Jackpot

Stumbled upon this awesome photo-op on the way to Cowgirl's for dinner. The West Village: never know who or what you'll run into.

*Please note the rainbow leotard. And by the way, these cats are for real.

Goodbyes

I started this blog because I wanted a simple way of mass updating my friends and family of my adventures her in New York City. Today as I watch my current New York life change I realized that I never really told the story of how I ended up here. Really, me coming to New York has everything to do with God's plan (as do all things) and my sister-in-law.

Last year my college roommate and I had tentative plans to start off the summer with a trip to Ruidosa for a long weekend. When our plans fell though I decided since I had already requested the time off from work I would use it by going home. Saturday morning, while Mom, Tiffany, and I were out walking Tiffany said, "Oh Kate, by the way, one of Kristen's (Tiffany's sister) roommates suddenly decided to move back to Texas and they are looking for someone to take her room."

In which I unthinkingly and automatically replied, "I'll take her room!"

Looking back, I am almost positive Tiffany was not at all being serious. The next evening, while my parents drove me to the airport, I sat in the back seat and told them that if Kristen wanted me to move in with her then I was going to. It didn't take long because by the time I was back in Dallas that evening I had given Kristen a verbal commitment to be in New York within the next month.

Everyday I had off from work I was packing. I sold all that I could. And the rest, well it still resides in my parent's house. (Yeah, no hard feelings there.) I said goodbye to my beloved Anthropologie, shed tears as I tried to articulate what each and every friend meant to me, and drove southbound 35 watching the Dallas skyline disappear in the distance.

I savored my last few days in New Braunfels, sleeping in the room I grew up in, the deer in the backyard, the distant train horns, feeling the Texas heat against my skin, enjoying the company of my parents. And then just as I had left Dallas a few days before, I left Texas all together.

I remember the first week I was in New York. I thought I would never figure out the subway system. I thought I would never know exactly where I was. I thought I would never figure it all out. This past weekend I celebrated my 9th month here in New York. Nine months ago I had no idea that my life would look the way it does now.

At the end of the month I say goodbye to the Upper West Side. Goodbye to the park and my movie theatre across the street. Goodbye to Barnes and Noble on the corner where I go to get away on a rainy day. And farewell to Magnolia down the block, where I have eaten countless vanilla cupcakes and enjoy getting a cup of coffee with soy milk. Oh and not to forget Shake Shack, Nanoosh, 67 Wine or Whole Foods at Columbus Circle. Just a few of the reasons why I just love my neighborhood.

And today I said goodbye to Kristen. And next week I say goodbye to Alyssa. These are the two girls who introduced me to the City. They welcomed me into their tiny apartment and into their big lives. Their friends became my friends, their activities became my activities. And they'll take a little piece of me back to Texas with them.

It is amazing the way God works through your life. If I had gone to Ruidosa for the weekend, I probably wouldn't be living in New York. That last minute decision to use the weekend to visit with my family completely changed the course of my life. What I knew and what I was comfortable with was sacrificed for the unknown. Moving to the Lower East Side feels like I am moving to New York all over again. New apartment, new roommate, new neighborhood. I know, I'll find my niche. I always do. Through out this process I have stood by my motto, God's timing is always perfect. And I am a living example of it's truth.

Giggle giggle friends, I miss you already.

Turning 25

Well it's official, I am half way to 50. Tear. On another note, I just celebrated my first birthday here in New York. It began on Friday, with a red velvet cupcake from my friends at work. Followed by pizza and wine at Bellini's in our upper west side neighborhood. (Oh I shall not forget to tell you about the two shots of icing Alyssa and Kristen presented me with. My fave!)

Saturday is when the real festivities began. Brunch! A New York must and a good excuse to day drink. So at 1:00pm we enter Il Bastardo ready to begin the bottomless mimosa challenge. Somehow I later made it back to Maraca's in the West Village, where they lovingly presented me with a sombrero and tequila shot while the disco ball rotated to loud music. Ok folks, needless to say I was fast asleep in my bed by 7:45pm. Perfection.

