As we were decorating our NYC apartment together, Jen and I realized that we have very few pictures of each other, apart or together, that we like. It was beautiful out today and we had the whole day off together so we took a walk around LIC snapping pics. We think they came out ok, I hope you like them. 

 

Zydeco

The weather Friday wasn’t great for anything outdoors so I stayed in and got most of my wall art done in our neighbor’s apartment. I’m going to make you wait to see the finished product in a day or two. Here’s a pic of my sidekick who was lying on her back in front of me while I was on the floor making a rough draft.

The streets surrounding our apartment were packed with semis and trucks for the 30 Rock filming. It was oddly all filmed inside of a party rental warehouse just a few buildings down from us so I have no idea what it looked like in there. After repeatedly strolling past the film site while taking Pup out, I caught a glimpse of Tina Fey in a blue hoodie sweatshirt. What gave her away was the guy in her face carefully adjusting her hood and hair. I was just across the street and the only person around that wasn’t part of the crew so I didn’t want to be annoying and whip my phone out to take a picture. Here’s a pic from farther away though. As if that wasn’t enough celebrity gawking for one day, while leaving work late Friday night I passed Sex and the City’s Mr. Big jogging down the street. He had a friend with him and ran right up into a brownstone on restaurant row next to Joe Allen. The key to spotting celebrities is that you can’t go looking for them, you just have to let them come to you. :)

I worked my first brunch in a few months today. They shift was short and sweet (12-5) and most importantly, fun! Around 4, a Creole style Zydeco band started playing to provide music for the night (pic). I love the wash board and spoons, ha. It actually sounded really good and fit our Mardi Gras theme... which is quickly approaching. Note to self: request that day off.

Taking it back to the subject of my wall art, here’s a video that a friend Jenny Li sent me when she heard about my project. It’s so appropriate and hilarious I think…
http://www.hulu.com/watch/210887/portlandia-put-a-bird-on-it#x-4,vclip,1,0

Brisket

After a nice long walk with Pup this morning, I headed to an interview in Grand Central for a school grant. I actually applied to this organization last year and never got a response but luckily met a very organized representative on campus who is helping me re-submit my application. Basically, NY is in great need of LPN's and PTA's and the government has given this org. money to give to us so that we'll have less touble in school and start working as soon as possible. I don't really have to do anything but fill out an occasional school related online survey if approved so that they know how I'm doing and get me help if I need it. Hopefully I get a refund check for at least one full semester in the mail next year!

Lunch was on Bob (our interviewer) today after our meeting which was a nice surprise. We had Brother Jimmy's BBQ which is pretty big up here and I hadn't tried it yet. It was very tasty but very heavy and my braised brisket sandwich gave me a mctummy-ache. Later we parted ways and I headed to the restroom where I found this smorgasbord of paraphernalia resting on the toilet seat cover dispenser.(pic) Those things are never stocked anyway so at least the previous occupant was putting it to good use. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that there was something illegal going on in this stall, ha! Classy NY, classy.

In other news, my upstairs neighbors and all around fine folks want me to add some wall art to their bedroom after liking what I did in our apartment. They were debating between love birds or a rebel flag wielding eagle so I had no choice but to intervene. While putting together some options for them Jen brought to my attention that I'm drawn to birds much like my mother to which I replied, "This Google search for 'birds on branches' just became much less enjoyable." She had quite the laugh at me. I drew up a draft today and start painting tomorrow. Should be fun... I'll keep you posted.

Oh, filming for 30 Rock pretty much outside our window tomorrow! Look for pics later.

Snow Fall... 5?

Monday morning we woke up to a few more inches of snow falling and here are a couple of pics from the day. One is of our patio at work which is going to soon become a glass enclosed, climate controlled room to be used year round. This bike almost looks like it's made of snow. No, it's not mine which is hanging on the wall inside safe and sound.

