Quick Hits

Yankees:

Go Yankees- Game 5 tonight- back in New York. Yankees lead the series 3-2. They could win tonight. (I know- I actually sound like I know what I'm talking about). Woo.

For reasons we don't need to get into I'm hoping they score all of their runs in the bottom of the 7th.

The Measure of a Man:

I was talking with a friend today and describing someone to him as a potential 'catch'. He's balding... but still very cute (tall & lean, just my 'type'). He's divorced... (fine) with 4 kids (hmmm...). He's divorced because he cheated on his wife (not great). He doesn't have a high school education because he dropped out in grade 11 (bad). He just had another baby with someone he had a casual fling with (worse). Oh and he's got a reputation for being a 'swinger' (????). Winner right??

I'm describing Jude Law. Yet because he's gorgeous and rich rich rich he's a 'catch'. What is wrong with our society that this kind of person is heralded as amazing...when someone with truly stellar qualities goes unnoticed and unrewarded?

Blogs:

I've updated my link list to the right and you'll see a couple of other really great reads.
--> "Farokh's Story" is my friend's very courageous, and raw, story about his co-existence with Cancer. I would say 'fight'- but that's something he's not 100% comfortable with- you can read to find out why.
--> "Bake with Blondie" is my friend's baking site where you can download recipes of all kinds of deliciousness.
--> "Bride & Mom" is a friend's very funny site chronicling her adventures on the road to getting married.

In case you're reading this on facebook- you can see my blog here:
SmallSealKostecki

Impermanence

Frequently I get asked the question "how do you like NY?" People ask the question heavy with anticipation, as though expecting an answer filled with great insight. Usually the answer is:

"It's hard"
"It's busy"
"It's fun"
"It's lonely"
"It's fascinating"
"It's expensive"
"It's the best city in the world"

All of these things are true.

But one of the things I feel about this place... is that it is not permanent. I've been here a year and I feel as though my time has an expiry date.

There is a song by Baz Lurhman which was a commencement address put to music. It says "Everyone should live in NY once but leave before it makes you hard. Everyone should live in LA once but leave before it makes you soft."

I like NY a lot. I am having interesting experiences. I'm meeting interesting people. I'm learning, growing and evolving. But I will reach a point when I'm ready to leave. I don't want to become hard.

Happy Anniversary to Me

In addition to being EC and JH's birthdays, it was also 1 year ago today that I moved to NYC. I remember it was the day before the DOW dropped a record 700 points. I had two days off between jobs. A friend was in town from Toronto and I was staying in the nicest apartment I would likely ever have in NYC (thanks to Corporate Housing).

The world was my oyster and the air was ripe with the scent of possibility.

And now? A year later? What's my take?

While it wasn't as smooth as an inner city shift, it was fairly easy all things considered. Yes a few too many peanut M&Ms were consumed. Some very late nights at the office. Some bad choices made, and some good ones. But overall pretty awesome.

What have I learned? How have I grown? What has a year living in one of the greatest cities in the world wrought?

Sounds like a top ten er... fifteen list:

1. "Free pour" isn't as great of a thing as one might think
2. Yankees vs Red Sox games, the US Open, and Broadway shows anytime you want
3. Rooftop patios can be trouble- and brownies aren't always the best party treat
4. A lot of Canadian stereotypes are true.
5. A lot of American stereotypes are true.
6. People grow up and people change but some who were your friend when you were 12 can prove to be the best friends you could ever hope to have.
7. Speaking of friends, you will have a lot more of them visit when you live in NYC
8. A little person who has no concept of who you are can bring you the greatest joy simply by being (O)
9. You can go to Rome just for the weekend.
10. People who work in NY are not automatically smarter/better than you are.
11. Weddings and love come in all shapes and sizes.
12. Things are not always what they seem. In fact they are rarely what they seem.
13. Yes the pace and price of NY is exactly how it is portrayed on TV and in the movies.
14. Though I had thought my friend card was full it turns out there is always room for more.
15. Life with an iphone is just better.

