So I haven’t been stuck in the grocery store for a month…sorry about that to those of you who were worried. The real reason I haven’t written in a while is because my life went I’m-unemployed-and-therefore-have-tons-of-free-time to an I-have-a-real-job-with-no-time situation. BUT…the good news is that I LOVE MY JOB (more details about this down below).
Because I’ve been “away” from the blog for so long and because my mind thinks in series of categorized lists, I’ll update you on my life the past month via bullet points (in sequential order, of course). (Okay, so when I copied and pasted from word the bullets won't work...bear w/ my listing technique here...p.s. this KILLS me that the bullets dont work...OCD)
I got a job!
--I work for a market research company. We measure how much people pay attention to commercials & TV shows – fascinating stuff, actually. We were recently acquired by Nielsen.
--I made friends at work. Four young girls all about my age…we lunch and share celebrity gossip…and girl talk (only after getting all our work done, of course). It’s great to have girlfriends up here…I’ve quickly learned that you can never have enough friends in the city.
Alex started Law School
--Happy to say he’s happy! He loves Columbia and he loves learning to think like a lawyer. He’s learning from some of the best professors out there (i.e. His first month “introductory law school course” was taught by Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s daughter).
--Alex has made a few friends (one guy from William & Mary…they play squash on Tuesdays & Thursdays together). We have also gone to a few brunches w/ another couple (he goes to law school, she IS a lawyer) and they are very friendly…although I often feel a little dumb around all these smarty-pants lawyers.
We went to Brooklyn
--You know us Kansans…we smell the red meat miles away and herd (pun intended) toward it. We went to Peter Lugar’s Steak House (world famous…Google it). Such good food and Brooklyn is cute (although not necessarily the 3 blocks right around Peter Lugar’s).
We went to the Bronx Zoo
--I planned this day-trip one Saturday (surprise, surprise). It was a great zoo…lovely exhibits and I also got to watch all the little kids play (makes me miss my precious “nephew”, Luke!!) I recommend to anyone thinking about going to go – well worth it…and now we can say we’ve been to the Bronx (except I guess we’ve already been there for the Yankees game…oh yeah…we went to the Yankees game…great tickets from Al’s folks, Yanks lost).
My best friend from Kansas came to visit
--My friend Caitlyn came to visit. I LOVE HER AND SHE NEEDS TO MOVE HERE…except she has a fabulous job at Nordstrom and they don’t have one in NYC. L She did introduce me to a friend of hers from Chi O, Kristen, and we’ve become close…yay another girlfriend!!
I went home to Kansas
--My grandmother passed away and I went home to be with my family & attend the funeral. She was the spunkiest, smartest, toughest, funniest woman I know and I miss her every single day.
--It was great to go back and see all the family, except now I miss them more because I remembered how great they all are and how much I’m loved.
Kansas is SO FLAT and un-crowded…I’d forgotten. Oh, and my mom’s house seemed GINORMOUS after living in 500sq. ft. for almost 3 months.
KU Football Season Started!!!!
--I miss tailgating SOOOOOO much.
Mangino ate one of our players…just kidding. Just wanted to make sure you’re still paying attention
--We’ve gone to the Pourhouse (a KU bar here in the East Village) for some games. LOVING it!!! So annoyed about the South Florida game though.
--Todd Reesing looks like a squirrel.
--Side note about KU Bball…Chalmers & Darrel getting kicked of NBA rookie league? That’s what champions are made of…or maybe they thought they played for Missouri now?
--Beak ‘em.
I think that’s about it. Sorry for the word vomit…that was a lot for one posting. I’ll try to do better at posting more frequently (and hopefully get a little more technological…pictures? Music? Video?). I miss everyone back home and am so glad you all find my small little life here in NYC amusing.
OH! P.S. Saw a huge rat today...only the 3rd one I’ve seen since I’ve been here. ICK…I will never become okay w/ them.
P.P.S. They’re shooting Law & Order in our basement tomorrow. An episode about runaway kids…look for it. While this may seem incredibly cool & trendy, it actually means that our basement is gross enough & scary enough to fit the requirements of a Law & Order scene.
