Saturday, September 11th, 2010

I didn't live in New York in 2001. Living here now, I can't imagine what it was like. I can't fathom what it was to have your life torn apart in those moments. To be going about your daily business, your daily life and in a matter of minutes the life you woke up and lived every day seems like the distant past. Nine years later, and transplanted New Yorkers come and go. Some come to make good on their dreams, some leave to return to their homes. I'm here now. Life in the city goes on but we do not forget.

Friday, September 10th, 2010

Fashion's Night Out. A one-night extravaganza dedicated to shopping and partying. Star-studded celebrity appearances dot the city and little fashionistas dash from one event to the next desperate to party with the cool kids. The full extent of my experience that night culminated with walking down into the subway while a flood of tweens headed up all dressed to the nines. I get it. I understand that the idea was to get reluctant consumers to spend in the midst of the great recession. But this? It feels so fake.

Verdict: Kind of Annoyed with New York Today

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

Ah the day before Fashion's Night Out. The city tingles in anticipation. We can discuss tomorrow. As for today, we will turn to a scene that took place outside of Bergdorf Goodman. A petite brunette with a baby stroller is standing outside the 58th street entrance with several photographers snapping away while tourists look on and grab their camera phones. Across the street more tourists stop and pause to ask "Who is that?" because clearly this is someone that while not instantly recognizable to most, is nonetheless famous. Who is it? Kourtney Kardashian. I will say this: she is petite, has great hair, and was impeccably dressed.

Verdict: Well, it was a celebrity sighting of some kind, so I'll say Love New York Today.

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

One of the first challenges on moving to New York is becoming familiar with the subway system. The numbers, the colors, uptown, downtown, all said it is very confusing. Fortunately you quickly learn the ropes and become the hometown pro glaring at the talking tourists in the morning. That said, the subway always has its quirks, one of which is local trains occasionally running on the express line during rush hour. This is one of the main reasons I do not like wearing headphones on the subway - you won't have a shot at hearing the announcements in these cases and all of a sudden you're five stops south of where you intended. But since I'm on a positive roll, this post isn't heading where you think! Every once in a while you get on a train that goes express for part of the trip and then makes local stops - and when the first local stop is yours, well that my friends is a great thing.

Verdict: Love New York Today

Monday, September 6th, 2010

The three-day weekend is a tricky beast in New York, particularly Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. On these holidays one is expected to leave town. Many venture forth to the Hamptons, others to Fire Island and still others to family homes in Connecticut or even further afield to somewhere like Maine. Tell people that you are staying in town over one of these long weekends and they will likely look at you like you've grown a second head, and say something like "Why on earth...". But the truth is that staying in New York on these weekends is maybe one of the best decisions a local can make. First, you save yourself the hassle of physically getting out of town, a challenge even in the best of times. No Hampton jitney, no car service to the airport, no rushing to make a train. Just the simple commute home. And then, the glory of a semi-deserted city filled mostly by tourists who don't venture anywhere you want to be at anyway. You can get into restaurants that you'd never have a shot at otherwise on these weekends! Run the errands you want to run, like actually venturing into Trader Joe's and not coming out a lunatic ranting about lines that go all the way to the produce section! These weekends are glorious.

Verdict: Love New York Today