NYC November (in pictures)

Since I've been a delinquent blogger, once again, I'm going to do a quick November wrap-up...mostly in pictures.

On the 13th we went to see Madonna at Madison Square Garden:

She sang some older songs...

Express Yourself

Vogue

 

More Vogue

She flailed around after asking (demanding) that money be thrown on the stage to be sent to Sandy victims...

She was joined by surprise guest, Psy (singer of "Gangnam Style")...

The day before Thanksgiving we went to see the Macy's Day Parade Balloon Inflation:

Papa Smurf

Creepy Ronald McDonald

Sonic the Hedgehog

Pillsbury Dough Boy

Elf (in quite an awkward position)

Buzz Lightyear

Had a mini-Thanksgiving dinner:

Went to the Sunday Night Football: Giants vs. Packers game (the Packers got trounced...obviously):

Had a weekend visit from my mother, and spent it experiencing a few NYC Xmas traditions:

Holiday Department Store Windows:

Macys

Lord & Taylor

Saks Fifth Avenue

Bvlgari (not a department store, but still cool)

Bergdorf Goodman

Bloomingdales

Tree in Rockefeller Center

The Dakota (where John Lennon lived and was shot)

Christmas tree in the NY Public Library

More posts to come soon over my random business trips and our December activities.

Let It Snow!

Here are some pics from our first snow in NYC, courtesy of the Nor'easter (we have a lot of trees on our street that caught a good bit of it, but around the corned it was a few inches deep):

My first snowball (I obviously threw it at Jonnie)

On another note...I can't wait to go ice-skating at the Wollman Rink we walked by last weekend in Central Park:

NYC Conquers Hurricanes & the Heat

I suppose I should firstly mention something about Hurricane Sandy, however, I don't have much to mention as we were very lucky to be largely unaffected. Our only real experience with the storm amounted to sitting in the apartment listening to the wind howling for several hours and being stuck at home.

All public transportation, including subway lines, buses, and railways, were shut down beginning Sunday at 7 pm. There is still no subway access below 34th St. in Manhattan, and several other lines are down in other areas. Cars wishing to cross the bridge into Manhattan are required to have at least 3 passengers, in an effort to cut down traffic. Those who made it to work in the city this week spent hours and hours commuting. Fortunately, I was able to work from home for the entire week - though I'll be paying for it in extra hours next week.

Most Floridians (initially, including myself) scoffed at the immense amount of news coverage and fear surrounding the storm. However, we were clearly in the wrong.There are still 2.7 million people across 15 states without power - that's 2,700,000 homes that have been powerless (and very cold) for 6 days and counting. The total damages will rack up somewhere between $30 and $50 BILLION - making this storm second only to Katrina on the list of costliest storms to hit the east coast. There were 106 deaths in the United States, plus 2 in Canada and 67 in the Caribbean. Sandy was nothing to scoff at.

This post isn't all doom and gloom, however. Last night we went to the Knicks season opener versus the Heat at Madison Square Garden, after randomly deciding to buy tickets the night before. The energy in the arena was unreal, and unlike anything I've ever experienced.

I think my favorite moment was towards the end of the 4th quarter (after the Heat gave up and pulled Lebron off the court) when the fans chanted insanely loudly for Rasheed Wallace until he was put in the game (for the first time since the 2010 Finals with the Celtics). Naturally, he hit a 3...it was magical.

As a side note, the Magic really need to get the same t-shirt guns as the Knicks...those suckers were shooting shirts into the upper bowl, and some even hit the ceiling.

Here are some pics and a video of the players being announced:

Carmelo paying tribute to Sandy victims before the game

National Anthem

Tip Off

Some of the celebs in attendance

The courtside DJ meant business

Domination

A Tale of Two Brooklyns

There's a steak house in NYC that's been around for 125 years. It is a magical place that has snatched up the coveted "best steak house" designation by Zagat 28 times, has a Michelin star, and is frequented by foodies from all around the world. This steak house is the one and only (well, technically, they now have 2 locations) Peter Luger in Brooklyn.

When Jonnie turned the big 3-0 in early October, we decided to splurge and try it out - and boy was it ever a splurge. PL is not known for its cheap eats, nor superfluous luxury. When we stepped into this iconic eatery right off the B62 bus, we were in our most casual clothes and prepared to shell out some $$ (cash & debits card only).

The restaurant itself is everything a steak house should be - boasting wooden floors, wooden tables, a wooden bar, and ancient European dinnerware. There's a pseudo-bouncer at the door, and the hostess area is a massive L-shaped desk closing in three ladies ranging in age from decidedly young to decidedly ancient (similar to the dinnerware).

