No Sleep ’til Brooklyn

Almost two weeks into the New York chapter of my life and so far I have no complaints. I miss friends and family, of course, but am enjoying the newness of it all.

My Ikea bed was delivered Tuesday, so for the first time in nine nights I slept on a mattress and not the sofa! It was amazing. I’ve gotten a number of essentials (many thanks to Target gift cards! I have the best friends in the world, I really do): a pot, a pan, bath tissue, cleaning products, groceries, hangers, a pillow… the list goes on. It’s starting to feel like a person actually lives there now – I need a table and a couple of chairs and I’ll be golden. Munchkin is coming to visit over Thanksgiving so she (doesn’t know that she) has been recruited to be my personal assistant to help with interior design and acquisition of goods. A second set of arms is helpful in this city when you get everywhere on foot or by train. I was warned that I’d develop “New York Muscles” and they weren’t kidding!

I did go to Ikea (because everything is so inexpensive!) and got a few things – such as a cutting board for $1.49 and 6 drinking glasses for $3.99? Can’t beat it. And those drinking glasses are also my wine glasses. Keepin’ it classy.

I did learn a valuable lesson on my way to Ikea – do NOT read a really engrossing book on the subway when you do not know where you are going. Let’s just say I took a nice detour and leave it at that. But what really burns is that I did all of my detour walking, plus the 2.3 miles to and from the subway to Ikea (which I was totally anticipating) AND all of the walking in Ikea… and I’d forgotten to put my Fitbit on in the morning. SO NOT HAPPY. Oh, well. I’m trying to let it go.

I have managed to order in dinner a couple of times – just like a true New Yorker, right? And I’m pretty good on the trains other than the Ikea incident. I’m taking daily fashion notes to try and up my wardrobe game. I have invested in a few more flats, too… when I came to check out neighborhoods in September everyone was so fancy on the train so I was worried about wearing heels and doing so much walking. However, now that I am here, I see that the folks who ride the train during “rush hour” wear flats!  (You were totally spot-on, Miller!) I have two pair of comfy heels that I wear – some navy booties from Bandolino and the cutest green heels that were a surprise from my cousin the day before I left – that I am now rockin’ (almost) like a pro.

Thanks to some Seattle tranplants, and some co-workers down for happy hours – my social life is staying afloat! I went to happy hour with some co-workers, a Brooklyn dance party featuring all Stevie Wonder songs with the girl whose apartment I took over, and an Italian restaurant in the Bronx  where I made the owner give us hugs and kisses with a lost long football teammate. I felt like we was in the restaurant in that movie where Minnie Driver has heart surgery and likes David Duchovny. Fabulous.

Since I live in Brooklyn, work in Manhattan, and had dinner in the Bronx – I’ve already knocked out visiting three of the five boroughs – just Queens and Staten Island to go.

I need to get better at taking photos to share with you all, but for now here is my apartment (most of you have seen these already) – next ones I’ll post after Munchkin is here so you can see the fruits of our labor.

Bedroom, view from a different corner

Bedroom, view from one corner

Hallway between Living Room and Bedroom

Thought front door, looking right

Thought front door, looking left