Sunday, June 30, 2013

It's been a while,

And since I last posted, I am back in the Midwest, graduated, pinned, and officially an OT. I realize that I haven't really wrapped up my time in NYC, so I will attempt to do so.

My last few weeks were a whirlwind. I finished up FW and gave my presentation. I missed it immediately and I still do! K came into town on Thursday and of course that night, we all went out to Croxley's. It's not a Thursday night in NYC without a visit to the beer/wing establishment! On my final day at FW (Friday), the staff ordered pizza for lunch and the kids signed a card for me.

While K was in town the next few days, we hit all 5 boroughs. The Bronx and Staten Island were pretty short lived, but I couldn't live in NY for 3 months without visiting all 5! In the Bronx we took the train to Yankee Stadium on Sunday. Though not a Yankee fan, I definitely appreciated the sight and history. It was cool to take the subway past the stadium, as that is one of the places where the subway is above ground. It's a bit like flying over the stadium :) We then took the train to Grand Central (pretty sweet to train into the station) and walked through Manhattan to Central Park where we met L at the Starbucks at Columbus Circle and proceeded to explore the park. We (unknowingly) walked through Strawberry Fields and happened upon Belvedere Castle. Quite the sight!

We also were able to take the Staten Island ferry, where K and I were asked to clarify: "Are you friends, or are you FRIENDS" to the island and took a very brief walk around before heading back and exploring Manhattan on Saturday. Since Hurricane Sandy shut down Liberty Island, the closest we could get to the Statue of Liberty was on the ferry. It was such a great view! Lunch at a cute little Italian restaurant in Little Italy. Church nearby. And then happened upon a little craft fair where I had to purchase some Brooklyn Bridge art.

During K's stay we also ate at Julianna's (Brooklyn pizza), walked the Brooklyn Bridge after dark, hit Brooklyn Brewery and Williamsburg, were asked to leave a bar (due to the owner shutting it down after a very public argument with one of bartenders working there), solved some electrical issues on Passover holiday, had our picture taken with "the bull", strolled through Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen via the High Line in the rain, and saw the Manolo Blahnik store (though it was closed, so no trying on!). We also went to Jimmy Fallon where we almost literally ran into Florida Georgia Line at the Rockefeller. We were then able to watch their interview as it was filmed. Pretty sweet. Then, while waiting in line to enter the Jimmy Fallon studio, we were asked if we wanted to be part of the group of audience members who were on stage during the musical performance. Would we???? ABSOLUTELY! Unfortunately, we were in the back of the group, so we weren't able to see a lot or be noticeable on TV, but what a cool and unexpected experience. I couldn't believe that we were able to walk across the stage and be so close to the action!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Return

Only about 2.5 more weeks until I step foot on MN soil again! (And with that statement, I guess the countdown has begun!) It still seems like I have so much to do, which is probably the case. Last week was my first full of week of independent treating. I saw about 7 kids per day, wrote all notes, and developed all treatment plans. It's going well, and I am really enjoying my work. I was thinking on one of my walks home last week that it truly is amazing how things really line up in a great way. This Friday I give my lunch-and-learn presentation about sensory vs. behavior philosophies around treating kids with autism. I am sure it will spur a great debate...that topic usually does!

Coming back to MSP has been on my mind a lot lately, so to enhance my excitement/calm my nerves I've been listening to a good deal of Motion City Soundtrack and Down and Above while apartment hunting and looking at the newest Adam Turman prints :)

This last week included:
-Dinner party at the apartment - Wednesday
-Farewell dinner for C at Croxley's (so glad they still had the Pumpkin beer!!) - Thursday
-A couple trips to Mood - Thursday and Saturday
-Oz movie with L in Bay Ridge - Friday
-Brooklyn Bridge run with L (we didn't see anyone from PPTC! :( )- Saturday
-Lunch at Grand Central - Saturday
-100 Year Celebration exhibit and Grand Central (not as good as the transit museum) - Saturday
-The Met (Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity and Matisse exhibits with a bit a newer American i.e. O'Keeffe) - Saturday
-Some fabulous brick oven pizza at Miro in SOHO - Saturday

