Chaos

Our apartment is in chaos. All our patings are leaning against one wall. Suitcases, shoes, files, bags, loose papers and boxes are everywhere. I'm almost looking forward to the movers coming tomorrow because then at least the apartment will be neat. In fact, it will be almost empty. But we're still going to live in it for 10 more days. We haven't quite figured that out. I think we're in denial - at least I am. It's funny, the thing Matt and I are most anxious about it that we'll have no TV. We live in one of the most exciting cities in the world, and we're not huge TV-watchers anyway, but after a long day at work we sit down in front of the tube. It will be interesting to see how we do without it. I feel like we'll be camping - in a West Village apartment.

This morning we looked at the lease for our new apt., which apparently probably has lead paint, asbestos and mold. "It's only 6 months," Matt said to me. Indeed.

The Movers Are Coming, the Movers Are Coming...

The headline says it all. Matt has been in charge of hiring movers to pick up all our stuff, load it into a giant truck and deliver it to us in California. As much as I've wanted to avoid dealing with it -- because that would make the move really, really real -- they are coming. Soon. I only have 3 days left in my fully furnished apartment. On Tuesday, it will be barren and I won't be able to ignore this monumental change.

Things I've Done in New York

In every city there are BIG THINGS to do -- museums to visit, sights to see, restaurants to eat in. As I count down my days in NYC, I thought I'd make a list of things to do that I haven't done here. So far I have come up with, visit the Frick Collection. I'm proud that that is the only thing I can think of. I've spent my 13 years here well -- experienced the city, lived a NY life. If you have suggestions for things I should do in NYC, please, please let me know.

In the meantime, here are some of the things I have done:
Gone to the top of the Empire State Building, visited Ellis Island, toured Governor's island, ridden my bike around Staten Island, taken my life in my hands - at least 5 times - by riding the Cyclone at Coney Island, gone from tip to tip and side to side on Roosevelt Island, taken a ride on the 59th Street Tram, danced on top of a speaker as a go-go dancer at CBGBs, taken African dance lessons in Harlem, visited the MET, the Whitney, the old MoMa, new MoMa and even the interim MoMa, P.S. 1, The Museum of Natural History, The Cloisters, the old Hayden Planetarium (but not the new Rose one), gone to a wedding in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, checked out the Orchid show at the Bronx Botanical Gardens, eaten Italian food on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx, eaten seafood on City Island, worked for a sex writer on Central Park West, shopped for food the day before Thanksgiving at Fairway (an experience not for the faint of heart), fallen asleep on an decaying pier in Redhook Brooklyn on a lazy Sunday, gone on a ride-along with NYPD on the Lower East Side, witnessed a shooting, watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from a 5th floor window on Central Park West, ridden my bike all the way around Manhattan, run a race around Central Park, taken a carriage ride in the park, rented a boat in the park, had high tea at the Plaza Hotel, gotten kicked out of the Campbell Apartment (for wearing sneakers), eaten Easter brunch at the Rainbow Room, danced and drank martinis as Windows on the World, lived in Williamsburg before it was hip, dated a musician, been to Sting's dressing room at the Beacon Theater, watched a fashion show at Bryant Park, went ice-skating at Woollman Rink as a light snow fell, eaten a pastrami sandwich at Katz's deli, owned real estate in the West Village, fallen in love, been heartbroken, found the man I will marry, seen the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan going into his Sutton Place mansion, attended the American Theater Wing luncheon, been a New York City Grand Juror -- during grand jury appreciation month!, attended the best picnic ever with a giant Puerto Rican family on Staten Island, eaten dinner (several times) with an ex-cop who was carrying a gun, attended the U.S. Open, played ping-pong at the West Side park, watched movies on a rooftop in Brooklyn, interviewed Al Pacino at the Tribeca Film Festival, saw Alan Cumming in Cabert, performed stand-up comedy all over Manhattan, sat next to Salman Rushdie at a movie screening. I'll add more when i think of it.

Happy Mistake

Today I got off the subway one stop early -- totally by mistake. This is a train ride I have taken every weekday for six years and have never once gotten off at the wrong stop. I was thinking of New York. My mind wasn't on the present. By the time I realized I was at the wrong stop, I was already up the stairs and on my way out of the station. Upon exiting, the first thing I saw was the gleaming top of the Chrysler Building. What a beautiful sight. I'm so glad I got off at the wrong stop.

Spring Has Sprung – Thank God

We slept with the windows open last night. Today, I noticed the first leaf on the tree outside my window has sprouted out. The birds are ecstatically chirping. It's spring in New York. The streets of the West Village feel light and giddy. Pink cherry blossoms and bright green new leaves, tulips and daffodils are everywhere. It's been a long winter, (and the temperature is supposed to drop again for a few days) but when the spring comes to this city it's magic. This is the time of year I would normally hop on my bike, feel the warm breeze on my face and glide around the city to see what's new. My bike's in storage with a flat tire and soon it will be on a giant truck on its way to Los Angeles. For some reason, that kinda kills me. I need another New York bike ride or two before I leave. It's the only proper way for me to say goodbye.

Also: Sarah made it through surgery! I got to visit her in the recovery room for all of two minutes, but she wasn't all drugged out and in pain as I had imagined. She looked excellent. Yay!

And: My apartment is in contract. Yay, again!

Countdown: 15 days left in NYC

What the F Is Up with Park La Brea?

So we've been "approved" to move into Park La Brea in L.A. I'll say again, it's kind of a weird place, but I for one am super psyched that our little "townhouse" has two bedrooms, two stories and a patio. That rocks! But the woman who signed us up – our leasing agent lady – quit days after we were there and moved to the desert. Now, I have left three messages for other Park La Brea people asking for our contract, trying to figure out our new mailing address and minor details like that! And no one is calling me back. And it's pissing me off.

Good Luck, Sarah

Thoughts go out to my future sister-in-law, Sarah, who is having serious hip surgery today. Saw her last night and she was really nervous, but I know she'll be OK. We had dinner with the whole family -- including her mom and dad who have flown in to be here. Here we are. And here's a link to her blog.