P.P.P.S. I apparently have an extremely un-ergonomic posture at my desk and I hurt my back. If it wasn't so vital to the rest of my body functioning, I'd probably cut it off. For those of you that have been in the workforce for awhile...any suggestions/help?
Love you forever!
Katie
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
grocery store adventures
While New York has its conveniences like the subway and incredible delivery service on anything you could ever want, some normal routine occurrences become grand escapades that require a great deal of problem solving, optimism, and humor. Case in point: the grocery store.
I'm sure the subject of this post sounds a little sarcastic, but in New York (especially when you don't own a car) the weekly trip to the grocery store truly is an adventure. We are lucky to have a Fairway Grocery about 6 blocks from our place. Fairway is known for its great selection and decent prices (not so decent if you compare to Kansas prices...but that’s how just about everything is here). This grocery store is huge! But, don't let that sentence fool you; while it has a large square footage relative to New York, just about every square inch is covered with every food you could imagine. Nonetheless, for me, being the self-proclaimed foodie that I am, it is a divine weekly treat just to walk the aisles.
Alex doesn't quite picture our weekly walk through the store as such a treat. He is a great sport because he realizes that he has to come because I can't possibly carry all of the bags home on my own. He pushes the cart along the main walkway while I scurry through the narrow aisles and strings of people, returning to the cart with the goods. He doesn’t get excited until we get to the cold room.
The cold room, in my opinion, is Fairway’s successful attempt at conserving space. Rather than having large, bulky coolers set side by side, they have a gigantic freezer (a big room that they pump freezing are into). The room is so cold that they even have ski-jackets on hooks by the door for people to borrow while in the cold room (side note: I think borrowing these jackets is a little gross, but then again…so is the subway. Regardless, I still choose freezing temperatures over used-coats). Al’s eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning when we enter the cold room because the first thing he sees to the left is the seafood counter. Huge crab legs enter his peripheral vision and as he turns to the right he sees massive racks of ribs dangling a few steps away.
After a chaotic run through the Fairway, the second and more comedic portion of the adventure takes place: the walk home. With $150 worth of groceries and a 6 block trek up-hill in 90 degree heat, it did take us two times to finally get an efficient system in place. The first time, we didn’t have one of those pop-up carts that people here use. We laughed the whole way home as we each maneuvered seven stuffed bags. I thought my fingers were going to fall off from the twisting plastic. The second time, we had back up. We bought one of those carts the day prior and the walk home was so much easier.
In an attempt to prove my cooking skills, as well as an attempt to compete with the cold room for making Al smile, I agreed to try my hand at steamed crab legs for dinner on Sunday. These aren’t your Midwestern crab legs either. We purchased two pounds thinking we’d get a couple of legs for each of us (how it would be in land-locked Kansas) and we got two HUGE legs. Alex pulled the meat out of his in one fell swoop and it was the equivalent of two fillets of fish. Not only were they big crab legs, I did a pretty good job at cooking them (if I do say so myself). You would have thought the Royals had won the World Series or something when he tasted them. All in all, a yummy celebratory dinner after ‘conquering’ our grocery store adventure.
Love and miss everyone back home!
-Katie
Me with the cart. (Not nearly as full as when we go to the grocery store).
Happy Alex and his crab leg Sunday dinner.
I'm sure the subject of this post sounds a little sarcastic, but in New York (especially when you don't own a car) the weekly trip to the grocery store truly is an adventure. We are lucky to have a Fairway Grocery about 6 blocks from our place. Fairway is known for its great selection and decent prices (not so decent if you compare to Kansas prices...but that’s how just about everything is here). This grocery store is huge! But, don't let that sentence fool you; while it has a large square footage relative to New York, just about every square inch is covered with every food you could imagine. Nonetheless, for me, being the self-proclaimed foodie that I am, it is a divine weekly treat just to walk the aisles.
Alex doesn't quite picture our weekly walk through the store as such a treat. He is a great sport because he realizes that he has to come because I can't possibly carry all of the bags home on my own. He pushes the cart along the main walkway while I scurry through the narrow aisles and strings of people, returning to the cart with the goods. He doesn’t get excited until we get to the cold room.
