Don't Lose Faith

 It is easy to think there aren't anymore good people left in the world but don't lose faith. There are people that do the right thing left in the world. Yes, even in New York City.

The other night when I was walking to dinner my drivers license fell out of my pocket along the walk. We went back the next morning and walked the path, called the places we had been and it was no where to be found. It was gone and I was gathering documents for my replacement drivers license.

Then it happened...our call box rang and someone I didn't know was on the other end. I couldn't believe it!  A lady had found my license on the ground and took her time to walk over to our building and return it to me. She was my angel that day.

In my 9 months here I have seen multiple good deeds.  Far more than I would have expected for such a "tough" city!  Good deeds and good people do exist in NYC.

Perspective

You have heard the saying, it's all about perspective and that is so true. After living in the south for the majority of my life I have never been one for cold weather. I was nervous about moving to New York because of winter. I was labeled a cold weather wimp by my co-workers in the south. I have learned though that it's all about perspective and the right gear. 

I used to be upset if the weather was below 50 degrees in the winter but now after experiencing regular temperatures in the 30s I have found myself being happy to see temperatures in the forties. I don't even wear my heavy coat now unless it is under 40. My perspective as changed and I am now so excited when the temperature reaches 55. 

The funny thing is that this goes the other way as well. My in laws persecutive has changed in the other direction. They moved further south and have lost what little tolerance they had for cold weather. They think it is cold at 65 degrees and only seem content if it is 80 degrees. 

So next time you hear yourself complaining about the weather just remember it is all relative!! 

Take the Train It May Actually Smell Better...

Do you like to cook?  If so then you know the smell that onions make as they brown in the skillet.  Smells great and unmistakeable.  Nothing has that smell except a cab driver that has neglected a bath for about a week.

I rode back in a cab from LaGuardia recently and was great with a very friendly driver that had an unmistakeable odor.  It was so bad that even with the window open and breathing through my mouth it was still unbearable!

The great thing about the train is that you can get up and move cars if there is anything you don't like you just change cars.  That can be expensive in a cab since the 1st block costs you $2.25.  A number of our posts talk about the joys of the train and I really don't think that we can over emphasize how great the subway is in NYC.  Sure you will find your fair share of homeless on the train but you don't have to smell them for long and there is plenty of space to get away.

Avoid the onions and ride the rails!

You should try...

How many times did you hear your mom say that when you were growing up. If you are like me you heard it every time you were about to leave the house. It was always a good idea then but it is even more important now living in the city.

Living in the suburbs I was always about a five minute car ride from a bathroom because every gas station and fast food joint will let you use their bathroom.  Here it is a whole new story. There are not many places to stop in and use the bathroom. Most the bathrooms here have large signs that say FOR CUSTOMERS ONLY!

Beyond the lack of bathrooms available to the public is the fact that you can't just stop the train when you need to go like you can pull your car over. These two factors together make it apparent that my mom was right, you should always try before you leave because you don't want to have to use the subway station bathroom.

If you are in the city and do need a place to go there is an app for that. Check out Sit or Squat for ratings on the cleanest bathrooms around you.

Anything goes.

After spending some time in this city wheather on the trains and the sidewalk you quickly adjust to the odd.  There is a never ending string of strange.  A great example is the annual "No Pants Day" (If you think I am lying check it out:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Pants_Day).  If you see enough weird it begins to become normal.  I'm not sure if this is good or bad that's probably another post for another blog but either way come and see it for yourself.  This city accepts everyone doing anything. Step out of your shell and embrace the strange.  You may overcome some of your own fears!

Oh, I will not comment on my participation in the No Pants Day!  Something has to be a mystery...

What? Your not comfortable with that?

What makes you uncomfortable?  What makes your jittery, edgy, and wide eyed?  I bet you can overcome your fear here in the city.  It seems that this city has so much going on all the time that you are forced to get over the things that make you uncomfortable.  If you, like many people don't like to walk on sidewalks made of street grates we can help you with that.  If you have a fear of being caught in a revolving door or elevator, we can definitely help you with that as well.  Scared to be rubbing against 100 people that you don't know in a large sardine can, we can help with that as well. Afraid of small rodents ones with wings (pigeons) and without (rats) we will help you with that too. The list could go on and on...

The city is very good at making one reach beyond what is comfortable.  You can always count on having to be bit more aggressive or a bit louder than you may normally be in a different environment.  I think people here are forced to follow that famous Nike slogan "Just Do It".  You have to because if you don't someone else will and you will be left standing in the cold. (literally sometimes) So if you are ready to conquer some fears this is the city for you.

