My week without ...

I've been reading ReadyMade's A Week Without blog posts for a while now. First, my friend Amy gave up processed foods, and now Virginia is giving up spending any money for a week.

Well, so am I.

But I didn't plan on it. My purse was stolen on Monday night, right out from under my legs. Sneaky McSneakerson purse-snatcher just slipped it away from me as I was having dinner with a friend. Sigh. Gone are my credit cards, debit cards, cash, MetroCard, cell phone, iPod, digital camera, sunglasses, keys, driver's license, etc. etc. etc.

Since all my means of spending any money are frozen for at least three days, I can't spend a cent. My dear Calley gave me $100 and a new MetroCard, and so far I've used $50 of it to buy a new cell phone. That was priority.

Otherwise, nothing. Nada. No happy hour. No dinner. No groceries. No yoga. But really, it's kind of invigorating in a city like this. It's made me realize just how much I do spend every day and how much of it might be not be necessary.

And I am suprisingly not that upset about the whole thing. Sure, it's a pain to replace things, but stuff is just stuff. It's like I'm starting completely over, since in just one day, I have a:

• new phone
• new driver's license
• new work building ID
  
• new bank accts
• new credit cards
• new fraud alerts
• new locks
• new relationship with the NYPD

Yup. Starting over. Again.

One Year

Despite my absence on this blog, I figured it shouldn't go without noting that yesterday was my one-year anniversary in New York. And, well, kind of my one-year anniversary for the blog, too. But that day did go unnoticed—it was sometime in July.

Ironically, I didn't get to post yesterday because I was on a plane on my way back to NYC from KC—which was exactly where I was last year. Much different circumstances, though.

A few highlights of the year ... in 365 days, I:

• Moved ... not once, not twice, but three whole times. In a year.
• Job hunted
• Killed a few cockroaches
  
• Landed a job! A good job! A job I love.
• Re-launched a pretty huge website
• Got my byline in ReadyMade magazine
  
• Learned to snowboard
  
• Survived match.com
• Painted two rooms
• Endured delays in many, many, many airports.
  
• Saw the Yankees play in the old and new stadiums
  
• Voted for Obama and watched him win (ok, well all did that)
• Said good-bye to my favorite dog
  
• Ran across the Brooklyn Bridge
  
• Ran a 10K
• Ran a half marathon
• Traveled to Hudson, NY, Washington DC, Virginia, Boston (many times), Vermont, Portland, Kansas City, and Montreal
• And basically survived NYC.

We'll see what the next 365 days bring!

The High Line

Have you heard about the High Line? If you're in New York and you haven't—how heavy is that rock you're under? If you're outside of New York, you're forgiven.

I was a bit dubious of it—it's a park on top of old elevated train tracks, which have been abandoned for years. I heard rumblings and grumblings of how much money it cost to re-hab and I wasn't sure if it would be worth it.

But I went on one of the first non-rainy days this summer, and I was very impressed.


There were plenty of places to put up your feet.


And remnants of what it used to be. The plantings are all based off what was naturally growing there when the tracks were abandoned.

This was stretch was the first section of the park—multiple more are in the works and they'll stretch up to 34th Street on the west side of the city. I have a feeling I'll be visiting again. And if you haven't gone yet, definitely check it out.

Summer to-do list

There's plenty to keep you busy in New York during the summer. When I was here for an internship in 2005, I kept a list on my fridge of things I had to get done so I would leave here with no stones unturned. But then, I had a time limit, so I was forced to get everything done before I left. Now, I'm a bit more lazy. Weekends come and go—and it's not that I'm doing nothing, I definitely am doing a lot—but sometimes the things I want to do get pushed behind boring stuff, like grocery shopping and laundry and running and going to the gym and blah blah blah. (Note to self: do laundry tomorrow.) I feel like there are summer-only things that are just slipping through my fingers. So in an effort to keep myself honest, here's my rest-of-summer to-do list.

• Listen to the New York Philharmonic concerts in the park
• See a movie at Brooklyn Bridge Park
• Go to Maine and visit Annemarie at her new cooking school, Salt Water Farm
  
• Go to the beach! (that's on the list multiple times)
• Rent a bike and ride for a few hours, then sleep in a hammock on Governor's Island
• Take a kayak out off the docks on the Upper West Side
• See the John Lennon exhibit at the Rock 'n' Roll Museum Annex
• Practice yoga with Lululemon in Bryant Park
• Have a from-the-farmer's-market dinner party
• Go to the farmer's market once a week (duh)
  

Who's with me? Anything I missed?

NYC P.M.

