Dear Readers, I can't believe I am leaving New York tomorrow. Time has flown by so quickly! My last day at work was bittersweet; I know that the end of my internship means that I will be back in Durham soon, which is great - but it also means that I am no longer going to be able to enjoy the perks of city life. I'll be missing 24 hour food establishments, cupcakes within walking distance, stores that can fix anything you have that is broken (including six-year-old iPods), men selling phone chargers for seven-year-old cell phones on the street corners (I bought one today for my old Nokia), and public transportation - just to name a few things. And the food . . . ah, the endless choices! I'll be missing that too.
My bedroom right now is warm, but it's nothing compared to those first few nights. I remember them like they happened last week. It's hard to believe that the heat wave of 2010 was a month ago. I certainly haven't let the passage of time keep me from the fun of complaining about it! ;)
I walked around the neighborhood tonight with Rob, who had come in to have my last dinner with me from Newark, and it was a perfect end to a wonderful month. The people brushing past me as I walked by them had no idea that they might be among the last people to see me out and about in New York for a while. That's the beauty of it - in New York, you are anonymous enough to be left alone when you'd like, but surrounded by enough people to be guaranteed a friend when you need one.
Of course, I am excited to get back to my Duke life - but I have made so many wonderful memories here. I hope you have enjoyed reading about them as much as I have enjoyed writing them here on my blog. Maybe I will start another blog when I get back to school, but I have a feeling my life will be much less interesting when I'm home.
But then again, interesting things sometimes seem to follow me. I guess we'll see! Goodnight all!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Day 30: Time Speeds Up
It amazes me to think that in only three days I am going to be hauling my luggage back down the tiny staircase of my walk-up building and hailing a cab to La Guardia. In many ways, I feel like I haven't had a moment to sit in New York and simply exist here. But I've never really been great at sitting still anyway, so I won't complain. I have been catching up with old friends, visiting all sorts of different Manhattan neighborhoods, and eating, eating, eating! I will have so many memories to take home with me from these five weeks in New York.
Today I am going to be meeting up with at least one, and possibly two, friends from my time in Argentina. Nicole, who I am definitely seeing, was one of my closer friends from study abroad, but we lost touch once back in the states and haven't seen one another since. It has been four years. Four. I can't even comprehend that it has been so long since I called Buenos Aires home. My memories of that place, and the people I knew there, are still so vivid and feel so recent. I'm sure I am in for an evening of reminiscing.
Well, one thing never changes about weekdays in New York: I have to go to work. More later!
Today I am going to be meeting up with at least one, and possibly two, friends from my time in Argentina. Nicole, who I am definitely seeing, was one of my closer friends from study abroad, but we lost touch once back in the states and haven't seen one another since. It has been four years. Four. I can't even comprehend that it has been so long since I called Buenos Aires home. My memories of that place, and the people I knew there, are still so vivid and feel so recent. I'm sure I am in for an evening of reminiscing.
Well, one thing never changes about weekdays in New York: I have to go to work. More later!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Day 28: The Weather Outside Is Delightful!
It was a pleasure to walk around outside this weekend - which was great, because Alex and I were out and about often enjoying the city. We traveled everywhere from the West and East Villages to the Upper East and West Sides - meeting friends, shopping, trying new coffee places, and getting fresh air and exercise.
I can't believe I have less than a week left here, and it promises to be a busy one!
I can't believe I have less than a week left here, and it promises to be a busy one!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Day 24: My New York Keepsake
Today I decided to purchase a keepsake to remind me of the time I have spent in New York - similar to the seahorse necklace that I acquired in Charleston during the first half of the summer. Like the necklace, I wanted my New York keepsake to remind me immediately of this summer, while at the same time being practical enough to use somewhat regularly.
I ultimately decided to purchase a leather bag from a store three blocks from my apartment. The store is called Joseph Hanna Leather, and many of its leather goods are made right there! The store has its own leather workshop, and as I perused the many bags hanging from the walls and ceilings, one of the men working at the shop was busy sewing up a new piece of luggage. It felt so authentic - even though the bag I ended up selecting was not made in the store (not many of their women's bags were).
