Thursday, June 3, 2010

N.Y.C. / The rich and the rundown / The parade goes by

Location: Paayal's living room couch, which is coincidentally a bed
Listening: N.Y.C. - Annie (Remembering Soniya's laryngitis performance as Grace in middle school...The show must go on!)

Diploma in hand, it's time for me to two-step over to the East coast and make my run of the big city. I'm in Manhattan for about ten days looking for apartments, mostly business, but I wouldn't be a Longhorn if I didn't know how to have a little fun.

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I started browsing in the Financial District (FiDi). One place I checked out was directly across the street from The Trump Building and next door to Tiffany's. Talk about lavish living. Knowing me, I fell in love with the more open-spaced neighborhoods filled with small grocery stores, boutiques, and eateries like East and West Village, SoHo, and the lively Union Square area. I'm pleasantly surprised to see wonderful little imports from Paris like Maison du Chocolat and O&Co. Oui, Le Marais, I still think of you fondly...

The hunt for an apartment has pretty much been a disaster, but I'm happy to share a few things I've learned. If you see an apartment and like it in NY, you put an application in right on the spot. Better come stocked with lots of goodies for the management i.e. Social Security card, bank statements, tax returns, pay stubs or an offer letter featuring a salary up to 50x the rent, and much, much more. Also, during the summer months, you're much more likely to find June 1st leases than anything else and for any time of the year, you really want to be looking only 2-3 weeks before move-in date (which is generally the 1st and sometimes the 15th of the month). Surprise, surprise, there really is such a thing as TOO EARLY. 2 months is far too soon. No brokers will talk to you and listings on public sites are just not available.

Now on to the fun, less heartbreaking stuff.

Well, maybe just one more brief setback. Walking there in the heat and finding out that tickets were not available was a disappointment, but no worries I got my fill of funny at UCB, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. I saw a $10 sketch show with two troupes, the first of which was just not funny. See for yourself (There's a trailer on their website). The second troupe however blew me away with their parade of scenes showcasing die-hard LOST fans, shopping mall gays, a Staten Island talk show host, and my personal fav, I Love Lucy.

Part 1:
LinkLink
Part 2:

Thunder Gulch

Pretty much since the day I started reading From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (circa 1996) I've been dreaming of living inside the Met. With a bit of age and wisdom, I've decided to settle for just a visit.

Inside the Museum Puzzle

Best affordable souvenir.
$16.95/$15.95 (Non-member, Member)
Quite tempted to purchase it actually. You know, the old framed puzzle ordeal. But I didn't bother to get it on this trip as I'd only be bringing it right back.

Out on the front steps of The Met, despite the drizzle, I decided to rest and listen to this sax player.