The eldest gal looked up our reservation in a painstakingly handwritten book that can only be described as "well loved", and after a short wait we were lead to a table around the corner in the dining room. As I already knew what we were going to order, I wasn't upset that you often have to ask for menus.

First up was the bacon appetizer - it's literally just a plate holding the two most massive, thick, and juicy strips of bacon you've ever seen in your life, and boy oh boy was it incredible. Soon after the entree came - steak for two and their German fried potatoes. The steak was cut into chunks right off the bone (still on the plate), charred and dripping in juices. The waiter served us each two pieces and some of the potatoes, gave us a gravy boat of their homemade steak sauce and left us to devour.

I can't say that I'm a steak connoisseur, but this meal was to...die...for. I'm not sure how we managed to squeeze in some of their cheesecake (served with a generous bowl of homemade whipped cream - "schlag"), but I'm sure glad we did as that was also unbelievably delicious. At the end of the meal our server packaged our leftovers in a fancy aluminum bag (including the steak bone) and showered our table in chocolate gold coins. While this is certainly not a place we personally can afford to go to very often, I'm sure we'll be back soon enough.

I didn't take any pictures at the restaurant, but here are some I found online:





 

Our last trip to Brooklyn was quite a different experience than that of Peter Luger's - we headed to the Williamsburg movie theater, Nitehawk Cinemas, for "Spoons, Toons, & Booze" at noon on a Sunday. We watched Halloween themed cartoons (Animaniacs, Beetlejuice, Super Mario Brothers, and Rocko's Modern Life) while dining on a cereal buffet and drinking White Russians with Cocoa Puffs. Needless to say...awesomenes ensued. We will surely be back for the Thanksgiving edition in November, and Christmas in December.

In other news, the weather is getting chilly. Morning temperatures range from the high 40's to the low 60's, and afternoons from the low 50's to the high 60's. The leaves are starting to change colors (I'll start taking some pics), and I'm starting to get nervous about how I'll survive the winter. We'll be spending the rest of our Sunday doing laundry at the laundromat around the corner, and taking a stroll in Central Park before seeing the new documentary Brooklyn Castle at Lincoln Center.

September...where did you go?

This month has by FAR been the fastest month of my life. It seems as though I hopped into a time warp as soon as training was over and was spit out into the last weekend of the month. In any case, we've got some catching up to do.

I finished training up on Thursday, August 31 and had a four-day weekend to burn, so we decided to head to Philadelphia. Friday morning we hopped on the Megabus and took a 2 hour ride to the City of Brotherly Love. I must say, Megabus is pretty awesome. It's pretty cheap, offers rides to numerous destinations, and offers outlets and free WiFi during the ride.

Our hotel, Club Quarters, was within walking distance from the bus station, so we were settled in no time. We stopped in for some quick Japanese on our way to get the Ride the Ducks tour. If you've never heard of Ride the Ducks (I hadn't either until a girl at work told me about it), it's basically a tour bus in the shape of a boat that rides around the streets and then into the water. They have them in several cities - really any where that driving into the water is feasible. It's a little cheesy, but we had a good time.

The next couple of days were spent seeing the city on foot or on the double decker tour bus. We toured the amazing Eastern State Penitentiary - built in 1829 and the prison that held Al Capone. We saw the Liberty Bell, toured the US Mint and Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed), and explored the insane Reading Terminal Market where we had America's favorite sandwich. We dined at the City Tavern, where the Founding Fathers used to dine.

All in all it was a great trip (though a bit rainy). Here are some pic highlights:

Ride the Ducks bus :)

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia bar

Out on the Delaware River

City Hall

Al Capone's Cell

Eastern State Penitentiary

Inside the penitentiary

Tommy Dicnic's in the Reading Terminal Market (check out the sandwich!)

America's Best Sandwich! Roast port with sharp provolone & spinach - it was AMAZING.

Independence Hall - where the Constitution & Declaration of Independence were signed

Dinner at City Tavern:

Beer brewed using the recipes of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin

The rest of September has really been a blur. I had a great birthday - mostly spent working, but we were able to squeeze in a great dinner at a Mexican restaurant outside at South Street Seaport (Jonnie got me a new camera!) and stop by the Freedom Tower and 9/11 memorial.

View from dinner

Freedom Tower

Firefighters' memorial on 9/11

We went to the USC vs. Syracuse game at MetLife (Giants) Stadium:

Most importantly, we've spent a few Saturdays watching FSU football at the alumni bar, Saloon, on the Upper East Side:

Desensitized to Crazy

One of the things that I love about taking mass transportation to work every day is the dissimilarity of my morning and afternoon commutes. Allow me to elaborate...