Good news, finals are over! I got final grades of an A and B in the classes. I now have two weeks off to read ahead, rest up, and try* to save lots of money in preparation for an intense twelve week session. As I’m lying in bed right now writing this I can’t remember if I get a clinical assignment in two weeks or not… I think so…
Friday was the most beautiful day we’ve had in months. It was wind-breaker warm and sunny, a good day to own a bike. I decided to ride over the Polaski Bridge, through Greenpoint, and into Williamsburg (both in Brooklyn) to do some exploring and hipster gawking. What are hipsters you may ask? I don't really know but by the look of em, in my opinion, they’re girls who look like they need a shower and bearded guys that dress like lumberjacks. Later I ran into a few friends at the park in the ‘hood before heading into work. In NYC, when there’s warm weather in February people will do anything for a table on a balcony or patio. Our upstairs and outdoor areas where I work were packed and I made some much needed green.

Saturday was pretty chill. Although it dropped about 30 degrees compared to Friday, Jen and I spent some time shopping in Soho for a bit before I had to head back to work.

While walking Pup the other day I noticed there’s a new high-rise going up down the street that’s now blocking our view, not of the skyline, but of the Pepsi-Cola sign. :(  Below the construction in the pic is one of Pup’s favorite places to go... to the bathroom… I thought you might want to know that.


New York City Time Lapse from Blueglaze LLC on Vimeo.

Here’s a cool Manhattan/Brooklyn time lapse that I’m borrowing from another NYC blog. The music is a remix of Hometown Glory by Adele who we are both fans of. It’s only a couple of minutes long if you have some time to watch.

ValentiMe's Day

Because Sunday is the only whole day Jen and I have off together, we (I) tend to over-book it. One of our regular Sunday things-to-do is grocery shopping which is a completely different animal compared to what it was when we were living in FL. Driving across the street to Publix and Target and loading an SUV is a cake-walk compared to our shoulder numbing journey across boroughs by subway. Sounds fun right? The Chelsea Trader Joes is our go-to grocer, but we were in Union Square to do an exchange and decided to try the one in this area instead. As we approached we saw a line (just for entrance, not for checkout) out of the building and down the sidewalk. No joke. We ended up walking to Whole Foods (lots of natural/ organic options but more $$) which was just as packed but at least let you in the door. By the time we got home we were pooped and Jen had a headache. The good news is we now have some great, fresh food for meals… until next week.

Valentine’s Day was a good one for us foodies. After class in the morning I took my bike out to run some errands and enjoy the beautiful weather. I stopped by our neighborhood Food Cellar to pick up the things needed to make chocolate covered strawberries. They sold out of the dipping chocolate kit which was a blessing in disguise. I was sent to ask the baker for an alternative who then explained to me how they make their own chocolate strawberries ($4 apiece) and sold me chunks of white and dark chocolate for much less than what I would have spent using the kits. Doing it at home was much more fun and cost less than $10 to do about 15 strawberries.

For dinner we made Rachael Ray inspired tilapia filet sammies with citrus honey coleslaw, Yummo! Later we went just right next door to LIC Bar where they were having a Valentine’s Day concert. It had about twenty performers playing two songs a piece, one of love and one of heartbreak. Most of them were really entertaining and talented, but a few that were so bad (and they knew it) that it was really funny. We aren’t big pub/bar people but it’s nice to have a cool spot so close to home.

Anyway, enjoy these pics from our Valentine’s Day dinner, dessert, and night out!

Up to 60 degrees on Friday! Where are my board shorts…?

Wednesday and Thursday I had class and work so they were both pretty bla days. Again, NYC is in it's off season for tourism right now so at work we do a lot of goofing off and little money making. Thank you savings account! We did, though, have a party at our upstairs bar Thursday night which helped bring in some much needed dough. While I was working Thursday night, Jen had some girlfriends over for...  secret girly things. :) 

Because I didn't get home until very late, I didn't have much time to be productive on Friday, my day off. I did get to volunteer for a couple of hours at AC&C! It's fun to walk big dogs, which are the majority at the shelter since most people in NYC want apartment sized pups. Friday night Jen made some yummy veggie chili and we watched Requiem for a Dream. It's on many must-see movie lists, but we found it really disturbing. Watch at your own risk.