The cold room, in my opinion, is Fairway’s successful attempt at conserving space. Rather than having large, bulky coolers set side by side, they have a gigantic freezer (a big room that they pump freezing are into). The room is so cold that they even have ski-jackets on hooks by the door for people to borrow while in the cold room (side note: I think borrowing these jackets is a little gross, but then again…so is the subway. Regardless, I still choose freezing temperatures over used-coats). Al’s eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning when we enter the cold room because the first thing he sees to the left is the seafood counter. Huge crab legs enter his peripheral vision and as he turns to the right he sees massive racks of ribs dangling a few steps away.
After a chaotic run through the Fairway, the second and more comedic portion of the adventure takes place: the walk home. With $150 worth of groceries and a 6 block trek up-hill in 90 degree heat, it did take us two times to finally get an efficient system in place. The first time, we didn’t have one of those pop-up carts that people here use. We laughed the whole way home as we each maneuvered seven stuffed bags. I thought my fingers were going to fall off from the twisting plastic. The second time, we had back up. We bought one of those carts the day prior and the walk home was so much easier.
In an attempt to prove my cooking skills, as well as an attempt to compete with the cold room for making Al smile, I agreed to try my hand at steamed crab legs for dinner on Sunday. These aren’t your Midwestern crab legs either. We purchased two pounds thinking we’d get a couple of legs for each of us (how it would be in land-locked Kansas) and we got two HUGE legs. Alex pulled the meat out of his in one fell swoop and it was the equivalent of two fillets of fish. Not only were they big crab legs, I did a pretty good job at cooking them (if I do say so myself). You would have thought the Royals had won the World Series or something when he tasted them. All in all, a yummy celebratory dinner after ‘conquering’ our grocery store adventure.
Love and miss everyone back home!
-Katie
Me with the cart. (Not nearly as full as when we go to the grocery store).
Happy Alex and his crab leg Sunday dinner.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
our very-small-but-so-great-for-us apartment
Our apartment is small. We'll be the first to admit that, but its size isn't anything out of the ordinary for a city place and it really does work perfectly for us. We are both so happy in it...and Alex even helps clean...his vacuuming skills are quite impressive. Well, here are the pictures that everyone's been asking for. Again...comments encouraged on this post as I'd love to know what everyone thinks or if there are any questions! Enjoy...
What you see when you walk in. Al's desk, kitchen table, wine area. To your right is the small kitchen and door to living room. Down the hall is the bathroom and bedroom. The desk came as ready-to-assemble in two flat boxes. It took my dad about 12 total hours to put it together. Thanks dad!
Turning right off the main room, entering the living room. Window and TV stand on right, couch is to the left. **Note: the pictures in the frames will all be changing soon. Right now it looks like a Loyd-fest (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I don't want Danny & Loretta to think we don't like them! :)
Couch. Alex's closet is to your right, full wall length with storage compartments above. Alex hung those sconces last night, he's becoming great with the drywall screws and a level.
Sitting on the couch looking forward toward the window. Our TV looks huge. We watched "Batman Begins" last night on it with all the lights out, it felt like a movie theater. Alex has proposed stadium seating.
Kitchen area off main room. Its little, but it does make cooking pretty efficient since everything is one step away. Sorry its a little cluttered in this picture, I was making dinner when Alex took the pics.
Bathroom, down hall and to right. And in response to my cousin's husband, Matt's, question...no you don't have to step on the toilet to get in and out of the shower. But it is possible.
Mirror/vanity area of bathroom. First time I've ever had a medicine cabinet, I find them fascinatingly functional.
Bedroom. (Thanks to Aunt Kathy for the cute bedding)! There is a closet on the right side of the window that I use. It is smaller, but it too has an above storage area. We put the bed on risers so we could fit plastic drawers underneath for more storage. Our bed skirt to cover that will be here any day.
Other side of bedroom.
Front door. Kitchen is to your left. And yes, the fridge is in the entryway, but its in an alcove that makes it less awkward.
Thanks for "visiting" our apartment. We can't wait for non-virtual visitors!
Love,
Katie
What you see when you walk in. Al's desk, kitchen table, wine area. To your right is the small kitchen and door to living room. Down the hall is the bathroom and bedroom. The desk came as ready-to-assemble in two flat boxes. It took my dad about 12 total hours to put it together. Thanks dad!Turning right off the main room, entering the living room. Window and TV stand on right, couch is to the left. **Note: the pictures in the frames will all be changing soon. Right now it looks like a Loyd-fest (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I don't want Danny & Loretta to think we don't like them! :)
Couch. Alex's closet is to your right, full wall length with storage compartments above. Alex hung those sconces last night, he's becoming great with the drywall screws and a level.
