Tuesday, June 19, 2012

This Weekend: Mostly cheese.

Ok, so maybe not I'm blogging everyday... but still-- I'm trying. 

Let me just start off by saying this: What a difference a week makes. Last weekend, my first real weekend in the city, I felt like I was wandering around this big ol place like a lost puppy. No real plans, no real direction, and no confidence in my capability of being able to handle this summer. And when Monday came, I was so so happy to have work back to fill my day with something a little more preoccupying what the last two days had had to offer. 

This weekend, I could feel such a change. Even with having even fewer plans and even less direction, I felt more confidence in the fact that I had made it one more week. And that I had handled the last weekend quite all right on my own, so why couldn't I handle this weekend? It was a feeling that I had been waiting for since the first day I got here: control. Even after telling myself for the past few weeks that this situation and this summer is all in my control, I don't think I quite believed it until Saturday when I felt it for the first time myself. 

Ok, So on Saturday, I went to a coffee shop in Soho that I had seen earlier in the week after walking past it on my way to work. 


I got there sort of early and was alone for about 10 seconds until an older man named Darryl came and sat next to me. Let me tell you a bit about Darryl: Late 50's. Divorced. Looks a lot like William Shatner. One son about my age. Paid $20,000 for his genetically perfect lesbian cat. Doesn't sleep around much. Is a millionaire. Has a "healthy" collection of "very expensive" art. Loves the band Kurt Vile and the Violators. 

How do I know all of this? Because he asked me on a date to go see them with him that evening. This was the moment I'd be preparing myself for. The moment when the man in the unmarked van drives up to you and asks you if you can help him find his lost $20,000 dollar cat. I politely said no. To which he replied, "What could happen? There will be hundreds of people there. And I'm a very, very powerful man in this town so people would recognize me if I were to try and harm you. Is it because you have a boyfriend?" OHHH!!!! You're powerful!?! Why didn't you just say so in the first place!! I'm such a sucker for huge, inflated, mid life crisis themed egos!! So I simply replied, "No, I don't have a boyfriend, but I am just not interested." To which he gathered his things, put his Hurley baseball cap on backwards and left, but not before telling me that if I changed my mind, he'd be waiting for me outside the gates of the park from 6:30-7:00. How romantic. I am so so so made at myself for not asking to take his picture. 

You may find this hard to believe, but I don't get randomly hit on too often, so although extremely creepy and a set back in my quite morning with just me, a cup of tea and my raspberry scone, I must say, I was a bit flattered.

(This leads me to another point-- While walking down the street in New York, the men are quite vocal about their appreciation for the opposite sex and, while I may be taking a few steps back in my 21st century Women's Lib handbook here, I have to say that anything shouted at me that is not crude or vile in any way is not only acceptable, but welcomed. To the man on the corner of Lafayette and 3rd that told me I was beautiful, I thank you. Some women might have found you offensive and shovenistic, but I found you kind and endearing.) 

I digress. 

On Sunday evening, I was so so so happy to get to have dinner with one of Kaitlin's best friends from school (and my friend too) Natasha. Natasha lives in Jersey, so she graciously made the hour and a half trek to the city to eat macaroni and cheese with me and listened to me do about 2 and a half weeks worth of talking. 

Here, Natasha and I are taking pictures of each other to send Kaitlin. Just to make her jealous. Meanies. 


And as if we hadn't had enough cheese, we braved the Saturday night crowds to head up to Times Square (WHICH I OFFICIALLY HATE) to eat cheesecake at Juniors (recommended by Baille). The cheesecake was UHHHmazing. So much chocolate. Tash had to roll me out of the restaurant. 


Wait? What's that? More cheese to discuss? Of course! On sunday, I wandered around SoHo some more and made my way to Dean and Deluca where I stood in awe of their cheese selection (and pretty much every other delicious looking thing in the store) for about 20 minutes. Oh, Dean and Deluca, not only were you the birthplace of Ben and Felicity's lasting love, but you will also be the birthplace of many a food baby for poor, emotionally fragile, #summerofdreams, Julia. 


THEN LINDSAY CAMEEEE!!! My dear friend, Lindsay, is in New York because this crazy girl is in the top 5 of Seventeen Magazine's Pretty Amazing Contest where she gets to be pampered and photographed in the City for the next 5 days. If she wins the whole shebang, she gets $20,000 cash monay and to be on the cover of the magazine! WHAT?! Needles to say, this girl's schedule is a little packed over the next few days, but I got to squeeze a few hours with her at the Highline and Chelsea Market. 
YOU NEED TO ALL VOTE FOR LINDSAY G HERE.


Last night, although technically not the weekend, I was able to have dinner with my amazingly generous Aunt Beth who took me out to dinner at Balthazar AND got me a cupcake from Georgetown cupcakes! Soooo delicious. Heading in our separate directions in the subway, we discovered that we are both big Bachelorette fans, so I went up to her hotel room and we watched it together before she put me in a cab and I headed home. So much fun. Thanks again, Aunt Beth!!  

Anyway-- this post took considerably longer to write than I was expecting and now I must hurry and get ready for work. 

Too-da-loo!


2 comments:

  1. Daryl sounds like a real winner. I had a really good laugh reading your post today. I'm looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks. Enjoy your time in the Big Apple.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ummm I mean Darryl was a millionaire so are you sure you can't work that one out??? Once again your life sounds like a very entertaining novel which I hope to one day read cover to cover(; so glad you are embracing your new York lifestyle! Also love the fact that you and aunt Beth watched bachelorette together...makes me so happy I nano even tell you!!!

    Love you!
    Taryn

    ReplyDelete