Something new is sprouting through the soil...

Please visit my work in progress!

Spring Awakening

At last, Spring is peeking it's head around the corner. Here's my proof...

Wellll, what I am about to tell you is a bit embarrassing. But I feel the need to tell you about my weekend.

This weekend was our first Spring weekend. It was beautiful! 70 degrees, sun shining, crowded sidewalks. It was the kind of weekend that reminds you just how many people live in this City. 1% being tourist, 99% being residents. The park was a carnival of kids playing, rollarbladers blading, runners and walkers gettin' their groove on. And where was I??

Inside with Kristen watching season one of Friday Night Lights. Saturday we enjoyed the nice weather by running errands, a dreaded trip to Whole Foods and a good 3 mile Central Park walk. But at 4pm we were nicely parked on the couch watching episode one. By 6pm we ordered dinner, and by 3am we brushed our teeth.

Then Sunday arrived. One episode over coffee, one episode over breakfast. A nice stroll down Riverside, then back to the couch for lunch and several more episodes. Not willing to neglect the Lord, we rushed to church and back and successfully completed season one by 12:30am. That's right, 22 episodes.

Accurate? Yes.

Addicted? Yes.
In love? Yes.

Pathetic? Maybe just little bit.

If anything watch this show for Coach Taylor. He is such a classic Texas dad and high school coach. He says stuff in passing such as "here's an apple hunny, because you're the apple of my eye." Ok never mind, that probably isn't funny to you. But I promise, it's funny.

Season 2 begins tonight.

Ummm NaNa NaNaaaa

Give the people what they want

Last weekend Kristen and I literally spent the day walking. It was one of the nicest weekends with the nicest weather we have had in a looong time. Starting at a Brooklyn flea market in D.U.M.B.O and working our way back across the bridge for some charred marshmallows at Momofuku, we eventually made it back to the UES and decided to cut through the Park to get to the UWS. That's when we stumbled upon the season's first rollerblading group getting their groove on.

It's never questioned if we are going to stop and watch because we do. And for a long time.

So there we stood while the snow that still covered the park grounds tried to melt away in the fluke 50 degree weather. We laughed, we pointed, and we silently begged for some awesome wipe outs. (Of course there were several.)

Breaking News: Source of Maple Syrup Revealed

Apparently, the recent smell that has been drifting through Manhattan's air has made in the news. Yes, we have been able to actually smell maple syrup. (And it smells gooood.)

Click the pancakes below for the answer...

Growing up in the wrong decade

Well you might have noticed in the news, but it's cold here in New York! And cold weather means hibernation, which calls for very uninteresting posts, or a lack of posts all together. Stick with me for random evening like the one described below...




So a small group of friends and I decided we would start off the new year with a book club. I chose the first book, A Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, and sent out invitations for a good 'ole winter fiesta to discuss. In turn the fiesta became a mere pre-party for a concert we all wanted to go to. RUBIX CUBE! The ultimate 80's cover band.

And there is nothing, literally nothing, I love more than an 80's cover band.

So the night started with Kristin's Burritos, Donna's Margarita's, Rockwoood Guacamole, Real Sangria and a little Gipsey Kings (my contribution because I am a disaster in the kitchen) . We spent a good 5 minutes discussing the book, and spent the rest laughing, eating, and drinking. Martha was confused as to why no one else was dressing up for the concert, and if you know Martha you can probably guess it didn't really make any difference. She dressed up anyways. That green unitard was quite a smart purchase.

So here we go, picking up a recent window sill give-away on our way out. (That poor teddy bear did not see us coming.) Subway, a no go. Cabbin' it it to Canal and Broadway. As the cabbie pulls over I believe my exact words were, "Ok everybody have everything??" Pitiful, because I leave my phone in the cab. (Later was returned by the cab driver for a nice hefty tip.)