Sitting on the couch looking forward toward the window. Our TV looks huge. We watched "Batman Begins" last night on it with all the lights out, it felt like a movie theater. Alex has proposed stadium seating.
Kitchen area off main room. Its little, but it does make cooking pretty efficient since everything is one step away. Sorry its a little cluttered in this picture, I was making dinner when Alex took the pics.
Bathroom, down hall and to right. And in response to my cousin's husband, Matt's, question...no you don't have to step on the toilet to get in and out of the shower. But it is possible.
Mirror/vanity area of bathroom. First time I've ever had a medicine cabinet, I find them fascinatingly functional.
Bedroom. (Thanks to Aunt Kathy for the cute bedding)! There is a closet on the right side of the window that I use. It is smaller, but it too has an above storage area. We put the bed on risers so we could fit plastic drawers underneath for more storage. Our bed skirt to cover that will be here any day.
Other side of bedroom.
Front door. Kitchen is to your left. And yes, the fridge is in the entryway, but its in an alcove that makes it less awkward.
Thanks for "visiting" our apartment. We can't wait for non-virtual visitors!
Love,
Katie
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
first impressions
I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
-Frank Sinatra
Well, I've managed to accomplish part one of Sinatra's famous song. As for being king (or should I say queen) of the hill...not so much. And for top of the heap? I don't think a 4th floor apartment in an elevator building quite classifies as top of the heap, but it is better than a walk-up building.
The first few days in the city (after the 21 hour drive in a Budget Truck with my dad) were spent moving everything in, cleaning, assembling furniture, arranging furniture, rearranging furniture, more cleaning, and organizing. Dad left on Wednesday, Danny & Loretta (Alex's parents) left on Thursday, and Mom and Emily left on Sunday. We did some fun things with everyone in town including showing them Columbia, going to the Macy's Fireworks Display (and getting rained on), and spending four hours inside a two story Bed Bath and Beyond.
It was terribly sad to say goodbye to family and it was just after they left that it started to sink in that we weren't on vacation and would be living here...in New York. Sunday night it really started to feel like this was our place. We went to the grocery store (more on that in another blog), did laundry, and I made dinner. Over dinner Alex and I started cracking up because we seemed so tickled that we lived together in New York City. We actually live here. Crazy.
I'll try and post things every day or at least ever other day. Please check in and feel free to leave comments. Questions are encouraged about what we're up to and what it's like to do (fill in the blank) in a big city.
We miss everyone back in Kansas, but we're so happy to be on this adventure together.
-Love always,
Katie
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
-Frank Sinatra
Well, I've managed to accomplish part one of Sinatra's famous song. As for being king (or should I say queen) of the hill...not so much. And for top of the heap? I don't think a 4th floor apartment in an elevator building quite classifies as top of the heap, but it is better than a walk-up building.
The first few days in the city (after the 21 hour drive in a Budget Truck with my dad) were spent moving everything in, cleaning, assembling furniture, arranging furniture, rearranging furniture, more cleaning, and organizing. Dad left on Wednesday, Danny & Loretta (Alex's parents) left on Thursday, and Mom and Emily left on Sunday. We did some fun things with everyone in town including showing them Columbia, going to the Macy's Fireworks Display (and getting rained on), and spending four hours inside a two story Bed Bath and Beyond.
It was terribly sad to say goodbye to family and it was just after they left that it started to sink in that we weren't on vacation and would be living here...in New York. Sunday night it really started to feel like this was our place. We went to the grocery store (more on that in another blog), did laundry, and I made dinner. Over dinner Alex and I started cracking up because we seemed so tickled that we lived together in New York City. We actually live here. Crazy.
I'll try and post things every day or at least ever other day. Please check in and feel free to leave comments. Questions are encouraged about what we're up to and what it's like to do (fill in the blank) in a big city.
We miss everyone back in Kansas, but we're so happy to be on this adventure together.
-Love always,
Katie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)