The Met is gargantuan. I have never seen anything like it. I really only saw 2 exhibits when I was there and didn't even scratch the surface. I couldn't decide if I was completely overwhelmed or in total awe. The special exhibits alone were 5 rooms a piece. Listening to people talk about art was quite the entertainment, too. It's been a while since I've been in the "art crowd"; and now I remember why I didn't exactly fit in! The Fashion exhibit was amazing. So much more than I expected. Here's a little write-up about the exhibit from the Met's website (http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2013/impressionism-fashion-modernity/introduction):

This stunning survey, anchored by many of the most celebrated works of the Impressionist era, illustrates the extent to which artists responded to the dictates of fashion between the 1860s, when admiring critics dubbed Monet's portrait of his future wife "The Green Dress," and the mid-1880s, when Degas capped off his famous series of milliners and Seurat pinpointed the vogue for the emphatic bustle.

Highlights of the exhibition include Monet's Luncheon on the Grass (1865–66) and Women in the Garden (1866), Bazille's Family Reunion (1867), Bartholomé's In the Conservatory (circa 1881, paired with the sitter's dress), and fifteen other key loans from the Musée d'Orsay; Monet's Camille (1866) from the Kunsthalle, Bremen, Renoir's Lise (Woman with Umbrella) (1867) from the Museum Folkwang, Essen, and Manet's La Parisienne (circa 1875) from the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, which have never before traveled to the United States; Caillebotte's Paris Street; Rainy Day (1877) and Degas's The Millinery Shop (circa 1882–86) from the Art Institute of Chicago; Renoir's The Loge (1874) from The Courtauld Gallery, London; and Cassatt's In the Loge (1878) from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Alongside both masculine and feminine costumes, a full complement of period photographs and illustrations serve to vivify the ongoing dialogue between fashion and art, and afford a sense of the late nineteenth-century Parisian milieu that inspired, provoked, and nurtured the talents—and often the ambitions—of the painters of modern life.

This weekend I get to check off my 6th state by racing a 5k in Rutherford, NJ! Due to my chip not registering at the start line, my official time for the Central Park Half is my gun time: 2:02:30. Still a PR!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Big Apple to Minne-appol(is)

Is it strange that I am more nervous to move back to MN than I was to move out to NY?

I've been apartment hunting these last couple of days, and have gotten really nervous about the move back. I'd prefer to just slide right back into life in MN, but I'm not sure that is possible. Life has obviously continued on without me there, so a part of me has a bit of fear that what is supposed to be familiar and comfortable won't be. (What if I have forgotten how to ride my bike?! What if my favorite running routes are too far away?, etc. Quite ridiculous problems, I realize, but concerns nonetheless). I am extremely excited, however, to pay much less in rent and not have to buy things (including pipe cleaners and tissue paper) by the pound.

Tomorrow concludes my eighth week of FW, only a month in NY left. Crazy. Where did the time go? I'm starting to have pretty full days of treatments, aside from absences. A part of me thinks that I will leave here with more questions than I came in with! I've learned so much so far. I'm now trying to put my own spin on treatments, but I'm beginning to feel not so unique. But then, do I need to be? Why reinvent the wheel if the goals are being accomplished?

I'm looking forward to the weekend; I'm pretty sure it will be full of touristy things :)

Monday, February 25, 2013

Central Park Half

Today was the inaugural Central Park Marathon and Half Marathon. I decided to run the half after running the Brrrrooklyn Hot Chocolate run in February. NYC Runs put on a great run in February and I was convinced that I needed to do another one of their races.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect, for February at least! Around 37 degrees to start and 44 degrees by the end. The sun didn't come up until after the race, but that was OK. It had rained all day Saturday, so I was a little nervous that it was going to continue to pour on Sunday, but it was all good! No rain and no ice! The half was contained to Central Park and included the Harlem Hills (unlike the full, which did not). Along the run, I decided that I had to move Central Park up the list on my Favorite Spots in NYC list. I think it edged out Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square, but I'm not sure if it has surpassed Grand Central Station. L was able to come out and support me at the finish, which was fabulous. The post-race meal (literally) also did not disappoint with the same spread as the Hot Chocolate run. PLUS I finally got one of those tin-foil blanket things (I've always wanted one of those! I've now arrived in the running world :) ) and they gave out sweet hats (which actually cover my ears!) at the end in addition to the fantastic medals. All of this for $60. NYC sure knows how to host a race. Here are some photos:



And this was some inspiration from packet pick-up on Friday: a jersey signed by Meb with "Run to win":



I've been telling myself that after each long training spurt that "this will be my last long race for a while". Well, clearly, I define "a while" as a pretty short period of time, because at the start of each of these "last" races, I get more inspired to do more. I'm hoping to check off at least one more state on my 50 races in 50 states goal. Maybe NJ in a couple weeks?

On Saturday I went to the Transit Museum in Brooklyn Heights. I love the subway. I think it is absolutely fascinating. Maybe growing up without extensive public transportation fuels my interest in the subject, but nonetheless, I cannot learn enough about the subway and public transportation in NY. If you have a similarly strange interest in this subject matter, I highly recommend the museum, which is located at an old subway station, so it is under ground. At times the exhibits were geared more toward kids, but the history of the subway creation and growth and its influence on culture and life in the city was really well done and fascinating.

This is the start of my eighth week of FW. I can't believe how quickly this time has gone, and I am sure my remaining weeks here will fly by. March by the end of this week??! Crazy! I should probably start to look into where I will be living come end of March/early April... :)

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

L's Visit Recap

L was in town these last few days and it was so great to see her in NY! I had off Monday and Tuesday for President's Day/Midterm Break, so we were really able to explore the city.

L got into town on Friday night and L and I met her in Queens at Neptune Restaurant. It was a fun place which was unknowingly in my book of NY things to do, until today! After burgers, we took the N home.

On Saturday, L and I went to Williamsburg to take a tour of the Brooklyn Brewery. Everyone else in the city seemed to have the same idea, because we needed to wait in line for a good 40 minutes. It was well worth the wait, however. We planned on going to the 4:00 tour, but with the line, we didn't get inside until about 4:30-ish. We got our chips for beer and proceeded to taste test. We tried: There Will Be Black, Sorachi Ace, Winter Ale, Radius, and Dry Irish Stout. The tour turned out to be more of a standing history lesson about the brewery and brewing in Brooklyn due to some construction, but it was a great time regardless of seeing a small portion of the building. That evening, we met L at Song restaurant in Park Slope and had some fabulous Thai food before heading into the city and visiting Phoenix, Benny's Burritos, and McKenna's.

Photos from the brewery:



On Sunday, after an omelet breakfast at home, L and I headed into the city to watch the Chinese New Year parade and see if we could get Broadway tickets. The parade was packed, and we couldn't see a whole lot, so after about half an hour we decided to leave. It was quite different than what I pictured. I thought there would be lions and dragons travelling down the streets of Chinatown and various dancers and revelers about. The scene was very controlled, however, as traffic was allowed on the streets crossing the parade route. So, a few floats would go by, then there would be a long pause so traffic could go through, and then a couple more would go by. Even though we didn't stay long, it was fun to celebrate the year of the snake!
We went to the TKTS stand in Times Square and braved the wind, cold, and crowds (OK, it was a lot warmer than the weather in MN, I'm sure!) and purchased our tickets to the 7:30 p.m. Avenue Q show. We immediately took the train back home to get ready and eat dinner. The show was great! I was a little wary of seeing a show with puppets, but since there were also humans, it turned out there was nothing to worry about :) After the show, we stopped by Social Calendar for some wine with Seamus.

Parade photos:



On Monday, L and I strolled down to my favorite Italian bakery in Borough Park. She had a cannoli and I had a black and white cookie. Both were absolutely delicious! We took the train into the city from there, did some shopping, played the Big Piano at FAO Schwarz, visited the Trump Tower, and saw the sights of Midtown. L met us for dinner at The Triple Crown Restaurant and we proceeded to Boxers. When the sporting events changed to RuPaul's Drag Race on TV, we figured it was time to head to Chelsea for a comedy show we had reservations for. The Upright Citizens Brigade show featured about 5 stand-up comedians, some better than others, but altogether a good show. How can you find too much fault in a free event?

