Happy Halloween!

Our plan was to go into the Village for Halloween and see all the eccentric costumes and parades, but we are just so exhausted after this week of work…The studio is growing so quickly, and the project I’m working on is getting deeper and more complicated every week. We just want to sleep in.

From Newport to Times Square

We live about 5 minutes from Newport, NJ…it’s a new part of Jersey City where Dave and I first looked at apartments. The apartments are right off the river with yachts docked and the most amazing view of the Manhattan skyline I’ve seen yet. We took a ferry across the river and walked through the theater district to Times Square, where we ate at “Bubba Gump’s” . I think it’s a chain restaurant, themed after the movie “Forrest Gump”. It overlooks Tines Square, so it was pretty cool. We also headed over to show off the giant Toys-R-Us…so cool…

Saturday, Everywhere

Saturday we started the day by going to Liberty Park, took a ferry to Ellis Island, and then to see the Statue of Liberty! It was cold but an awesome day!!!

Statue of Liberty fact: The entire structure inside was engineered by the guy who did the Eiffel tower (Gustave Eiffel). The surrounding “skin” of the statue is made from copper. The skin is just TWO PENNIES THICK. That’s it! They had a replica of the statue’s face and foot in the museum at the bottom.

They don’t allow people to go up inside the statue, but you can walk all around the top of the base, which is still pretty high up and has a great view!

We took another ferry over to Manhattan to Battery Park, where Dave’s mom bought me my very first fake designer’s bag (Kate Spade rip-off). Ha! There were people selling all sorts of things there, just like the items you can find being sold on the streets: watches, sunglasses, DVDs of movies that haven’t been out in theaters yet, artists and photographers selling their work, etc.

After walking all throughout the financial area, we came upon an old bar nestled in between two newer buildings: Frauncis’ Tavern. This tavern is where George Washington himself held his beer high and made his farewell speech to his officers after defeating the British in the Revolutionary War. And that’s just a piece of the history of this place! You can find more here .


We later met up with Dave’s Aunt and Uncle (his mom’s sister and brother-in-law), in China Town and ate a GREAT Italian meal at Casa Bella in Little Italy.

I really need to go back and visit China Town again very soon. It’s so colorful! Plus, there are giant, open stores with wall-to-wall seafood (literally)…fresh fish and lots of unidentified things stacked up everywhere on ice…I’ve been dying to make a huge pot of seafood bouillabaisse too.

Dave’s parents in town

Dave’s parents are here for the weekend! They arrived at Penn Station and took a cab to the studio where we work. The owner gave them big hugs and gave them a tour, then told Dave to take them out to dinner somewhere nice and bring in the receipt so he could pay for it. He’s so awesome!

The Village Voice

The Village Voice is an extremely awesome weekly NY paper. Plus, the cover art is almost always something very cool and strong. Here’s the cover for the week of October 20-26th (pre-election)…needless to say, there are not very many pro-Bush people here.

click here for a larger version

The Mercury Lounge

Last night, Dave and I went to see a friend's band play at the Mercury Lounge (where The Strokes were discovered). It's extremely hard to get booked there, so this was an important gig. The band was called "Napoleon", and they were really great!

Mercury Lounge is located in the East Village off of Houston St. Very, very cool area. Live music absolutely everywhere!

Finishing up moving in

I had a sore throat on Friday. I feel better today despite the fact that we've been cleaning out boxes and organizing the apartment since 9am this morning, and I just stopped at 12am. We want to get everything where it should be so we can finally relax and have everything where we need it. Our apartment is almost completely done! We'll also have a web cam up soon and I should start up working on our site again.

I was thinking about putting up a "Tell Us Where To Go!" area where people could write in and tell us where they want us to go in New York- either somewhere they've heard of, or somewhere they've been to and missed. That way, we can explore new areas and post some photos of it and talk about it a bit. I thought that might be fun. I think there's also going to be a forum.

Thursday was our first day of rain since we've arrived. Not bad having absolutely perfect weather the last two weeks. Right now it's 49 degrees out, and tomorrow it's supposed to be high of 58 low of 44 and rainy. I think this is the type of weather we'll be seeing a lot of.

We're still getting used to what type of jacket is needed for what. It's cold in the morning, but then after you start walking, you warm up- and then as the day goes on, the city retains the heat, so even after you leave work after the sun goes down it's still warm. Then carrying your jacket around becomes a pain.

Caught up on Blogging!

Whew! I’ve just finished posting all the blogs that I had done for the last two weeks in Word (I couldn’t upload them for a bit due to a stalled Internet hook-up, etc.). So, if you haven’t visited in a while, I’ve put up 12 posts worth! Enjoy!

