best better than those states in the Midwest!

Learning the rules

There are many lessons that a New Yorker must learn when tackling the city for the first time. Luckily Alex and I had the privilege of touring the city with a native city slicker, our real-estate agent, Joe, and we got the rundown as to the proper mannerisms of NYC.

We experienced a very rainy day during one of our apartment hunting trips which taught us lesson number one- you must have a durable, wind-proof, rain-proof, fire-proof and any other proof umbrella if you want to maximize its efficiency in the city. When Joe met us with his large and in charge golfing umbrella, we knew that cheapo one we bought at the local CVS wasn’t going to cut it. As we both huddled under this umbrella while maintaining a mix of grace and speed down the street, we soon experienced the tourist faux pas of a faulty umbrella. The wind was unforgiving and our umbrella flipped inside out multiple times leaving us wet, but educated. We will invest in some strong umbrellas upon our arrival for good.

The second lesson we learned was taxi-hailing etiquette. As Joe stood on the street watching taxi after taxi pass without lifting his arm to stop one, Alex and I inquired as to why he wasn’t asking one to stop. It turns out, taxis let you know when they are full, off-duty, or available by the lights on the top. No, those aren’t simply to make them seem more cliché, but they in fact do serve a purpose. If both outside lights are on, it means the cab is off duty. So unless your stop happens to be on their way home, you have no chance of getting them to stop. If all the lights are off, the cab already has passengers and this guy too will not stop at your frantically waiving hand. Now, if the center light is on, ding-ding-ding, that is the only instance in which the cab will stop to pick you up. So to make you seem more like a New Yorker, do not wave at every passing cab.

Lesson number three- you must learn every borough, neighborhood and landmark in the city if you want to get around. You’ll notice in the subway system that the signs don’t simply point you North, South, East or West but rather toward specific areas around the city. For example, you need to know if you need to hop on the subway going toward Brighton Beach or the Bronx. So, you better grab a map or memorize the city in order to successfully reach your destination.

There is lots to know if you want to be a pro in NYC.

Changing spaces

Furnishing the odd measurements of a 100-year-old apartment has its ups and downs. Now that I've officially transitioned from the 'throw-everything-together-in-hopes-that-it-matches' college mindset, I'm paying attention to the details so minute as the wood coloring in the side table matching the wood in the entertainment center exactly.


Curtains, now that is the tricky part. Why did they make windows eight feet high and one foot wide in 1900? Perhaps it was so nobody could escape, or they wanted to light the room vertically. Either way, it's annoying to find curtains that fit in 2010!


Now the ups you ask? Well, I am already anticipating hanging stockings on our fireplace that is unusable, but antique and awesome nonetheless. Christmastime will be extraordinary this year with this new addition. And the high ceilings of my new joint make the room seem surprisingly bigger despite its measurements- what a great set up for a tall Christmas tree! Ok, so most of the benefits of this small space won't be reaped until December...


The little details about an NYC apartment as opposed to an Indiana apartment haven't gone unnoticed either. For example, I now have to worry about the size of the dish drying rack, because we don't have a dishwasher, and the mode of transportation of my laundry to and from the nearest cleaners, since we don't have a washer and dryer. Be advised that many appliances that you have taken for granted in Indiana will not be available in your NYC home. Air conditioning-forget about it.

Off we go to decorate and appreciate life in the fast lane!