@ the Ace

So far my trip to the Ace Hotel has been great.  It's super adorable - I love all the little touches of typeface on the walls and the little notes.   I really love the little soaps and the large bottles of shampoo that are environmentally friendly.  They also have the photobooth and bikes you can borrow  The location isn't the best after like 9pm however it's super close to the metro line which I appreciate.  

Surprise Trip

 This past weekend I surprised Dustin with a trip to NYC for the weekend.  He almost ruined the surprise when he kept going on and on about going to his nieces birthday on the same day.  I wanted to just tell him that he wouldn't be here but I didn't.  He almost figured us out but Kathleen played it up so well and she was the best trickster!    We spent the bulk of our weekend walking around the city.  Dust had never been there but he didn't really have anything special he wanted to do.  So we just walked and walked and walked.  Oh and Dust ate and ate it seemed every time we walked past something he was hungry or at least it was too good to pass up.  But I guess if you are going to over indulge yourself there's no place better than NYC.  I do have to say we ate at a Japanese steakhouse one night and it was marvelous one of the best meals I'd had in a LONG time.

On Sunday our friend Megan joined us.  We did some more walking only this time in Central Park.  I was disappointed that the leaves had not yet changed there yet but there's still time for that.  We found a cute little street fair I just I had the energy to want to walk around in it.
Overall it was a good trip Dustin was surprised he enjoyed himself - his exact words were "weekend to measure all other weekends by"  I guess that means we need to up our weekend activities? ;)

Observations in Manhattan

Several things I've noticed since I've been in Manhattan working and playing...
Women are wearing ridiculous pants.
There is a lack of children.  Not entirely but for the most part.
There isn't a shortage of Asian men wanting to sell me fake bags.
Nor one of African men want to sell me watches.
Taxes are high.
Art is EVERYWHERE.
People walk fast.
Subways smell of sweat + dirt.
Everyone seems to be either a hipster, a yuppie, or from some other country.
Not everything is really open all night - the city does sleep.
My cell phone doesn't have great reception which can't be from a lack of towers.
There is no shortage of pizza places.
Or hot dog vendors.
You can relate almost everything to a Seinfeld episode.
I {heart} NY shirts can be acquired for anywhere from $3 to 30.
My gps does lie.
Humidity does NOT make for a good business dress code.
When I want a cab there isn't one.  
When I don't there's 200.
I don't look before crossing.
Fountain sodas are almost non-existent.

 

Photos were all taken in the last few days of my trip.  It's been an interesting week. 

Empire State of Mind

Last week before I headed home I got out and saw some more of the city hitting a few places I had not been to previously - Grand Central Station and the Empire State Building.  Both very touristy spots but my friend Jackie was down for being tourists and we enjoyed visiting with each other and going to these classic new york tourist spots.  The Empire State Building had EXCELLENT views and a very art deco feel; however the cost was a little pricey for just an hour.  And well Tom Hanks and Humphrey Bogart never met us up there.  Grand Central was busy with rush hour trains but still very beautiful.  It was a good evening it was good to spend time with Jackie.  It's funny how we both ended up in New York after our stints in Boston. 
Grand Central (both top and bottom).

 New York Public Library. 

Grand Central and the Chrysler Building.

 Jackie and I at the top of the Empire State building, this photo showcases my towering height.

 MOre Empire State Building

 And Since Earlier in the week I snapped a photo of the Manhattan Bridge from the Brooklyn.  So I did the reverse on the way out of town. 

Enjoy New York

You know sometimes I really should stop complaining.  My life is not horrible at all.  In fact it's great - God has given me so many blessings.  I'm being given a wonderful opportunity.  The kind other people only dream about and here I am complaining.  Sorry about that. 

Anyhow I made this new friend today he gave me his nutshell life philosophy and his story made me feel like I need to just enjoy this. It was awesome.

So today after work I walked about.  

I walked and I walked and I walked.  

It was good walking.  

It was patient, half lost, half found walking. 

It was enjoyable walking.  And I crossed something off my bucket list - Walk across the Brooklyn bridge - DONE twice actually because I walked over and then back.  I walked clear across lower Manhattan.  What a difference a day makes.  This is where I start enjoying this more.

Photos were all taken today. 

hello new adventues. hello new york.

I traded in my yoga pants and work from home assignment today for a put yourself together project in new york city. I'd like to say I am jumping into this adventure full steam ahead and looking at it for all the opportunities to have, people to meet, places to explore and foods to eat.  But honestly I'm not.  

I didn't want to pack my suitcase yesterday. 

I didn't want to straighten my hair today.  

I didn't want to get out of my track shorts.  

I didn't want to go to the airport this morning.  

I didn't want to get on that plane.  

I just plain didn't want to.

But I did.

Now that I'm here and I'm in the city it's a little easier to embrace this new adventure - the office and hotel are in a great location .  However part of me wishes I was still back in the midwest - like tonight at dinner the service was TERRIBLE and I kept thinking about how just yesterday we had GREAT service at the Grog house back in Indy.  

I need to get myself out of this funk this is my career.  

I LIKE doing this. 

I LIKE new adventures.

I LIKE meeting new people.

I LIKE exploring.  

I will LIKE new york.

This will be good.

It will be.

Mini Family Vacation - Gettysburg

We also spent time in Gettysburg.  We toured the battlefield as well as the town and did a little shoppity shopping.  We got into some Mini Golf and spent time in the hotel pool and just being together in our hotel rooms with adjoining doors.  It was good to just be family together even if it was brief.  That's all from mini vacation I leave you with a few final photos...  PS momo was on this trip but she apparently was avoiding photos.

Kathleen Points out the memorial for the Indiana battalion.

Burford and Buford?

A little group shot from the lookout.

A little sibling shot.  I like the look with my eyes closed its all the rage.

The & Cos strike a pose.

This photo is priceless.  I wonder if this what would really happen if we came across Perry Como and Abe together?

The mini golf course was very fun  There was a cave.

I love that Dust wrote himself in as "me" and then Kathleen assumed that must have been her!  LOL

If we had been there longer I would have liked to go to the movies.

Or perhaps get a "modern vintage" tattoo.  Well maybe not!

Mini Family Vacation - Vintage Baseball

Vintage Baseball from the battlefields of Gettysburg.   I have to say we had the best time at this tournament perhaps it was the pixie sticks, or Kathleen's cat-calls, or that Shawshank and Rooster had a good time - but it was much fun.  
The Blues needed an extra player and since Dust was in tow we picked him up a uniform from my friend Rich so he could play with the Blues.  The guys saw his red hair and and immediately decided to call him Rooster.  This of course led us to start Cock-a-doodle doing ever time he went up to bat - which is quite hilarious and Shawshank downloaded him a theme song "Here Comes the Rooster"  lol.  Both Shawshank and Rooster played well even after Rooster struggled with hitting his first few times at bat (Mighty Casey story anyone).  Shawshank really got excited to play slide rules and we loved all his mad sliding action.  Anyhow the guys lost 3 and won 1 game but they played hard and had fun.  We were proud to be fans - gallant effort Blues!
Oh and this post would be remiss if I did not mention the bonnet babes the best cranks in the field - Kathleen and Lo - these two were quite the hoot in their matching bonnets and Kathleen even gave a player from the Brooklyn team a new nickname - dirty pirate.  We also have new terminology to use as well like "stir those stumps" and "put a little ginger in it". 
Huzzah Huzzah!