Don't be Afraid of the Food Trucks

Something I always thought was strange when I would visit was how people would line up to eat out of trucks. Now living here I finally get it. Food trucks are not just hot dogs and pretzels. You can get ANYTHING off of a food truck or cart that you can dream up.  Not only can you find any food you can think of but the food is actually good.  


Something I realized is that these trucks have a following and if they are going to stay in business they can't serve bad food. Last week I had a great kosher falafel made with African spices that could have been 15 bucks I any shop in the city but off the truck it was 7 dollars.  You have to love no overhead.  Don't be afraid to try these rolling trucks of deliciousness!  The only scary things about them is that you can't hit them all! 


Hop on twitter and find the food truck you are looking for. Enjoy!

Waiting on a rainy day

Where I grew up it was a common question to ask when seeing a friend soaking wet was, "Did your Mom ever teach you to get out of the rain?"  Here in the city there seems to be a real void on this saying.  

People here will stand in the rain waiting for anything and everything!  Where I get off the train there is a coffee truck that will have 5 people in line no matter how bad the deluge.  It is not only coffee people will get wet for, it is burgers, shakes, cupcakes, pizza, sample sales, designer boutiques sales. and more. 


I always thought it was only the tourists that would stand in long lines but I was wrong. The main difference is that tourists wait to see the sights like The Empire State Building and New Yorkers wait to eat or shop. I even heard about one woman who was walking down the sidewalk and saw a really long line so she just got in the line. She didn't even know what the line was for but told someone if the line is this long, it must be good. 


You might think that these people have an umbrella. It is much more typical to see people standing in the rain in their waterproof jackets without an umbrella. Umbrellas can be helpful but often just get in the way, especially in line since they tend to poke your neighbor. If you fill the need to get an umbrella buy the cheapest thing you can get on the street.  All of the street vendor umbrellas are pieces of junk so don't feel like your investment will pay if you get a bigger one.  One little tip, you can get a decent umbrella (as long as it's not too windy) at just about any 99 cent store.

When you are here you will rely heavily on your feet and so you can't allow the rain to ruin your day.  You will be outside a lot and have to be ready for the rain.  Wear rain boots or something water resistant if you don't like we feet.  No matter what, suck it up and get out there and get in line. There is too much to see, eat and buy to stay home in the rain or snow for that matter. 

Wanna talk like a New Yorker?

If you want to know what people in the city are saying watch this video.  This is all too true!  You might be surprised...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRvJylbSg7o

Holiday Wrap Up

The holiday season is officially over.  Many people consider New Years to be the end of the season and it probably should be but one can't forget the end of college football. Now that we have a new national champion it is officially time to call it the new year. Our first holiday season in the city was really interesting.

There were MANY surprises about being in the city over the Holidays.  It is truly hard to decide what is worth writing about so I will attempt to give a visitor guide of things that you will probably not find in the guide books.

The first surprise was the awesomeness of the many Holiday Markets that can be found all over the city throughout the season.  There are these 15-50 stall markets set up in these temporary huts.  I now you are thinking how any "I Love NY" shirts can they sell.  These markets are night like this at all.  They are filled with local artisans and small business selling hand crafted gifts.  These are a great place to get one of a kind goodies.  If you were on my list this year you may be a proud recipient and not even know it.

The tree at Rockefeller Center is a sight to be seen but something we learned was don't go to see it the first Saturday after it is lit. We made that mistake. We headed that way and found huge crowds. It you want to go make sure to wait till a week or two after it is lit and try for a weekday or night and not a weekend.

Another surprise was no snow. The holidays in the city were supposed to be snow filled but not this year. We had hoped to see 5th Ave and Central Park covered in the snow. We didn't get to see that but the window displays on 5th Ave were still great. We enjoyed seeing the amazing displays in the windows even without snow. So if you come around Christmas time make sure to hit 5th Ave and see the window displays.

Well Happy New Year and stay tuned for more surprises!

If not you, then who?

This phrase was brought to life for me when I was a camp counselor. Our director asked us to be aware of trash around camp an pick it up. He planted the phrase in my brain, if not you, then who? To this day as I walk down the street and see a piece of trash I think of this phrase.

Here in NYC this phrase is alive and well-sometimes for good and sometimes for not. It would be surprising to see people here in the city applying this phrase and actually picking up trash off the sidewalk. The way I see this phrase come to life for me the most though is on my commute. It has come to life for me in a whole new way. I have learned that if I don't assert myself someone else will. If I don't fill in the space on the train or the stairs someone else will. Along the same lines if I don't give up my seat for a child or older person who will.