We saw L off at around 12:30 today (Tuesday). It was such a great time! Unfortunately, we all had a touch of sickness at some point in the last week. I am not one to be all into washing hands and using anti-bacterial gels, but after living in this city, I might be changing my stance on these things. With not too many sicks days and the flu and various viruses running crazy through the school, I am now becoming a pretty big fan of hand hygiene.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Fashion Week!

Fashion Week has come to a close yesterday and I am so glad I got to be a tiny part of it! Dream come true! :)
L's friend, M, was in town last week and due to the snowstorm of the century (which turned out to be just a few inches in New York) her flight was delayed from Friday to Sunday. So, naturally, we celebrated by going to the city and having a few drinks :)
Here is the morning of the storm:



Our drinks before braving the weather:



Manhattan in the snow! :





M and I went to the Museum of Natural History on Saturday. It was great to see. Afterwards, I had the "brilliant" idea to take a nice stroll through Central Park as the snow made it a Winter Wonderland. We were soon clinging for dear life as we slid down the sheets of ice that blanketed Central Park. We saw quite a few wipe outs, and I wasn't sure if we were going to make it out without an injury, but we got lucky! M agreed to accompany me to Lincoln Center to see what we could see of Fashion Week. If you have seen the Sex and the City episode about NY Fashion Week in the winter, it is exactly as they describe in real life. People schlep through the slush and snow in their heels and furs en route to the shows. I have never seen so much fur in this city as I have during this past week.



Sunday saw M's departure and a 10+ mile run, the last long run before my half marathon in a little over a week!

As I left work on Monday, I got a text from L letting me know that one of his friends invited me to a Fashion Week event he had been working on. I literally ran home while Googling appropriate attire to wear to Fashion Week events. Turns out I didn't have any of the online suggestions, so I had to use my best judgement. Skinny jeans, silky teal cowl blouse, and booties it was. Needless to say, I felt a bit out of place when I showed up with my red Columbia jacket and not a huge fur coat. But, whatever. I was never going to see these people again! It was a nice, intimate event at an art gallery called Underline in the Meatpacking District. I drank some wine, took some photos, and looked at some fashion. The show was ready to wear and lingerie, though the focus was really lingerie. I felt a little strange taking pictures of ladies in their undergarments, but quickly pushed that discomfort aside when I realized this may be the only event of this nature I get to attend. It needed to be documented! Here are some photos from the Alisha Trimble event:

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

First Visitors!

My parents came to visit this past weekend, and I am so proud of them! (My mom even asked for a "I survived NY" t-shirt instead of the traditional "I (heart) NY" design.) It was a whirlwind of a trip, but here it is in a nutshell:
-They arrived on Thursday evening and immediately consumed a Brooklyn lager upon their arrival
-We braved the subway and headed to DUMBO for Grimaldi's pizza (Delicious!)
-While at work on Friday, my parents explored the bakeries of Park Slope and brought some carbs back to the apartment, for which I am grateful
-Friday evening we explored Sunset Park and the Polish market down the street
-Friday night we ate in and sampled the "Common Sausage" we got at the market
-I've entitled Saturday as "Manhattan in a day": Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty from the Bridge and Battery Park, Financial District and Lower Manhattan (the damage from Sandy was still visible here. It was remarkable to see all of the stores and restaurants closed. It was almost like a ghost town, and I could only imagine that this area of the city is normally a bustling place), the 9/11 Memorial (which was quite the exercise in patience and security. Mom was accused of having a knife in her backpack, but upon a second scan, no such thing was seen), the Cage (which sadly only had one 2-on-2 game going on), lunch at Waverly Restaurant in Greenwich Village, and a whole lot of Midtown (Empire State building, Chrysler building, Grand Central Station, Grand Central Market--fabulous cake for only $1.99!, Central Park, church at 5:30 p.m. at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Times Square, dinner at Tad's, and back to Times Square for the full effect on a full stomach)
-Sunday we had a great breakfast in and my parents departed for OH around 11:30 a.m.

It was so nice to see them out here and it means so much that they made the trip. They were the first of many visitors we will soon have. I wish the time wouldn't have gone so fast, but that just means they will need to come back! :)