Sadly, I'm realizing there are fewer times lately where I have the typical "I love New York" moments. I used to have them when I ran over the Brooklyn Bridge, or when I took the R train to Brooklyn and the above-ground track lent great views of the Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. I like to say that "everything becomes habitual"—even living in New York. You go to work, you go out, you come home. New York just becomes part of the scenery.

But I was pleasantly reminded how beautiful the city is when Jes and I went to a going-away party for a friend of hers a few weeks back. It was on the top floor/rooftop of a high-rise on the west side. Not sure how the hosts can afford such a pad—they were our age—but they were gracious and let us admire the view as long as we wanted.

photos by Jes

Can't really complain, eh?

13.1 miles

It took me 2 hours and 20 minutes to run my first half marathon. It wasn't the best time, and it was five minutes over my goal, but I finished—and that's what matters for your first half ... right?

Notice the wet pigtails? Forgot to mention it was nearly 90* in Central Park that day. I'd started training in February, so runs in anything more than 75* just didn't happen. So to keep the runners from, uh, killing themselves, the powers that be canceled the full marathon and didn't officially time our half. A bit annoying, but probably smart. So instead of really concentrating on running fast, I just concentrated on finishing and not keeling over. And the fire department came out and set up hoses on the fire hydrants to keep us cool, and I stopped to drink Gatorade at every water station. Happily, it worked!

By mile 10, I was feeling ok and I knew that I'd never run any longer than 10 miles ... ever. But in my head, I kept saying, "you only have a 5k to go. 5ks are so easy!" But that last 3.1 miles were the longest I'd eeeeevah run.

But I crossed the finish line, sat down for a bit, then found Jamie and Jes who walked the 13.1 in less than 3 hours (!!), and we celebrated our finishes.

The next half? This fall, and I will break 2 hours and 15 minutes. It'll happen. Stay tuned!

DONE

I DID IT!

13.1 miles in 85-degree heat. Done! My time wasn't as great as I'd hoped—2 hours and 23 minutes—but who cares? I finished and I have a medal.

More soon.

Scotland Run 10k

On a very very rainy Saturday about a week ago, Ivy came in from Boston and ran a 10k with me around Central Park—the same route I'll run twice on Sunday. (Sunday!)

We got up early-ish and ate our cereal and bananas, dressed in our warm running gear, and headed outside ... to rain. And 45* temperatures. And did I mention steady, cold rain? But we braved the elements and joined about 7,600 other runners for the Scotland Run.


Notice we're the ones without ponchos. They came in our race packages, and these two college-educated girls said, "nah, we won't need 'em." Ha. That's funny. We did have an umbrella, though ... but we ditched it before the start.

Too bad I don't have Ivy for the half marathon. It'll just be me and my iPod—and nearly 10,000 other women. Ten thousand!

But I'm feeling confident ... aside from some fairly awful stomach stitches during my runs yesterday and today. So long as they go away for Sunday (oh, please go away on Sunday!) I'll be ok. I'll finish. That's what matters.


Send me good race karma on Sunday, please!

Run, Rachel, Run

I'm a pretty lucky runner. I get to run across this beautiful bridge whenever I want:

But with this bridge comes people. Lots and lots of people. I have sneaking suspicion that I—in all my sweating glory—am in quite a few tourists' photos and videos.

Plus, you can only run one path for so long before you become way too aware of how far you've gone ... and, perhaps more importantly, how far you have left.

But this was my 6- to 7-mile route. It was a trusty one:


From my apartment, through Brooklyn Heights and to the Promenade, over to Cadmen Plaza and through downtown Brooklyn, over the bridge, around City Hall Park and back. Six miles door-to-door, and an extra mile if I ran to Carroll Gardens and back.

This Sunday, though, I needed something new. So I huffed it to Prospect Park and back. To get there, I ran from Cobble Hill, through Carroll Gardens and into Park Slope. And here's a little known fact about Park Slope: It's a SLOPE. Getting up to the park is quite the climb. Ok, maybe this is actually a well-known fact about Park Slope that I'd conveniently forgotten.

Anywho, here's that route:


I also decided on Sunday to try a super-sexy fuel belt, like this: Yes, it's a glorified fanny pack. When you're in the park, you're the cool runner with "gear." When you're in the neighborhoods, you're the idiot with a fanny pack. But after at least 5 miles, I need water and I hate carrying anything in my hand. Plus, it fits a Larabar for a mid-run energy boost and my cell phone. (I have an irrational fear of breaking a bone and not being able to limp myself home, so I always bring my phone. A byproduct of a nasty spill in Portland last year. I also avoid metal grates in the rain because of that fall.)

I'm debating my 9-mile run this Sunday, but already have my 10-mile run set, which combines the best of both runs:


Then, time for the half. Wish me luck!