In summary, step into the gap, make your way around people so you can make the train, give up your seat, and remember you're the WHO.

Street Noise

I live on a busy street in NY and it always has something going on no matter what un-Godly hour is on the clock.  We have enjoyed more than one interesting episode of 80 proof idiocy and even witnessed a few breakups from the bedroom window.

On one lovely evening I was awakened by an enormous amount of shouting only to see six fall down drunk 20 somethings stumbling and yelling outside.  They were making no sense but trying to look cool on their phones. I wish I had their number so I could tell them to keep moving! 

Another night, I had what may have been THE ultimate grumpy New York experience.  It was the middle of the night and one guy was screaming who knows what at a light pole and the second guy leans out of the window and begins screaming obscenities at the first guy for a solid 20 seconds.  This was of course followed by 2-3 other people yelling at the 2nd guy to knock it off.  All of this was happening at around 3AM.

Just a couple nights ago I enjoyed a true display of affection when one guy was daring his girlfriend to run him down with her SUV.  She tried repeatedly but was never able to connect.  While this was disturbing...I am not sure whose team I was on.  

I will close with some sound travel advice.  Get a hotel room as high and as far away from the street as you can.  You want NO part of a low hotel room facing an avenue unless you are hoping to spot some drama.  

Good Luck!!

Three Wide...

No this post is not about how New Yorkers love Nascar.  I am pretty sure they do not have an in the closet obsession with Jeff Gordon.  Three wide in the city is a dead giveaway for tourists as well as really annoying locals.

If you happen to find yourself walking down the sidewalk and you are three wide most likely there is someone behind you plotting your demise.  This city is all about hustle and bustle.  If I can't get by you on the sidewalk, no matter how great of a picture of the Empire State Building you are trying to get, I am not happy.  New York is not a vacation for me and I need to get to work, lunch, or back to the train.  My primary mode of transportation is my feet so I need to go the a bit above the speed limit when possible.

Look, we all slow down to read our phones or look at a store front but just like the road get out of the way if you are going to slow down.  Consider the sidewalk a street, stay in your lane and move with the flow of traffic.  This is LOCALS and tourists and by all means never block the stairs to the subway.  This may get you bumped (shoved) down the stairs by accident.

It should come as no surprise everyone in New York is in a hurry to get somewhere!

I'm Wearin' It!

Today it is nearly 60 degrees in New York City!  Yes, it is early December and no this is not normal. Millions of people are dealing with the problem of what to wear.  Most people in NY have to choose between winter clothes or summer clothes.  There is just not enough closet space to go around.  I went from a closet I could have slept in to a closet that I can't stand in.

Once the winter clothes come out there is no going back.  I never understood this fact fully until you see people wearing huge down filled coats suited for 10 degrees in the middle of a warm day.  Once those coats, sweaters, and hats are out they wear them.  You want to blend in just wear a big coat and headphones no matter what is going on around you!

I am not sure if this is laziness or just the city acknowledging the inevidable!

Dorm Life!

Oh how I love apartment living!  I love being in an apartment building...most of the time.  A few days ago my neighbors decided they wanted to see if they could make themselves deaf.  I was hoping they could get it done sooner than later since it was getting close to my bedtime.

I really felt like I was living in a college dorm all over again.  The big difference was that I did not feel like I could knock on the door with a few beers and hang out.  I instead felt like the old stogy neighbor that just wanted to go to bed.  It is a funny how time can change your view of things.

This particular neighbor has been a frequent offender (OK it was just twice but I need my sleep) of my ears with late loud noise.  I guess it is all a trade off. Instead of having to cut grass and shovel snow we are listening to someone else's music when I should be listening to the sound of my ZZZs.

It is nice to have a concierge in the building that can deal with it when I do not feel like the confrontation. So I have learned that either I need to suck it up and take some drinks over or just get over myself.  In reality, I am sure I will call and complain again but such is life!

Christmas Tree Shopping

I was wondering how people would be able to get their Christmas trees here in the City.  Well, now that we are at the start of the holiday season I have my answer.  Most people are familiar with pulling into the Christmas tree lot and picking out the perfect tree.  Then the attendant loads the tree onto your car and off you go.  As with many things here, we do it a bit different.

In New York there is not any empty land for a tree lot and there are millions of people that do not have cars.  I would love to see a tree tied to the top of a taxi but find that a bit unlikely.  The bus though is an option, we have heard that people will carry their tree on the bus to get it home.