Note to self: February feels colder than January.

Million Dollar Quartet

Let’s see, what’s been happening…? I can only remember as far back as Saturday. Besides the weather making it a rough morning, I was exhausted from the night before and slept in while Jen had to get up early and go to a funeral. Later we went to brunch, hoping that some caffeine and mimosas would bring cheer to our day. Saturday night I worked the slowest weekend night shift I have ever seen at BSB&G.


Sunday we, like most of America, went to a Superbowl party in the one of the high-rise community rooms. There were lots of people there making it pretty loud so I didn’t get to hear many of the good commercials. From what I did hear, my favorite was the Volkswagen commercial where the little Darth Vader started the car with his “force.” That morning friends were asking Jen what she was bringing so she felt obligated to make something and didn’t want to disappoint. With about an hour to spare before the game after going to the gym and doing laundry, we made sausage bread and layered chocolate/ graham/ coconut bars. Jen’s stuff is always a big hit… fried onions and peppers… mmm.

Today was a rather jam-packed day. As I’m literally running from place to place feeling stressed and being aggravated by slow people and trains (like a true Manhattanite), I wonder why I do this to myself. I did feel quite accomplished though after going to the gym, swinging by my old Sunnyside apartment to pick up some old mail and say hello, then going to class before heading straight to AC&C to do some volunteering with the dogs at the shelter.

Tonight, other than the fact that it is freezing and very windy, was the perfect ending to this crazy day. Jen, I, and a few friends got to see Million Dollar Quartet on Broadway. It’s a show about the night in 1954 when four legends –Johnny Cash, Jerry lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley— gathered for an impromptu jam session at sun records where they launched their careers. It was very good, although it’s definitely for an older population that was hip when they were. My grandparents would have loved it and will have to add this show after Live with Regis and Kelly to their list of things to see…if they ever make it to NYC.

Cycloc

I had to take a quick blog break to get through a pretty intense week. As I mentioned, I had two presentations to give to two classes, two days in a row as well as a few other assignments due. They went well for the most part. Getting one of my three group members for the first presentation to do any work was like pulling teeth. I have no idea how he made it this far. For my individual lecture in my Intro class, I ditched my note cards last minute and just spoke which I think was better. The worst moment was when my professor, who’s a Doctor of Physical Therapy, called me out in front of the class on what she thought was a misspelling in my first PowerPoint slide. I politely told her that you do, in fact, spell plantar fasciitis with two i’s. She then said, “Well that’s not how I’ve always spelled it,” which is when I thoughtlessly replied, “Well then you’ve always been wrong.” It was somewhat of an awkward moment for her but self-inflicted. She told me I did a great job but we’ll see what kind of grade I get, ha. Jen helped me with my bibliography and by “helped” I mean she did the whole thing herself. She said, “Geez! When anyone in my family is in school, I’m in school too.” Anyway, the hardest part of this semester is over with only finals remaining.

Some sad news is that Jen’s friend/coworker’s husband, who was forty-eight, died of a sudden, unexpected heart-attack. It’s been sad around the office and Jen has been picking up a lot of extra work, of course. She finally got her raise (if you can call it that)… and is job hunting again. The funeral is this Saturday morning which is predicted to be icy and rainy.

This post is taking a turn for the worst, lol. I’ll end it on a fun note. Enjoy the pics above from last Wednesday, our first snow day ever! Notice our awesome snow man.

Also, here’s my new Cycloc bike hanger that I found on craigslist. Retail is $135 but I got it for close to nothing from a guy in the West Village. It looks like art, love it.