My new bag is yellow leather with a thick brown leather strap. I talked the owner down $100 from the original price, so I felt like I got quite a steal! He also pressed my initials into the strap, which was neat because I got to watch how this was done. He even made me a leather keychain with my initials on it for free - which was perfect, because I have been needing a new keychain for my car keys ever since I separated them from my house keys last year.
So now my New York memories will be carried around in a beautiful leather bag that smells wonderful and will be perfect for Fall. When I look at it in the future, I hope I will remember the little leather shop around the corner from my apartment and what fun it was to wander around and discover little shops in the West Village.
I ultimately decided to purchase a leather bag from a store three blocks from my apartment. The store is called Joseph Hanna Leather, and many of its leather goods are made right there! The store has its own leather workshop, and as I perused the many bags hanging from the walls and ceilings, one of the men working at the shop was busy sewing up a new piece of luggage. It felt so authentic - even though the bag I ended up selecting was not made in the store (not many of their women's bags were).
My new bag is yellow leather with a thick brown leather strap. I talked the owner down $100 from the original price, so I felt like I got quite a steal! He also pressed my initials into the strap, which was neat because I got to watch how this was done. He even made me a leather keychain with my initials on it for free - which was perfect, because I have been needing a new keychain for my car keys ever since I separated them from my house keys last year.
So now my New York memories will be carried around in a beautiful leather bag that smells wonderful and will be perfect for Fall. When I look at it in the future, I hope I will remember the little leather shop around the corner from my apartment and what fun it was to wander around and discover little shops in the West Village.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Day 23: Magnolia Cupcake
Tonight after meeting a friend for dinner I went for a walk in the neighborhood. The weather was perfect for a stroll. People were eating at outdoor tables at the little cafe on the corner of Perry Street, and all along my walk, my neighbors were sitting on their stoops and talking to each other or looking out at the street.
On this walk, I allowed myself to have a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery (of Sex and the City fame). I say "allowed myself" because I have been consciously avoiding it so as not to get addicted to these cupcakes that are only two blocks from my apartment. Tonight was so perfect that I couldn't resist.
I took my chocolate cupcake with blue buttercream frosting back to my own stoop on Perry Street. Sitting there, I opened my new book of short stories and began to read, unwrapping my cupcake slowly as the story progressed. It was a deliciously wonderful end to the day!
On this walk, I allowed myself to have a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery (of Sex and the City fame). I say "allowed myself" because I have been consciously avoiding it so as not to get addicted to these cupcakes that are only two blocks from my apartment. Tonight was so perfect that I couldn't resist.
I took my chocolate cupcake with blue buttercream frosting back to my own stoop on Perry Street. Sitting there, I opened my new book of short stories and began to read, unwrapping my cupcake slowly as the story progressed. It was a deliciously wonderful end to the day!
Day 23 (early): Rodents!
A little while ago, I heard a noise in the kitchen. It was a loud rustling. I knew that something other than the air conditioner was making that noise - and that something was alive.
After Alex told me in a phone pep talk that I should go out to the kitchen, I finally worked up the nerve to turn on the hall light and investigate the situation. The cookie from Subway that I had left for a future snack yesterday was eaten, its packaging torn into little shreds by tiny rodent teeth. My trashbag had bite marks in it. I was terrified: there are either mice or rats in my apartment, and neither one is a good thing!
I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight knowing that these little creatures could be running around my house. Needless to say, I immediately took the Subway cookie and the trashbag down to the basement to be thrown out - so hopefully they won't come back! Believe me, I won't be throwing any food away in this house again. Now I just want some sleep . . . hopefully uninterrupted by the pitter patter of little mouse or rat feet!
After Alex told me in a phone pep talk that I should go out to the kitchen, I finally worked up the nerve to turn on the hall light and investigate the situation. The cookie from Subway that I had left for a future snack yesterday was eaten, its packaging torn into little shreds by tiny rodent teeth. My trashbag had bite marks in it. I was terrified: there are either mice or rats in my apartment, and neither one is a good thing!
I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight knowing that these little creatures could be running around my house. Needless to say, I immediately took the Subway cookie and the trashbag down to the basement to be thrown out - so hopefully they won't come back! Believe me, I won't be throwing any food away in this house again. Now I just want some sleep . . . hopefully uninterrupted by the pitter patter of little mouse or rat feet!
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