7 months in and 1 month away

I have one month until the half marathon.

And I've been in New York for seven.

These are two surprising facts, both of which I just realized on my walk home tonight, and both of which just happen to fall on the exact same day. (Wait, did I move to NYC on the 28th or the 26th of August?) Anyway.

Here's the thing about training for something like a half marathon when you're so not a long-distance runner: Every single Sunday, I run more than I ever have before. Ever! So each week I pat myself on the back and congratulate myself. Even if I walked a little bit. Even if I groaned up the hills. Every week I pass a personal best. And that, my friends, is pretty cool. Oh, and I also get to run across the Brooklyn Bridge whenever I want. That's a great training path.

And just for kicks, I added up how much I've run since February 2 (the day I officially started "to train"): nearly 110 miles. One hundred and ten miles! Wow.

That said, running 13.1 in one fell swoop still scares the bejeezus out of me.

But back to the being in New York for seven months. There are a few crazy things about that too, including a) seven months in was about the time in Portland that I started scheming for my exit strategy. I remember specifically saying, I'll make a decision on April 1. I won't worry about what to do with my life until April 1. That was nearly a year ago. Wow.

And b) some days, it feels like I've been here for years. Years. Like today when I realized that I no longer have road rage (being without a car for two years helps you forget). Instead, I have sidewalk rage. Like, oh my god, can you please not blow your cigarette smoke out on me? And, ah geez, must you really get distracted and window shop right in front of me?

And then I saw myself in a window reflection being all cranky and tired and disheveled and, man, did I look unattractive. That's when I decided to breathe a little bit and get over it. No one likes to see a hardened New Yorker only seven months in, right?

So anyway, here's what's been up lately, aside from getting up at 5:45 am and running, working 'til 6ish, meeting up with folks after work, and freelancing a bit on the side. Oh, and dating. (Another post, another post, my friends.):

I went snowboarding for the first time at Mt. Snow in Vermont. Although I certainly wasn't Sean White, I wasn't awful. But I'll admit: I'm a pretty sporty girl, and this was the hardest physical thing I've every tried. (But ask me again after April 26.)

--

I painted my room yellow. This yellow to be exact:


I love it in the morning, but I hate it in the evening. It changes quite a bit, like my mood. So maybe it's a good color for me? I also swapped out some curtains, threw in a vase of pink tulips, and officially re-awoke my decorating fever. I didn't realize how I was totally accepting my blah room, and not really settling in to this apartment. I'm not sure why—maybe I just thought I wasn't staying here, so why move in all the way? But that's just silly—I live here! I live here.

--

I'm still working and loving my job, and I survived a round of lay-offs. A collective phew!, please. Now I'm good 'til July when we start mulling over cost cuts again, unless something miraculous happens in the economy and companies start hiring again! And journalism thrives again! We can only hope.

--

My parents got a puppy. Her name's Lexie (at least for today. She's also been Annie and Frannie. I was pullin' for Lucy and Francie. But alas, Lexie) and she's pretty stinkin' cute, wouldn't you say? Tess would very much approve.


--

I'm planning my 2009 trip to Portland. And I cannot wait. Seriously.

--

And lastly, I've been re-thinking what I want to do with this blog. After all, I started it to document all my moving around, but I think I'm staying put for the time being. And I've realized if you can't be creatively inspired in New York, where can you be? So stay tuned for that.

--

Oh, one more thing. I've learned the value of sleep. After a good three or four weeks of going to bed at 1 am and getting up at 5:45 am to run upwards of three miles, then putting in at least an 8-hour day, I realized I wasn't being very nice to myself. (Or to my mother, who asked, "why are you so bitchy all the time?" Sorry, Mom.) So although it's only 10:20, it's sleepytime. G'nite.

29 times played on iTunes

I was so very close to spending $100 to see Bon Iver at Town Hall this week just to hear him sing "Skinny Love" live. I didn't, and in retrospect it was smart, since I was plagued with a stomach/chest/head bug. Still. Wouldn't you want to hear him live, too?

This was Fall

Although winter's upon us (Christmas? What?) I sadly neglected much of fall. Here was life:

Food

Running along the Brooklyn Promenade

Apple picking upstate (last picture by Sarah)

Pumpkin carving and cupcake making (cupcake photo by Jes)

NYC Marathon-ing (er, volunteering)

Celebrating

Reuniting in Boston

Ani

Back

When I was in Portland, I was always well aware of how long I'd been there. (Four months, two weeks. Eight months. Ten months. A year.) It wasn't that Portland was a perpetual ticking clock; the job was. I was painfully aware of how long I'd been there and how much longer I had to stay in order for it to be "acceptable."

