Touristy Trip to Ellis Island & The Statue of Liberty

A few weeks ago my grandparents were here. My grandma had never been before and my grandpa had been here in 1957. I took 2 days off of work and got all kinds of touristy with them. My feet have never hurt so much! They wanted to go everywhere and everywhere we went.

The Saturday of their trip they reserved tickets for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry. I’d never been out to either, just been to Battery Park where I look from afar…and that was ok with me. The Statue of Liberty didn’t really blow me away, but one of the views from there was of all the ships waiting to make their way up the Hudson or East River. It’s crazy to me that they essentially have to stop and wait in line. Who knew!

Ellis Island was interesting in that looking out the windows of the main building, it doesn’t look like the rest of the island/buildings have been kept up and seem to be in pretty poor condition. The main room everyone had to congregate in while waiting to get into the country was pretty. I’m glad I went and did these things once, but I don’t think I’d do them again any time in the near future.

How I’m doing on my list of things to do

In January of this year, rather than making a New Years Resolution I was sure not to keep, I made a list of things to do. You can find it here. With one quarter left in the year I am evaluating how I’m doing and when I still need to do.

* see a ballet (going to see the Nutcracker – and the Rockettes, but they don’t count as a ballet)
* go to at least 4 Julliard performances (multiple more in the works)
1. Jan 13 – Chamberfest 2009
2. Apr 6 – Juilliard Orchestra
3. Oct 14 – Juilliard Jazz Ensemble
* snow ski at least once
* visit Boston
* visit DC
* visit San Francisco (Prob going to be 2010)
* Chicago for Easter
* Houston for Memorial Day or 4th of July but actually in March and again for the Tech/Texas football game)
* read at least 10 books (I need to get on this)
1. Atonement by Ian McEwan
2. American Wife by Curtis Steppenfield
3. Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
4. An Intimate Portrait of the First Lady (Laura Bush) (This was a follow up to American Wife, to see how much of it was actually truthful and how much was fiction.)
5. I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max
* knit my first pair of socks (one done, one to go)
* knit my first sweater
* participate in the race for the cure
* get below 130 (129 counts)
* be able to do the splits again
* work a job where I don’t feel like I’m recessing
* see the Frick collection
* Go to the MOMA
* Go to the Guggenheim
* Go to Brooklyn for more than taxes (Explored Prospect Park, ty very much!)

Also walked the Brooklyn Bridge, which wasn’t initially on my list, but was added in about March. I think I’m doing pretty well, but I still have a lot to do.

What do Hipsters and Marshmallows have in common?

They’re both white and soft! *Awesome!* According to Gothamist, the NYPD is apparently now calling Hipsters marshmallows. I couldn’t love the name more.

Silvercup

Tbf and I try to run in the mornings before work and the last month or so there have been catering trucks outside of one of the buildings we run by. This morning I told him I knew Silvercup was out by where we live and that I wonder if that’s the building the catering trucks are by. He said probably. Then, when we ran by, I noticed the HUGE Silvercup sign on top of the building. There’s also a big awning that says Silvercup on it. I have to have noticed those before and just forgotten, it’s so hard to miss. Now I wonder if we’ll ever see Alec Baldwin or Tina Fey – Silvercup shoots 30 Rock. They also shoot Gossip Girl – but the only person I know on that show is Michelle Trachtenberg. I guess she’d be exciting to see at 7am.

What a Wonderful Weekend

Friday night: 9 bottles of wine, 7 girls, 3 pizzas, 9 hours. Very loud. Lots of talking. Want to do it again immediately!

Saturday: Texas game watching at Hill Country

Sunday: NYC Race for the Cure

Best email exchange of the Week

Hey Everyone,

I wanted to send a quick note reminding ya’ll that the [Texas Tech] game will not be televised this weekend and our alumni bar will not be airing the game via radio, but please do not let that discourage you for the following weekend… UT vs TEXAS TECH!!! I will be sending out an email with all the pertinent information in regards to game day, and I hope you all come out and support our Red Raiders.

