Nom nom nom...
After dinner, Beth invited me out to meet some of her friends. Beth lives in Manhattan, but her childhood best friend lives in Brooklyn. So to Brooklyn we went. Williamsburg, to be exact. I haves spent a little time in Brooklyn before, but never this area. Before moving to New York, I had heard many things about Brooklyn (vs. Manhattan). Mostly good things, but some mixed. I was definitely a fan of the wide streets, quieter bars and cheap beer. The moment we got off the subway, I noticed a huge shift. It was much quieter and felt more like a neighborhood. I could definitely see myself living there at some point, but i've been told it's best to be in Manhattan when you first move. It's obviously easier to meet people and closer to everything.
Beth and I met up with two of her friends: Alex and Ryan. Alex is a yoga instructor and nanny in Brooklyn and she was just as fantastic as Beth. Ryan is a Blogger, and currently writes for an amazing blog called "Thought Catalog." I was star-struck to meet him, as I am a HUGE fan of his writing. He writes many of the "How-To's." My friend Lauren and I read this blog religiously, so I was very excited to meet him.
We started the night at an outdoor bar, filled with picnic table and christmas lights lining the trees. It was very cozy, almost like we were in someone's backyard. We shared a pitcher of Sangria and meandered over to a few different bars. Tecate cans were the drink of choice (people actually drink this stuff outside of Mexico? Who knew!) so it felt very fitting when we arrived at another outdoor bar with a taco truck...sitting right in the back. Very bizarre, but fantastic.
I was pretty exhausted when I woke up this morning, but thrilled to have met such great people. I have plans to head back to Brooklyn for Alex's birthday celebration on Thursday night. Excited to meet their friends and get to know Brooklyn a little better.
The first part of Sunday was pretty relaxing. I walked down to the West Side Highway to lay out on the grass and check out the activity down by the Hudson. Everyone was out running, kayaking, walking their dogs. Such a fit city.
I put out a blanket and got to know this book - cover to cover.
I think this will come in handy. :)
After laying out and reading for a bit, I wandered around Greenwich Village, poked my head into a few shops, grabbed some frozen yogurt (from a self-serve froyo bar!) and people watched. One of my favorite things so far - the accents! I am constantly listening in to recognize different languages/accents. I have been so surprised by the number of Europeans here. Something I'm definitely not used to!
Later on in the day, I met up with David, my friend from Unilever who had taken me to the Biergarten. I met David at a French restaurant near my neighborhood for some drinks and mingling. He introduced me to a bunch of his friends, including several Australians that moved here a few years back. New friends? I hope so.
The rest of the day consisted of grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning...and all other activities I've been putting off.
How do people even sleep in this city?!
It has been great getting to know so many new people and exploring the city..but it really is exhausting. I am hoping that life will feel a bit more normal once work gets up and running. Not that I'm complaining about the constant fun...but it'll be nice to have a routine.
Overall I have been taken back by how welcoming everyone has been. It's nice to know New Yorkers aren't all that callous.
Until next time....