Someone recently asked me how long I'd been in New York, and I strangely had very little clue. Two months? Four months? Ah, just more than three months.


Yup, it's true.

By the way, I know the last day I posted was Election Day, but I just have to say:

... best night spent with 500 Brooklynites ever. In short, best night.

Why have I been away so long? You know, busy, busy. But, I've taken up reading again (how I missed you!) not watching TV, and staying far, far away from the computer at night (really!). Won't stay away so long anymore.

The Guys of NYC

Just had to share this gem of a morning experience:

I'm walking out of the subway, and a guy is climbing the stairs right next to me. He looks at me, and says, "ooh, it's cold out."

"Uh huh," I say as I keep walking up the stairs.

"Damn, you looking gorgeous," he says. "Mmm hmmm. And, look at that, you're not married."

I ignore him.

"Girl, can I walk with you?" he asks as we get outside.

"No."

"Bitch."

Well, ok, then!

Fall Showers bring Winter ... Jobs?

It stormed a fantastic storm last night, just like a classic spring thunderstorm in the Midwest. And being raised in the Midwest, I adore storms. So despite a mean bout of insomnia and a ragin', cajun head cold, I was ok with being up until 3 am listening to it. It's funny when such natural-type things happen in New York City. It's almost like you forget that the sky can open up and unleash something awesome when you're surrounding by so much that's unnatural.

I think I'm going to try to give myself a day off this week to explore the city like a tourist. I'll grab NY Mag's Cheap Guide and get hunting. After all, I haven't stepped foot in my favorite home store ever, ABC Carpet and Home, nor have I even seen the Statue of Liberty or Brooklyn Bridge yet. When I used to travel to Brooklyn on the R (or is it the N?) the above-ground line afforded me a few sneak peeks. But now the F train shuttles me under the East River and drops me off without the views.

This is a really pointless post; I'm really just killing time until I have to go into the city for a meeting. Question of the day: tights or no tights? I gotta wear them with these pretty booties that came in the mail for my birthday (thanks, Mom! xoxo)You'd hire me with these shoes, right?

Rachel freelances out of ...

I had my first true New York moment yesterday. I'd been waiting for it to happen. So far life here has been fairly simple: I wake up, work, get dressed, get on the train into Manhattan, interview, get on the train back to Brooklyn, work, and maybe get dinner/drinks later.

It's fairly uneventful and not at all glamorous.

But on Friday I went into the office of a magazine I'm freelancing for, and they're putting me on the Contributors page. I finally read what they'd written about me, which included: "Rachel freelances out of her home in New York City."

Yes, ma'am; that sure is what I do. When you put it in print, it makes it a bit more real, huh?

I Bit It

Yup, it's true. I bit it in the subway. Running to catch the F train at Rockefeller Center, my hot new patent, pointy-toe pumps got caught in my hot new wide-leg trousers. Down I went, and there's a little rub in my hot new trousers to prove it.

I wasn't even a bit embarrassed; just pissed that I'd probably missed the train. So I picked myself up and realized it was the V train I was running for -- the F train came a minute later and whisked me home.

See? These are the ups and downs of New York. One minute you're cursing the train and its many detours (then you get out and aimlessly travel five avenue blocks the wrong direction while talking on the phone); the next minute you're having chocolate and peanut butter fro yo with a great old friend, then on the way home, the train arrives immediately.

You love it here, you hate it here. That's the way it goes.

Today is really just my second full day in the city. I've been a traveling queen thus far. This weekend, I Amtrak-ed it to Hudson for a good friend's carnival-like wedding.

There was a juggler,



and a tight-rope walker,



And these clowns, too:



But mostly, it was the grandest party and the most genuine wedding I've been to. Best of all, I was reunited with the people that made me who I am (seriously). I wouldn't be pursuing a dream of working in New York if it weren't for the three kids with me in the bottom photo, plus many, many other people from Drake who I worked on DMAG with. Anywho, more spectacular shots here, please.

On the way home, we stopped at the Storm King Art Center for a bit of culture and nature, all in one!

Look how strong she is!

Look how tall he isn't!

Then, finally, I was home for Labor Day and enjoyed a lovely backyard Brooklyn BBQ, but didn't make it into Manhattan at all. Yesterday, I was up in Chappaqua (can we all guess what interview I had there?) and drove by Bill and Hillary's pad. Today, I finally went into the city for an HR meeting, but now have lots of work to be done from home. Tomorrow, another interview, and Friday another HR meeting (and two edit tests due somewhere in between).

Whew. There's a reason it's the city that never sleeps.