We're Famous!

Here we are in the October 6th issue of the New York Post...Check us out online!!

My best friend Danielle is a publicist and heard of a journalist needing people for a story on New Yorkers with a to-do before the move bucket list.  I reached out, they sent a photog to follow us to three bucket list places and here we are, on the cover of the entertainment section of the New York Post!

We chose to stick to the lower east side area, with a trip to the Tenement Museum, followed by dinner at Caracas Arepas Bar and finished off with a cruise on the Staten Island Ferry.

At $22/per tour, per person, the Tenement Museum is a little bit pricey, especially if you want to see all the tours.  It isn't a typical museum where you have free reign to explore on your own; the museum can only be seen by guided tour.  We chose the Irish Immigrants tour and really enjoyed hearing about a few of the families that lived in the tenement house, the living conditions and history of the building.  I totally geek out over museums that showcase past living conditions.  Must stem from my fascination of city life.

After the tour, we walked up to Caracas Arepas Bar.  I'd heard about this restaurant a few years back, but never made it there.  As sad as this sounds, the LES can be a pain to get to from Hell's Kitchen, and often takes longer than it should.  Sheer laziness kept me away, although I really wish I would have experienced this sooner.  Arepas are essentially a corn cake and are prevalent in Colombian cooking, made simply with butter, salt and mozzarella cheese.  I had no idea Venezuela used arepas like a pita, stuffed as a sandwich.  We ordered a trio, with tostones and loved everything.  Had to finish it off with an oblea, obviously!

Next we hopped on the train to catch the Staten Island Ferry.  The ferry is predominantly a commuter ferry and is free.  The ride is 25 minutes each way but the view of lower Manhattan is worth the round trip and wait time.

That wraps up our 15 minutes of fame.  More bucket list posts to come.

PS - Exactly 2 weeks until we start the trek to our new home.  GAH!

25 days...

And so much to do!!! 

We have a to do list a mile long to get our apartment ready to sublet, about 1,000 more boxes to pack, jobs to apply for, errands to run, bucket lists to plow through and a larger apartment to furnish...

We've submitted an application to rent in a gorgeous building in Hollywood.  The landlord has approved our application.  We have to wait an excruciating 2 weeks for building association approval.  Let's hope we get the green light, because we don't have a back-up plan!

The good news is, in the midst of all this craziness, I don't really have time for the reality of this huge move - being far from friends and family, being friendless and jobless and a complete change in lifestyle.  Maybe denial isn't such a good thing.  We shall see.

Back to it...

Things I Look Forward To, Apartment Edition

As we pack and sort out our Hollywood apartment situation, I can't help but consider all the things I look forward to about the standard of living, South Florida style...

A (non-human) dishwasher!

Laundry and dryer IN MY APARTMENT!

A regular sized refrigerator!

Counter space!

A balcony!  Outdoor space!

There's a Palm Tree where the West 57th Holiday Inn should be!

A pool!

Now THIS is living!

Space!  Like 3x more space! 

The things I will not miss about this apartment, that don't relate to the above points of course, are...

The inability to walk into another room...to let off stream, have privacy, get away.

The symphony of noise that is 57th Street.  We may as well live on a freeway.  Or a TV set.

Law & Order SUV, anyone?

Since when do I live in Queens?!

Although, I will say a huge perk to living in such a small space for so long is that we've learned to live on less.  No clutter or useless appliances/accessories...we just don't need them and have no plans to acquire them.

And Let the Panic Ensue...

We have a move date and therefore a countdown...38 days.  Ever since I've counted it out, I've felt like an elephant has laid claim to my chest.  Excited but terrified, we (thankfully) have a tenant for our apt, but have yet to sign a lease in FL.  We have a lot to do to make our NYC apt look presentable and have a lot to purge and pack yet.  And then there is the NYC bucket list, that isn't getting any shorter.  Oh, and without realizing, I somehow managed to sign up for races three consecutive weekends in a row!?!

On the bright side, today is our anniversary.  Three years!  Three years married and nearly 11 years together.  When did that happen?  We go out for a lovely dinner tonight in Rock Center.

So, how did we get here?  Let me rewind.  I was recently working for a company with offices in multiple US markets - 13 markets to be exact.  Husband has been begging me to move for approximately the past 3 years we have been married.  Many, many months ago, he asked his boss about relocating saying that I could relocate for work (true story, until I lost my job).  Boss said, don't see why not, I will keep my ears open for you.  Fast forward probably 6 months since Pete brought it up and in June his boss called him to say there was the opportunity for him to transfer to Boca Raton, FL.  We discussed, took a trip in July to visit South Florida, and definitively told his boss yes on August 5.  I'm glossing over many sleepless nights, tears and pro/con lists.  Stories for another day.

I have lived in NYC for nearly 11 years...with the exception of a jaunt or two to London for university and post-grad studies.  My entire adulthood has been spent living in a city.  I haven't driven on a regular basis since I was a 17 year old senior in high school.  I rely on my feet or MTA to get me to where I need to go...now we need to get two cars.  I am in love with the convenience of living in a big city.  It's comfortable.  I know my 'hood.  There is always something to do.

Ultimately, I decided it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to get out of that comfort zone and start a new adventure.  And that adventure is apparently starting in 38 days.

Before I kick the NYC bucket...

I'm not quite yet inspired to spill my guts on my feelings about the big move from NYC to South Florida, so instead I will list my NYC bucket list...all the things I neglected to do in the nearly 11 years that I have lived here.  Here goes:

See:
Morris Jumel Mansion
Fraunces Tavern Museum
Tenement Museum
Gracie Mansion
NYC Panorama at Queens Museum

Eat:
Highlands
Tartine
Cafe Condesa
Cookshop
Caracas Arepa Bar
Westville
Parm
Lincoln Restaurant
Red Rooster
Landmarc
City Bakery
The Meatball Shop

Do:
Trapeze School on the West Side Highway
Target Free Thursdays at the David Rubenstein Atrium - Lincoln Center
Ferry to Staten Island
Cooking class at Sur La Tabla
Fire Island
Rockaway Beach
Sleep No More
Empire Hotel Roofbar
Dr Oz taping
Brooklyn Flea
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
Hester Nights
Brooklyn Cyclones Game
Ride the 85 year old Cyclone
North Central Park

Items crossed out have been completed!  More to follow with pictures on my adventures tackling this list...

The Big Move

I probably should have started this a few months ago, say June or so, when my husband was first offered the opportunity to transfer.  I feel very fortunate to have had so many amazing adventures and experiences in life and looking back, I wish I would have been better at documenting them all.  This is the catalyst for my little blog.  If anyone wants to read, God bless them, but I really just want a little home for my musings as I begin a new chapter in my life.  Here goes nothing.  By nothing I mean trading this...

For this...