And here is where my story ends because I believe pictures always speak better than words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY1l9X89amM

Failed Attempt

Since today we honor Martin Luther King Jr. it also means that we have a long weekend. And because we live next door to the ABC studios we felt it necessary to take this opportunity to get up early to stand in the stand-by line for Live with Regis and Kelly. According to the website today's show was to feature Kyra Sedgwick, Brody Jenner (let's face, that's why we were going), and American Idol's Kara DioGuardi. So by 7am we are out the door, doing a little slip 'n slide through the accumulated snow, ready to meet the man of our dreams. We are first in line, although we can feel the burn from the tourists' eyes glaring at us through the Starbucks window across the street. Of course I am the first to make a coffee run. I grab my normal grande soy misto and slide back across the street to resume my place in line. Only to find out that while I was getting my coffee fix a producer came out to tell us the following...

"I feel really bad but the next two days are blackouts and there are no tapings. Yah, the lady in charge of updating the website isn't very good about doing it."

In which Kristen replies, "She should be fired."

I mean, this is ABC. How can you have people on your team that are so inefficient? It is purely ridiculous that the website is not updated in a timely manner. This effects people's lives!

So instead here I sit on the couch, 7:30 am, while Alyssa and Kristen soundly sleep, watching Kelly be crowned Homecoming Queen on Saved By the Bell, drinking my unnecessary misto. Brody Jenner, Zach Morris... really, it's a win win situation.

Update: I am now watching the episode when Lisa is allergic to Screech. I love this this show.

weekend weather

Truth be told, I have been dreading the blog. The holidays came and went. Our apartment has been a revolving door all through December and right into the new year. When our final house guests left on January 4th we about crashed to the floor. It has been a spirit filled, fantastic season with so much action I have been stumped as to where to begin.

Our first snow of the season presented itself on December 6th. My mom and I were chatting during The Lion King's intermission when a young boy flew into the theatre shouting, "It's snowing outside!". We have had quite a bit of snow since then, of course always falling on the most inconvenient of days. (Such as the day every New York Texan is trying to fly home for Christmas.) It gracefully falls, sometimes sticking around for a day or two, then suddenly disappears.

When I finally touched down in San Antonio I realized it had been a quite a while since I had seen the sun, much less felt it's warmth against my very pale skin. (FYI the moon is out and around 4:30 here.) I hardly knew how to pack for 80 degree weather seeing that I had been living in a down jacket for the past month. Home was more than I expected it to be, and when my week expired I shed many tears as my parents drove out of our driveway back to the airport.

Flash forward past the extra five hours I spent in the Atlanta Airport and I was back in the hustle and bustle of New Years in New York. More snow and too much wind causing the temperature to "feel like 2 degrees." Ughhh, doesn't make for a glamorous New Years Eve. To answer the possible question that may be on half of my reader's minds, NO, I did not even consider Time Square. However, I do remember having a lot of fun and a lot to drink. (But unlike one particular past New Years I woke up in 2009 with my camera, credit cards, and cell phone. Live and learn.)

This season has taught me that... I really don't like Tex-Mex. (In which Kristin unenthusiastically replies, "I'm not surprised.") Watching tourist try to ice skate may be the best form of entertainment. Ever. It's really not too cold to still take a jog through Central Park. All parents have probably cussed at some point in their lives. Unlimited sushi and sake bombs makes for one heck of an evening. It's true, the holidays do make you fat. The first full week of work after vaca is loooong. And after it all, I am exhausted!

Happy 2009 friends. Glad I get to spend it with you.

Visitors

Fig.1: Rockefeller ice rink

Fig.2: Mom, Rockefeller Christmas Tree

Fig.3: Too cold for water, Central Park

Fig.4: Saks Fifth Ave.

Fig.5: Kristin and Jennifer, Brooklyn Brewery

Fig.6: 5th Ave.

Fig.7: Rockefeller Center

Fig.8: Brooklyn background

Fig.9: Pier 17

Fig.10: The Big Apple Chorus

Fig.11: South St. Seaport Santa