The trees are sold right on the sidewalk.  The seller looks the same as anywhere else in the country.  Having done a bit of research for this post I can verify there seems to be a couple strings of lights and a cute small dog wearing a jacket at nearly every stand you walk by.  The trees are then tied up so that they can be carried back to the apartments throughout the city.  There seem to be lots about every 10 blocks helping to ensure people do not have to carry them too far.

Life here is not always easy but it is always interesting!

A Thanksgiving Tradition in Real Time

For over thirty years we have watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade each and every Thanksgiving. We have talked for years about making the trip to New York to see the parade but just hadn't made the jump to do it. With our move here though we were able to stand in amazement of THE PARADE of all parades.

Thankfully the hardest thing we encountered on our way there was navigating a few closed streets and tolerating the cold while we waited. Our spot was in the middle of Times Square at Duffy Square which provides the tkts red steps. These steps provided a great view of the bands, floats and balloons. 

Kids around us fussed a bit as we waited but come 9:30am their eyes were as big as saucers and they were enthralled.  You could hear kids shout, "Mommy, Mommy here comes the American Guy (aka Uncle Sam)" or "Look, look it's Buzz Lightyear." Their happiest moment though was when Santa rode in on his sleigh.

The biggest surprise came though after the parade ended. We were sure the crowds would be endless and would swallow us up. Instead, we walked down the steps, across 7th Ave and the crowd thinned.  We expected a long wait for a train since 3.5 million people came out to watch the parade. Nope, the station was relatively dead and only a handful of people were waiting on trains. We were amazed and hopped on our train only after a few minutes and were home by noon.

If you have been wanting to come to see the parade yourself, it is worth the trip, just bring warm clothes and some hand warmers for the wait.

Just dropping by...

Just the other day we were watching TV and then BANG a flying rat slammed right into our balcony window.  I am all for visitors but this was not exactly what we were expecting or hoping for!  Thank goodness the pigeon was just stunned and not injured.

There are no shortage of these lovely (disgusting) birds throughout the New York.  Apparently about one million reside in the city and another 465,000 visit from Jersey each day. I guess not even the pigeons want to stay in Jersey. That means on any given day there is one pigeon per five New Yorkers. I guess this visitor was our pigeon that day.

We were sure he would not find any food and be off to another perch soon but that didn't seem to be his goal. He tried a few times to fly away but he wasn't having much luck. Unless we wanted to adopt him as a pet we were going to have to give him a little help. Thankfully he hopped on the broom we extended and flew away.

There are some in the city that look out for these birds and even bring food for them to the parks. They also yell at children for chasing them around. I am sure that they can tell me why pigeons help me out on a daily basis but I am not sure they do more than make a mess!

Who is Occupy-ing what?

Working down in the Financial District in Manhattan is amazing.  It is a very local neighborhood that is busy but relatively quiet most of the time.  The last two months have proven to be a little bit different.

This week was the official two month anniversary of the movement.  I came off of the train to hundreds of people chanting about 10 different injustices.  There were of course hundreds of police officers and another thousand people just trying to go to work.  It made for an...interesting scene.

I was thrilled to have to walk about 10 blocks out of my way and  watch people taunt the police, just begging to be formally introduced to pepper spray.  There were many times that the protesters were literally asking for the police to arrest them.  I kind of wish that would have worked out so I could have gotten to work without the tour of the entire neighborhood.  I guess if I had chosen to sleep in a park I may not mind a night in a warm dry jail cell either.

Regardless of your political views everyone has to feel bad for the local businesses that are being harmed by this protest.  I have spoken to at least 5 or 6 cart vendors (selling coffee, water and food) and restaurants that all say that business is down since late September and some have had to lay people off.  Seems that the protesters are hurting the 99% more than they realize.

The North Face in the City

When I think of The North Face, I (like most people) think of tall rugged mountains and extreme environments.  They have been marketing themselves as the best outdoor brand for years.

I have lived in mountain towns and traveled throughout most of the US.  During that time I have been in cold climates but I have NEVER seen a town so invested in one brand.  There seems to be an endless demand for The North Face!

Everywhere you look you see that name brand; down jackets of all all shapes and sizes, fleeces, boots, hats and gloves. Everyone is wearing it, even the homeless guy that's asleep on the park bench.  It seems that The North Face has quietly conquered the urban jungle while selling the brand as the slayer of Everest!

It makes sense, people want to stay warm and dry, but I was completely surprised how The North Face occupies a special place in the hearts of New Yorkers!