NYC - Take Two!
As most of you know, my first adventure in NYC didn't quite take shape as I had imagined. Throughout the last few years, I've often pondered moving back to have my second go at this insane city, but the timing was never right. Enter my trip last fall...that incredible adventure allowed me to really shake things up and offered me a clean slate from which to begin anew. And let me just say - living here in my 30s is SO much more fun!
I arrived on April 17th with the daunting task of finding a place to live. Funny (and miraculously) enough, I found my apartment on THE day I arrived. Yeah. Thanks to Wendy and her connections, I landed a gorgeous pre-war apartment on the UWS (83rd/Broadway). It felt like home immediately and is two blocks from Zabar's. Living the dream...
By the way, as I disembarked from my red eye flight in JFK on the day I arrived, Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" played in the terminal. Foreshadowing much? Also, as I left my building on a recent Sunday morning to grab coffee, my doorman and the handyman were conversing outside. We discussed the fact that I'm single and the doorman immediately said, "Oh Jackie! I have a great guy for you in apt 2B! He's a gem, tall and handsome." Yes, my doorman is doubling as my personal matchmaker. It's NYC people! This isn't abnormal here. Oh, not to leave out the handyman (a pudgy Puerto Rican man named Harry) - he said that the building should get all the single tenants together for a mixer. I can't make this stuff up.
Here's some pics from my first day at work - my close friend Danielle aka "Curly" (who referred me to Marsh & McLennan) took me for drinks on my first day to a rooftop bar in midtown.
View from my desk
You can't see it here but we have unobstructed views of Lady Liberty as well.
I live in between Central Park and Riverside Park. What a dream. Here's some views from both..
Manda's best friend Jess and me at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg (must do if in Brooklyn!)
A friend's office on Liberty Street overlooks the 9/11 memorial and newly-opened museum. She had me up to see it and here's our view:
That same friend took us for drinks to my new fave view of the park - the top of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the Time Warner building. Must go when you visit.
I visited my longtime pal Tahlia and her kids in Westchester for Memorial Day. Big pool, BBQ, kids...I was a happy camper.
It's pretty awesome to walk or jog in the parks here while it's nice out. The Jackie O. reservoir has spectacular views when you need a distraction during your jog..
I love that our local TV commercials are for Broadway shows, and I walk by the Good Morning America set each morning, looking inside to glance at their guests for the day. I've been getting used to the differences of living here again - bringing a pair of flats (or heels) in my large bag for my commute to work, schlepping my gym clothes in that said bag, constantly navigating the sidewalks of people and contemplating the best way to zig or zag as one of my body parts is bumped or pushed. Ya know...the usual stuff.
All in all, I'm so elated to be back. The new job is all-encompassing and I've met incredible people. Based on the last few days, I can tell that my anti-frizz hair products will get prime shelf location this summer. But as I opted out of the subway today for the 2.2 mile walk home through Central Park, none of that mattered. I'm living in the greatest city in the world and a new adventure awaits. It's great to be back!!
xoxo Jack
