Home Sweet Home in Gotham

So we're in nyc for the summer! There's a ton to catch you all up on, so I'll waste no time.

On the employment side of things, Brian's loving his work at Steinway & Sons. He's working at Steinway Hall in midtown, which is the company's flagship piano showroom on W. 57th St. It's a quick (20 min) jaunt on the express A-train from where we're living in Washington Heights, which is on the upper-upper-upper west side. He's working on an institutional sales project, and from his descriptions of the work he does I can tell he's putting what he's learned at Ross to use, so it's exciting to see those tuition dollars pay off!

In news of everyday living, it's been a bit of an adjustment for me learning to get by in this big city. New York is so complex that I can't truly say that I feel any one way about living here so far, but I've had some fun experiences to counterbalance my list of daily complaints (the constant smells of garbage and urine, the grime that's inevitable in a city with 8 mil inhabitants, the cost of living, the noise, blah blah... let's not dwell on the negative!). For one thing, the neighborhood we're living in has the biggest Dominican population outside of the DR, and there's definite familismo charm here. I sense it when men and women of all ages talk to Felix (and sometimes me) as I pass, or when they block me from crossing the street cause a biker is coming, or strike up non-small talk conversations anytime, anyplace. Perhaps a better example of this "instant cousin" feel I get here is the maintenance man who came to work on the sink, and had Felix hand him tools while he sang him a song about the "little pipe that made a BIG mess". That experience was the first to really soften my heart to the genuine humanity that lies just beneath the deceptively tough exterior of many New Yorkers. (On that note, after getting back from interviews in both LA and NYC, Brian and I were discussing the cultures of the two areas. He felt that people were "nicer" in CA, but in NY once you develop a relationship with someone, you're like family, and they respect and look out for you. He asked me, wouldn't I rather know that people's smiles and words meant something? Hmmm, I'm still chewing on that.)

Oh, and I love our apt. We're subleasing a 26th floor apt. in the Columbia Med Student housing (thank you very much, Dan!). The laundry down the hall, hardwood floors, spacious (by nyc standards!) layout, and million-dollar views of the Hudson River, tri-borough and tri-state areas are definite perks to being a stay-at-home mom this summer!

View to the northwest from bedroom window

George Washington Bridge to New Jersey over Hudson River

So, although I'm still not used to $5/gal milk and other outrageous grocery prices, I have adjusted to some of the smells, noises, and miles upon miles of daily walking that characterize domestic life here. I have met some incredibly nice people in our building and ward, and the playdates and trips to the parks have been soo nice!

Well, this post is too serious for news on the little tot, so I'm going to do a separate, livelier post for him.

Ciao!