So I already completely failed at making this a weekly blog, but I doubt anyone was actually counting on that. I’m finally getting settled and coming home after work instead of running various errands (productive or not) around the city. My almost-completely-Ikea/Crate&Barrel-furnished apartment feels like a home now, just lacking a few things like side tables and barstools for my half-counter/half-kitchen-table.
I spent my first 2 weeks here subletting in the Lower East Side and then the next 10 days subletting in the East Village, now I’m out in Williamsburg (the first stop in Brooklyn from the 14th street subway line). I’m only 3 blocks from the subway which I had severely underrated until I realized how unpleasant it can be to walk to the station when it’s below-20 (at least it’s not 20-below, but is there really much of a difference?) in the morning. There are about 40 apartments in the building, but only 10 or so of them actually have people living in them which is half-nice/half-eerie. At one of my sublets and at my new place I had some issues with hot water which was miserable. The only good that came of it is that I actually know what I’m going to say I’m thankful for at the dinner table next Thursday.
I’ve been doing my best to do fun things around the city, but that has mostly entailed going to concerts which feels new since most of the venues are new to me here. I went to a half-reading/half-concert thing at Highline Ballroom in Chelsea where authors who write about the music industry read between musical acts. I saw Passion Pit at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (which is 4 blocks from where I live, but the good shows all sell out in presales that I’m apparently not savvy enough to get in on) as a part of the CMJ Festival. I saw Conor Oberst (my favorite album so far this year) at Terminal 5 which is a crazy converted nightclub with 3 balconies and a giant disco ball (not to be confused with JetBlue’s new Terminal 5 at JFK that’s advertised all over the city). I checked out Kaki King - who’s an amazingly talented guitarist - with The Mountain Goats at Webster Hall which had a little bit of a Fillmore vibe to it. I’ve been to two Rangers games, and I’m starting to come around to them (hopefully the Yankees aren’t next). I haven’t even had much time to enjoy the nightlife beyond that, amidst all the lugging suitcases and furniture around town.
The most exciting "New-Yorky" thing I've done so far was stand in Times Square for two hours on election night with tens-of-thousands of people watching the results come in on all the news channels. I'll never forget the cheers and hugs or singing and dancing in the streets that night. I'm pretty sure the city actually never did sleep that night...
The weather was unseasonably warm for the first month that I was here, but this week has been unseasonably cold - which leads me to believe that it’s never actually seasonable. The highs this week were in the high-30s, while the highs last week were in the low-60s - quite a swing. There’s a chance of snow tomorrow, so maybe I’ll see what everyone’s talking about when they say the city is miserable and disgusting in the snow.
Christmas is starting to get in full gear here with the decorations in Grand Central and some shop windows getting the X-mas treatment. There’s an outdoor ice rink that’s free in Bryant Park which is a block away from my office, but I haven’t gotten the chance to check it out yet.
Fortunately, one of my graduation presents was the NHL online package, so I can watch the Sharks online if I stay up for the 10:30pm start and 1am finish. It figures that they have an amazing start the season I move away.
That’s all I’ve got for now, hopefully it won’t be so long before my next update. I’ll be back in California quite a few times in the near future for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a wedding, so it’d better be warm there!
Listening to: Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band
Watching: Mad Men season 1