WRECK ‘EM TECH!!
L & E

Response:

Dear New York Techsans/L/E,

I have been following TTU alums activities in NYC for years and greatly appreciate what our local alum club leaders are doing. I have a few ideas and wanted to see what y’all are thinking, feel free to write back your feedback and suggestions. I think we should have some gatherings in addition to football game related activities. Some of us have weekend classes or other activities planned during the weekend, others live outside of Manhattan and coming back here is not very convenient. Why don’t we try meeting during the week after work for coffee/tea or at the Bryant park or Central park? Techsans – feel free to propose other meet-up ideas.

I would also welcome getting back in touch with Techsans who are interested in any of the following topics:

- Software Engineering (including solutions for the investment community, IB, PE, VC)
- Improvisation Comedy (we can organize our own games)
- Russia, Ukraine, Taiwan
- Ninja Warrior or strength training enthusiasts
- Outdoor activities in Queens or Long Island

We could also meet in Queens/Long Island or Midtown, so if you happen to be near Kew Gardens/Forest park OR midtown/Bryant park – give me a holler. By the way, I am on LinkedIn as well – here is my profile.

Response to a small group of friends on the list:

Please tell me that one of you are meeting up with [the guy who wrote the last email]? This email has made my Friday that much better. Favorite part you ask? When young [guy who wrote email above] asked for individuals interested in: Improvisation Comedy (so that you can organize your own games) Russia, Ukraine or Taiwan and of course Ninja Warrior (or strength training enthusiasts).

You all must go to Kew Gardens, meet this person and send me pics.
Thank you for your time.
-D

Our 2 weeks of summer

Dear Summer,

You came late and you’re leaving early. Do you hate us?

Love, New York

I’m on a Boat!

Please forgive the quality of this picture, I was on a moving boat and couldn’t hold still. Last Thursday night we went to a booze cruise (kind of). It was on a barge that is anchored between Jersey City, the financial district and Ellis Island. There was a big speed boat that functioned as a taxi out there. Very, very cool.

Yankees v Red Socks

Last Thursday I went to the Yankee’s v Red Socks game in the new Yankee’s Stadium. It’s the second time I’ve been there and that place is pretty great. This time we sat in the Audi Club. It’s definitely not the same experience as sitting in a regular seat, but it was very conducive to the social aspects of a baseball game. It was great to be there for the Yankee’s to be the Red Socks for the first time in 8 games.

The food there was definitely amazing. My only complaint about the night is that you didn’t get the roudy atmosphere of the game because we were behind a wall of glass. On the flip side, it was pretty quiet which, depending on who you are, could be really nice. Like watching the game at home, but cooler.

Dutch Kills

Friday night we walked to a new bar in Long Island City, Dutch Kills. It was probably about a mile from our apt and a bit of a walk, but it was definitely nice out and I was in flat sandals. It was a bar my roommate had heard about and wanted to go to. I was a little apprehensive and from the name of it I was imagining black, skulls and tattoo style roses.

As we were walking up, my other roommate’s sister, who is in town visiting, said, “Are we going to that place with the sign flashing ‘BAR’ outside?” We could only really say, I think so..

I was very pleasantly surprised when we walked in. The door was just a solid, dark metal door and seemed a bit sketchy. Inside, however, it is a long, narrow place with dark wood on the walls and ceiling. The first half of the establishment is table that fit 4-6 and 2. Past that is the area where the bar is located and beyond that is a small area with a couch or 2 and a piano. The floor in this area was painted dark and sprinkled with saw dust. This is where the live jazz band hung out. On the bar was a ton of fresh fruit stacked in bowls. Behind the bar was a huge block of ice that it looks like they cut from to put in drinks, high end liquors, chalk boards listing the drinks of the season (they change as the fruits that are in season do). Guiseppe Gonzalez took our order, diligently made our drinks, paying attention to every detail, lined them on the bar, and explained each, complete with the story of their origins before doling them out. The whole place had a very 1920s feel to me. I would definitely go back.