In a few weeks, we’re going to get a new digital camera, so I’ll be able to get back to posting photos on a regular basis. The rest of the photos are in and should be up this week on our web site (which should be done by the end of October): www.dsnewyork.com

Now only 45% in disbelief

I’m now about 55% convinced that I live here! It still hasn’t totally sunk in yet. Actually, today is the very first day I made the time to even think about it. Between staying so focused on getting things done and intensely learning a new job… For the last four weeks, I’ve kind of felt like I’ve been charging forward with my eyes closed, hands out in front of me.

Today is Columbus Day, so our shuttle bus wasn’t running this morning. Instead of calling a cab, we walked to the PATH Station, which is about five blocks away. It was 51 degrees, and I wore a scarf for the first time. The entire walk was amazing. The air was clean and crisp, the sun was beaming down golden light through the changing transparent leaves on the trees…it was completely awesome.

After work, Dave and I walked over to “World’s Tallest Walgreen’s” (just kidding; there’s a Walgreen’s at the very base of the Empire State Building) to drop off our film (tons photos to come this week!). Our days are full of such mixed familiarities…just eight weeks ago, we were looking up at that same building with awe, taking in the details. Eight weeks ago, we were in the middle of Times Square, amazed at the amount of people coming from everywhere in the world. Five weeks ago, we were spending too much money to stay at the same hotel just because it was familiar. Five weeks ago I was uncomfortably clopping down these same streets in heels and wearing stiff interview clothes, carrying my nerdy little notebook holding copies of my resume clipped with little colored paper clips. These surroundings ended up being the exact same areas we see every single day. It’s all so familiar, but not! Very surreal.

The Empire State Building is in our view every day, all day. As soon as we come out of the subway in the morning, it’s right there to greet us. We can clearly see it out the windows of where we work. On the way home, it’s all lit up, different colors set every few nights. It’s just magical. I feel so incredibly lucky. I don’t ever want to get used to New York.

Me standing right outside of the studio I work at (on 31st Street).

Our first IKEA trip!

Finally. FINALLY! I’ve been going on and on about it to Dave for so long. I haven’t been to an IKEA since I lived in California over 4 years ago! God, I missed it. What a great time!

Yesterday (Saturday), we took a cab to the IKEA in Elizabeth, NJ, which is about 7 miles away. We spent almost two hours trying to find the perfect bookshelf / entertainment center, bar stool and nightstand. We walked back and forth again and again through the same areas trying to decide. It was busier than I’d ever seen! I mean, it was PACKED with people! We found out why later when we got to the register…about 5 minutes before we were done, I had found a cool, red Chinese lamp for 2 bucks. When we checked out, $100 was taken off our bill! Apparently, for every $250 you spend, you get $50 off! Those 2 bucks put our total at $501.32. One hundred bucks off!!!! WooHOO!

BTW: Sorry, Kathy- I forgot my camera on this trip (I left it sitting on the bed!), so I’ll have to take it on our next trip there, which I’m sure will be soon! ;)

We spent all night last night (‘til 3!) building bookshelves, night stands and bar stools. We’re going to do as much organizing and decorating as possible today. Then football, pizza and beer! =)

Completed our first week of work!

Dave and I celebrated our first completed week of work over at Joe O’s last night! Darren was working (a bartender we befriended when we first visited New York for the first time).

We made lots and lots of fun, drunken calls; we’re so happy!

Shopping sucks. But it's New York!

My feet were hurting so badly tonight that I had to break down and buy a pair of sneakers at Footlocker just to get home. The terrible part is, that was the third time that week I had gone to that same store! Every time I went in, I’d get frustrated and leave. I’m a total caveman (cavewoman) when it comes to shopping. I just go in to find the basic of basics and leave.

My problem is that I don’t really own any functional shoes. Dave has more shoes than I do. I hate shopping so much. I think it’s because #1: I’m terrible at buying things for myself no matter how bad I might need something, probably because #2: I’ve never, ever had the money to shop, and #3: I’m terrible at shopping. Period! I get so confused, frustrated and impatient; I usually only last about 25 minutes on average in any given store.

A big problem with me buying shoes is that I wear 10 1/2; most good shoes stores don’t carry anything over 10. And if they do, they don’t carry half sizes. I ended up giving up and buying size 11 sneakers. They’re a little uncomfortable (a little too much extra room in the front), but the arches are good enough to get me through until I get in the mood to keep looking. Sooner or later I’ll figure out where to shop. And I guarantee I won’t even try anywhere else if I can find what I need there. I need help! I’m in New York, for cryin’ out loud!

RULE #1: BUY COMFORTABLE SHOES!!!

An understatement: If you EVER visit or move to New York, make sure you buy comfortable shoes. I know you’d think that would be a given, but even your most comfortable shoes can end up hurting. My feet are SO sore, that laying on the couch with my feet up, no shoes or socks- they still ache as if I’m walking on rocks.

I think some of the damage also came from walking around on these hardwood floors with no shoes for 4 days, continually lifting and carrying 40-pound boxes back and forth across the apartment.

First day of work!

