Getting Settled

Well, not much has gone on since my last post. Several people are out of the office this week so it's been pretty quiet on the work front. Monday there was a fire underneath the train bridge over the Harlem River....which is used for all commuter trains going in and out of Grand Central. I take such a train to Hawthorne every Tuesday and Thursday. At first they thought the trains would be stopped for quite a while, but by later that evening they were running with delays. Glad it wasn't on a day we were up there. Also on Monday, 2 Chinook helicopters and 2 Marine One helicopters showed up at the heliport that's across the street from my building at work. Boy howdy, you can hear those suckers coming. They were sooooo impressive. Evidently, anytime el Presidente comes to town, they do a "dry run". They tell me that normally there's alot of snipers out and a limo on the tarmac waiting....but this time there wasn't, so that's how we new it was a dress rehearsal. He showed up today, but unfortunately I was in Greenwich, Connecticut, so I didn't get to witness his arrival. He's in town tomorrow at the UN again, but I'm not sure if he'll leave tomorrow or not. Probably so, in which case, I'll miss him again since I'll be in Hawthorne. Oh well, there will be a next time. Not matter if you like the President or not, always neat to catch a glimpse and see a scene like that.

Greenwich is about a 50 minute train ride out of Grand Central. I have had a hankerin' for a Juniors kosher pickle since I moved here, so I got to the station in time for a Juniors iced tea and pickle (two for just 38 cents!!! now THATS a deal!). We hopped on the train and off we went. Had the client meetings.....then came back to the city. There were alot of people getting on the train at each stop both going and coming back. You have to wonder what they are all doing. Anyway, Greenwich is known for being very posh. Alot of hedge fund founders and the like live out there. The "downtown" was very quaint....but it had a real Ralph Lauren store, Tiffanys, Tory Burch, etc. For $16 round trip, I can't help but to think that would be a fun side trip in the fall to see the leaves....or maybe further into CT a bit. I just love going new places.

Tonight I worked out for the first time since I got here. This isn't all too suprising since I haven't worked out for MONTHS before that. I meant to count the steps to the gym, but it's half a block away.  Seriously, NO EXCUSE. And with our work discount it's only $25 a month. Again, NO EXCUSE. I'm sure I'll be very very sore tomorrow,....but this needs to be the beginning of a lifestyle. TV shows don't start until 8pm here, so I see no reason why several nights a week (and before college football and NFL on the weekends), I shouldn't go sweat for 45 minutes or so.  In Plano at Lifetime Fitness I kinda felt like I was at the Ritz....here at the New York Sports Club, I feel like I'm at Motel 6. But with my new frame of mind regarding finances, it makes me wonder why I paid for the Ritz in Plano. A treadmill is a treadmill is a treadmill, and a dumbell is a dumbell is a dumbell. Some of you may wonder if I'm losing my zeal for some of the finer things in life. I can assure you, I'm not. I'm just still being "cognizant" of my expenditures. hehehe

I think I'll head out to a restaurant down the block called Christina's tonight. Mom and Dad discovered it, but didn't eat there. I've been wanting both italian and mexican, so I'll get my italian urges taken care of. Still not understanding why it's so hard to find good mexican!!!

Attached are a few pics taken with my phone. One is the McDonalds in the "real" Chinatown. Looks like I took it in  Beijing, huh? The other is of Marine One out the window at the office. And the other is a very poor pic...but I'm trying to show that on my avenue, I can see both the Empire State building and Chrysler building (ES on far left, C on far right). It's just really neat looking up every night and seeing both of those landmarks from my street.

More things I've learned:
1. Another reason the city smells like urine? Dogs go on the sidewalk as there's no grass. The also do the other on the sidwalk. Makes me think twice about putting my spare pair of shoes in my purse every day. : /
2. Speaking of dogs, there are sooooo many people with dogs and they are all just so adorable. Big dogs, small dogs, hairy dogs, bald dogs. Makes me miss Maggie.
3. There are ALOT of VERY short hispanic men in this town. And they all deliver food. It's like they have a monopoly on the delivery business.
4. Have I mentioned I evidentally have a "twang"? We weren't in the clients office for THIRTY SECONDS before I got my first comment today. I guess everyone just takes me for a country bumpkin. Sad.
5. I have more but I've forgotten. Next time....

xoxo