Walking on the Wild Side

The weather has been beautiful in New York this week, warm and not very rainy.  Warm, I am learning, is a relative term.  Warm in California usually puts you in the 90 degree plus category.  "Winter Warm" in California would probably be 60 degrees or so.  The first full day we were here the weather was in the 25-30 degree range.  Not particularly warm but comfortable IF you have the right clothes which thankfully, due to many, many deliveries from Land's End, we are well equipped.  But by the time the first weekend ended, the temperature dropped to about 12-15 degrees and it snowed.  That is "hurts my face" weather.  You NEED a hat in this weather, along with gloves, scarves, 2 jackets and long underwear - especially if you have to walk everywhere. 

So I was pleased when this week, after spending many days unpacking, the weather seemed to warm up just in time for me to do a bit of exploring.   Our apartment is one block off the west side of Central Park.  We haven't been able to find a gym yet with all the unpacking I am doing and all the travelling Chizz is doing. So after spending quite a few hours cooped up in a very warm apartment (who knew when you don't pay for heat that they would heat it so darn much!), I needed to get out and get some fresh, albeit cool, air.  So I put on my walking shoes and head out to Central Park.  Over the years, Central Park has gotten some bad press.  In fact pretty much all we hear in the news and from the Law & Order TV shows is that bad things happen in Central Park.  Usually at night.  I am here to tell you that Central Park really functions as New York's back yard.  During the daylight hours you can find couples walking hand in hand, parents with strollers, people roller skating, running, eating lunch.  You see day care classes of toddlers playing in one of the many different playgrounds located throughout the park.  Just people enjoying a bit of green in a not so green city.

I am lucky to have the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis reservoir practically at my doorstep.  Well, at least there is an entrance to the park on my street and it is literally a hop, skip and jump from there to the pathway along the reservoir. It used to be called the Central Park Reservoir but when Jackie passed away in 1994, they quickly renamed it after her.   According to Caroline Kennedy, Jackie used to love walking or jogging there and her 5th Avenue apartment overlooked the reservoir.   So I have starting walking there every morning.  It is pretty awesome now so I can't wait to see what it looks like in the spring.  This pathway goes all the way around the reservoir.   When I get on the east side, I try to figure out which apartment was Jackie's.  No luck yet, but I will figure it out. 




Clearly running wrong way!

This is a pretty popular pathway, even in the cold and rain. So I am guessing the Central Park authorities decided some rules needed to be put in place.  You can only walk in one direction according to this sign.  Since I am a rule follower, I have been heeding the signs.  Mostly because it works out pretty well for me because of how the pathway intersects with my street opening.  But still there are scofflaws!  I am telling you it is a slippery slope from running the wrong way on the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir pathway to cheating on your taxes to stealing your grandmother's social security checks.  I am certain. 

As I write this, it is pouring in biblical proportions outside so I am lucky that I was able to get my walks in earlier this week.  It is only predicted to rain for the morning so I am hopeful I will get outside this afternoon and continue the tradition.  I leave you with a view of the Upper West Side taken from the East Side.  Our apartment building is visible in this shot.  Who knows I might have taken this in the shadow of Jackie O's apartment? 

Niners! It Is All Up to You Now!

It is hard being the lone 49ers fans in a town of all Giants fans. (I've checked we are the ONLY 49ers fans in NYC - fact.)  It is probably not surprising to most that Giants fans are a very proud, loud group.  All week long, we have heard every little thing there is to know about the Giants as a team and as individual players, how good the defense is, how wonderful Eli Manning is, when they practiced, where they practiced, how cold it was when they practiced inside and how cold it was outside when they were practicing inside, when they flew out to California.  I am sure it has been the same on the other side of the country.  It has all been said and all that is left now is to play the game.  Oh, right - the game!!   I have done what I can on this side of the country Niners, I give you: 

The 49ers Salt & Pepper Shakers!  The rest is up to you!  Let's go!!! 

Welcome To The Jungle!

We have arrived!  This is the view from our apartment.  Is it any wonder we took this place?   It is amazing at sunrise.  The view at night is just as spectacular.  If the sun didn't beat down at 500 degrees between 1 and 5 p.m every afternoon, I would seriously consider leaving the windows uncovered (that and I think the neighbors would prefer we get shades).I am excited about city living.  It is going to be fun learning the cool things to do in our neigborhood, the interesting restaurants, the fun bars, different shops.  Apartment living is going to take some adjustment.  We haven't met too many of our neighbors yet in our building but people seem nice in the elevator.  I think in large apartment buildings, people keep to themselves a bit.  I do have to admit a bit of curiosity about our floormates though and I have been trying to catch glimpses of them through my peephole in the door.  (Oh, come on - its not like you wouldn't do that too!)  Not much luck. 

The movers have arrived and delivered our 90+ boxes and we are making our way through them.  More on that later but I would say we are about 85% through them.  It has taken some creative storage but I am hopeful we will find a place for everything!

We have been adjusting slowly.  The first week, Chizz has decided to take it a bit easy and just go to work when he wakes up, no alarm clock - at least for the first few days.  The other morning as I was sitting in the living room reading, I heard a door slam on our floor.  Here was my chance to see one of my neighbors!!  I ran quickly to the peephole and saw a woman, about 60ish, dressed for the weather, big coat, scarf and hat.  She walked right out of her door, past the elevators and straight to our doorway.  Oh no!!  Was she coming over this early to introduce herself and welcome us to the building?  Crap! I have my pjs on, my hair is a mess, the apartment is too, Chizz is still sleeping.  What am I going to do?  I look out the peephole again.  She is right in front of the door.  I watch her as she bends down, grabs our newspaper and gets right on the elevator.

Welcome to New York!  I think we are going to like it here!