Our first day of work. This morning we stepped outside into 65-degree air, hopped on the shuttle bus, and then took our first PATH subway ride and a beautiful five-block walk to work. It looks like it’s going to take about 35 minutes to get to work every day. Not a bad ride, too!

The office is awesome! They own the whole floor, which resembles a huge artist loft. The bathrooms are unisex, in an open area with private stalls. As you wash your hands, you can look out the window on the traffic below consisting of cars all trying to get in and out of the Lincoln tunnel at the same time. Both the Empire State Building and the New Yorker Building are a few blocks away in the background. The other side of the office looks out to New Jersey- the Newport area- lots of new beautiful office buildings and condos. A heliport is nearby, so you can see a constant flow of helicopters flying businessmen and tourists this way and that.

We found a great place to eat lunch, too- a place that has a giant buffet line filled with fresh fruits, as well as serving awesome hot and cold sandwiches, soups, and my favorite made-to-order salads. And it's just a half a block away.

The walk from work back to the subway was beautiful. The sun was setting and the buildings were glowing gold, and the deep shadows changed the shapes of the architecture. What a city!

Don'f forget to fly Song!

From the top of the Empire State Building:
Five jets flew side by side letting choreographed puffs of smoke out to write over and over, "wish you were here...flysong.com"

From the top (ESB)

See the little parade going on? That's actually a HUGE Polish parade that was going on at the base of the building.

Imagine. The most beautiful day in the world.

TODAY with Dave and Eric:
1. The top of the Empire State Building with the most incredible weather I’ve ever seen.

2. The Guggenheim Museum: in the middle of remodeling for the next showing, but cheap and still cool.

3. Central Park: …seriously unexplainably beautiful. We found Strawberry Fields. Dave, Eric and I were moved and got all teary.

Amazing. No words can be found to possibly give that day justice.

Pig and Whistle

I wish I had brought my camera. Man, I drag that damn thing all over the place wherever I go, and the one time I think I should leave it home and just enjoy myself, I spend the night thinking about how much I wish I had it.

All the stress and physical work we’d been enduring for the entire week needed to be let out, so Dave, Eric and I hit the town for a much-needed splurging of food and beer!

We pre-partied at home with a few beers, found our way to our favorite “Joe O’s” and slugged back three pints of Smithwicks and 24 of the hottest chicken wings I’ve eaten in years. We wandered through the streets of New York where a drunken Eric dropped his phone and damaged the screen.

After a little convincing to just fix it in the morning, we wandered through Times Square, over to the Pig and Whistle. I was so exhausted, I almost feel asleep while sitting on the bathroom toilet. After yet another beer, we returned to an animated state and struck up a great conversation with a guy whom we found out was the senior sound guy for the Conan O'Brien show (our favorite!)!!! He gave us his card and invited us to go back stage into the sound booth to see how it all worked…Unfortunately, we ‘re starting our first week of work, and the filming hours are from something like 2-6. …We’ll keep his card around a while….

The subway and PATH train ride home felt like 3 days. Dave and Eric didn’t remember buying and eating a soft pretzel at the end of the night… and Dave navigated us home on the subway!!! Scary!

“Hey, if you were a golden fry cone, would you eat yourself? I know I would.”

We’re here. No way.

I can’t believe it. We’re here. We actually made it.

The drive wasn’t so bad! All three cats rode fairly quietly thanks to some herbal calming drops I bought at the pet store right before we left. Only three small (and expected) situations with Louie, my big fat orange cat. I was prepared for the poo.

Dave, Eric and I drove as long as we could Thursday night, rotating from Penske truck to rented mini van, cracking jokes for hours using some walkie-talkies I had bought a few years back. Thank GOD I still had them! They kept us laughing, in instant touch, helped us navigate like pros, and most importantly, kept us all awake! We found a pet-friendly hotel around 3am and slept for about 5 hours. I let the cats out into the hotel room and they even slept. We were all exhausted.

We finally arrived at our new place at 3pm on Friday. We only had the elevator until 5…Dave and Eric did an absolutely phenomenal job! While they unpacked the truck into the apartment (and nearing 6pm the basement area), I moved the boxes through the apartment to the rooms they belonged and started getting the basic needs unpacked and organized the best I could. The boxes just kept coming! We finally finished around 1am.

Our place was bigger than I had remembered! Man, is it SO nice! I’m so glad we got a place in Jersey City. It’s cheaper, you get a bigger apartment, and it’s closer to Manhattan than Staten Island!!! There’s a Boar’s Head (our favorite) deli, a grocer, and an amazing liquor store right around the corner. Tons of delivery services. What a great place!

I can’t think about living here just yet. I want to get a few things in place and just not think for a few days before we start work on Monday. We’re not going to push ourselves too hard on unpacking- just enough to get around the apartment. Besides, Eric is here for a few days and I want to enjoy a few nights on the town to celebrate!


Dave packing stuff into every last space of the moving truck!


Our new place, boxes flowing in...