This NY Daily News article shows some of the most catastrophic East Coast damage from Sandy.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/hurricane-sandy-strikes-east-coast-gallery-1.1194577
Anyway, the storm has absolutely brought the city together and at the same time, has shown me how lucky I am to have a few really great friends here. My friend and co-worker, Lindsay, has been so amazing to put me up at her apartment uptown. It took me two hours, 2 cabs, $50 and 50 blocks on foot to get here and I've never been so appreciative of a warm meal, a hot shower and the company of good friends. Getting to know the UES on a whole new level! Losing power really shows you just how much you rely on your electricity to live. Leela and I joked, while attempting a game of candy land over candle light, that we should pretend to be Amish once the power went out. It was funny at the time....not so much anymore. We have been recharging uptown, meeting new friends at Irish pubs and reading by candlelight. It's been a very interesting few days, to say the least. I think Tuesday was actually the first day I haven't worked in ....well, far more months than I'd like to admit. We have power uptown, so I'm camped out here until tomorrow or Saturday. Hoping to have power soon, but just feeling so thankful that we have no damage and all my friends and family on the East Coast are safe and sound. Many great stories to come out of this...including dinner by candlelight with a group of new friends at Barbounia, a fabulous restaurant downtown. I've never seen anything like it. Total peace and quiet, dozens and dozens of candles and a menu of only cheese and wine. No shortage of red wine. Outside of these Frankenstorm adventures, I've been introduced to many new restaurants, pubs and friends. We even got the opportunity to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters at an apartment complex on the UES. The city actually postponed Halloween, both the infamous Greenwich Village parade and trick-or-treating. The NYC marathon is still on for Sunday as well. New York is truly taken down by nothing.
ANYWAY, outside of the spooky Halloween hurricane, a lot has happened since September 10th. Post-SF, I have been busy with work (which is an understatement) and many fun activities in the city. My amazing family visited from WA, as my cousin Tess was looking at schools here. It was great to see family and even more exciting to imagine Tess living here someday! It seems nearly impossible to recount all that has happened in the past month and a half, but between adventuring to new & delicious restaurants, getting to know Manhattan AND Brooklyn, afternoons in Central Park, working, traveling, concerts and everything in between, it has been a great few weeks. Some of the highlights?
A trip to VERMONT!!! After a quick trip to Charlotte, NC for work last month, I came home for a night, packed another bag and flew home for a weekend with family and friends. I had NO idea just how much I missed my family and home until I arrived, but it was truly a spectacular weekend and just what the doctor ordered. I arrived on Friday night to the most beautiful foliage I've seen in VT in years. Friday night began with dinner & beers at Flatbread, followed by a night out dancing with my brother and some friends. Saturday morning started with a trip to the Burlington Farmer's Market with Dad and ended with my friend Nick's beautiful wedding in the mountains of Sugarbush. Sunday was a day for family. Dad and I drove all around VT, leaf peeping, lunching in Middlebury and catching up on life. Patti prepared an incredible dinner, homemade apple pie and the whole fam stayed in the for the night. I took off Sunday afternoon, after lunching with a few of my closest girlfriends at Stone Soup. Nearly cried as I flew over Lake Champlain. While I was very sad to leave, more than anything else, I felt so happy and fortunate to call Vermont home. Cliche as it is, home is truly where the heart is (yes, I said it).
A quick trip to Chicago (for work) immediately followed my weekend in VT. While it was short and busy, we ate some great food (The Publican, don't miss it!) and I had the chance to see a gal pal from college for breakfast. This was only my second trip to Chicago, but it really is a great city. There's something to be said for a beautiful city filled with midwest people. :)
Outside of these three quick trips, I've spent the past month and a half here in New York and I'm truly starting to feel more at home here. While i'm not sure i'll ever be able to call this city "home," at least in the same way that I do, Vermont, it's reaaaally grown on me. I've always loved it, but time has only made my heart grow fonder. I've now done Halloween in the city, experienced one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast here, killed a roach and found a small mouse living in my 9 x 8 foot bedroom. Looks like I'm officially a New Yorker? Oh and I bump people. That's right. Move fast or watch out...
...ok, not always...but sometimes. Just steer clear of Broadway. It's really just not worth the stress. :)
More later. And I promise later comes before Christmas. And perhaps they'll be photos....some day.
xo