What a lovely day to be kidnapped

"Come and join me on a tale of adventure"

As you may know- I'm currently watching the TV show "Lost", which means I've kind of cut myself off of all inessential human contact. Friday night I spent 5 hours watching it. In a little over two weeks I have watched 3.5 seasons. It's sick.

(But not as sick as this picture of O!)


*ahem* Saturday I had some good friends call me at 10am and ask what my plans were for the day (being that it was a beautiful 30C no humidity day in one of the best cities in the world). "Er... well I'm just... running errands" I evasively said.

"Come have breakfast/fun/errands with us!" they exclaimed.

I promised that I would go for breakfast (a girl's gotta eat afterall) and then see how the day would unfold- fully planning on having my toast and getting back to my couch.

Luckily they didn't let that happen and my breakfast date lasted until about 2am that night.

(This is a not-that-related picture of my friend Gene with his new daughter at E's birthday... to add visual interest since I didn't take a picture of us eating)


After breakfast we walked across Central Park to get to the East side where E was picking up some race registration. On the way through the park we modeled it up and re-enacted "The Sound of Music" on the hills of Central Park. Pictures to come.

We then went to the Met to see the Impressionists paintings. There was also a really cool exhibit on the rooftop which we enjoyed with a glass of wine. Here's the view from the roof.

One our way back through the park we stopped at the Boathouse for some lunch.

Here's a picture of Olivia having some of her own lunch while in Winnipeg a few weeks ago. (Completely relevant)


Then through the park where we listened to a guy who has been singing/busking there for 18 years.

Um- this is a picture of the exhibit on the rooftop at the Met. I didn't take a picture of the busker.

Back to John and E's house for a nap/drink/rest before heading out to dinner.

Then John and I went to play pool (1-1) while E and her friend got ready for their race the next day.
And yup- here's that exhibit again.

Sunday ended up being a good day to lay in bed. And I watched Lost.

An afternoon in Central Park

The unplanned plans are always the best. Where someone calls you up impromptu and says "we're meeting at x place in an hour- see you there" and then 8 hours later...
That's what happened this afternoon. Here is my friend nameless at the picnic site.


This afternoon's plans were to meet for a picnic in Central Park- for some catch, strawberries and laughs. It started raining half way through- but we ducked under some trees for 20 minutes and then kept going.
On the way home we stopped by the Tavern on the Green for "1 drink" (which turned into 3)- and laughed so much we kept getting dirty looks from the more somber "proper" guests surrounding us. Here is Elizka and Caroline.

Finished off the evening with some pizza at a local. (It was good- but not as good as Rome offered last Sunday!!)

The residential tourist

As summer hits I'm struck by how many people are coming to New York to visit. (I used to be one of them). I'm lucky to live here as it's really a place people get excited about visiting. But living here day to day you get caught up in routine and forget about the things that make this city so great. This summer I want to take advantage of where I live and continue to not just live in this city- but to "tour" it.

Tonight Sherry and I walked along the Brooklyn bridge and have dinner off of the island. I'm sure there is some amazing history to the bridge. But we missed our walking tour because we ran into Chris (see earlier post).
But I reasoned- I can read about the bb and I'd rather have run into the old friend.

I was quite taken with how charming Brooklyn was. Of course it's far too hip and cool for me. But I can go over and dip my toe in before scuttling back to the city.

A view of Manhattan's skyline at sunset.


Art.

A reminder that Manhattan is an island.

Me on the bridge. (insert interesting history factoid here).

The Country

Some friends and I went to upstate New York this weekend. We were meant to go to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) for dinner but they lost our reservation. We went to this little Armenian restaurant in Amenia. (not intentionally!) and it proved to be a delicious little find.

Driving through the country we came across a covered bridge.


Here is Rose taking a picture of Rob & Lindi.


The picture that Rose was taking.


Here is me and Rose.