Now that I'm back in the NYC office for training (through Thursday), getting to and from work is always the same - in theory. I walk to the Steinway subway station, take the R train 7 stops to 42nd street, wade through tourists in Times Square, and push my way through one of the four revolving doors of my employer’s massive 37 story building. I swipe my security badge to get through the no-touch, robot-esque turnstile and remind myself how to work the elevators. These elevators are far from ordinary, mind you. First of all, there are 16 of them and they go to different floors. Two go to floors 2-5, six go to floors 6-22, and the remaining eight go to floors 22-37 (you can transfer elevators on the 22nd floor where the cafeteria is). In the afternoon, I simply reverse the routine.

As you can imagine, however, no two subway rides are ever the same. Nor are two walks through Times Square. You see dancers, singers, musicians, magicians, Bible thumpers, Bible haters, butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers (okay, not really the last three…but it wouldn’t surprise me). Some are really talented, some are frightening. Some perform with impressive sound systems, some to the beat in their head. Jonnie and I even once saw a family of gypsies playing accordions on the R train.

In any case, at some point you stop even noticing. It’s especially easy to do so when you’re going to or from work. You can put in your earphones, answer emails on your phone, read a book/newspaper, or just pretend to be busy and important. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to soak it all up and remember what a strange place you live in. A place where you ride on speedy underground trains in a sea of culture, while being serenaded by the occasional Mariachi band.

However, I’d rather focus on the less whimsical side of the subway populous, the crazies. I don’t particularly like the word “crazy”, in fact, I generally abhor it. Sure, I’m a hypocrite and I use it all the time, but I don’t like to admit to it. The entire concept of “crazy” is so abstract, intangible, and immeasurable that it feels harsh and contradictory to place it in a sentence.

Merriam-Webster defines crazy as “mad, insane”. They define insane as “mentally disordered” and mad as “arising from, indicative of, or marked by mental disorder” or “rabid”. In essence, the term crazy may be aligned with anyone who has mayhem in the brain or is affected with rabies. The latter definition is silly and rarely fitting, but haven’t we all been “mentally disordered” at some point or another? And if not, how long until we experience it?

Usually when I see the typical “crazy” on the train, I tune out, but on my way home from work this afternoon I decided to pay attention. Lucky for me, there was a double dose of the “mentally disordered” in the car I sat in.

There was a woman sitting caddy-corner to me clutching hard to a pole. She was a bit older, maybe in her 70’s with long, but rapidly thinning hair. She wore a flowy blue top and tan skirt with pale thick knee-highs that were a poor match to her skin color. Her face was beat red from the heat or emotion or both. She exhibited the sounds, facial expressions, and physical convulsions of a violent sob, but no tears ever came from her eyes. As the train powered on she rocked back and forth, often twitching her body to various degrees and twisting her face into angry scowls. She teetered between terrified, angry, and defeated. She mumbled inaudibly, but never spoke a real word.

The man further down the train, however, couldn’t say enough. He sputtered out dozens of phrases ranging from “Obama is number one” with a firm thumbs up to “cheap China” with an angry pump of the fist. He also seems to think that America has cheap cheese and milk, that Americans eat too much meat, and that the Swiss make good watches. Though mildly incoherent…some of his assertions were accurate.

In any case, it was more interesting to watch the other “non-crazy” train passengers. Generally New Yorkers are nonreactive in these sorts of situations, but the double trouble appeared to cause more of a stir.

The female “crazy” drove away the first two people that attempted to sit next to her between various stops. The woman who finally settled directly next to her merely gave an eyebrow raise then attempted to distract herself by playing on her smartphone. The next person over appeared to teeter between horror and concern and she hovered protectively over her stroller.

When we stopped at the 36th street station in Queens, the doors stayed open a bit longer than usual as we were too close to the train ahead of us. Just before the doors were going to close the woman became so defeated that she fled the train in a bull-like manner. The millisecond that she was gone, the previously glum stares transformed into wide smiles and giggles.

It’s fascinating to observe the amount of both fear and disdain that we collectively place on those that act a bit bizarrely. It seems that we often forget that they too are people, and have probably not always been so bizarre. It’s possible, even likely, that they act the way they do as a result of some uncontrollable event. Aren’t we all just one moment, one life event away from losing all sanity? If nothing else, we certainly all have some level of chaos in our heads, whether we like to admit it or not.