weekend roundup
So, I left earlier than planned on Friday morning to head down to NYC because of the wonderfulness that was/is the closing of I-95 (now they are saying it will be open by Thursday, as opposed to the original 3 weeks that it was supposed to be out of commission). I got into Port Authority just about 4pm (only about 1/2 hour behind schedule) and made my way to the hotel (at 31st and 7th -- great location). Waited for Mom to arrive and check-in, then headed up to the room to wait for the rest of the family. After we hung around the hotel a bit, we wandered up to Times Square so Mom and Sally could get their tickets for Saturday night's performance of "I Am My Own Wife" (at my recommendation) and over to Becco, on W. 46th, for dinner. Note to self: do not drink 2/3+ of a bottle of wine the night before you have to take 2 big tests. After a rather long (but tasty!) dinner, headed back to the hotel and crashed about midnight, as I had to get up at 6am to make my way to the Upper East Side for my tests.
Saturday morning, got up, left and made my way uptown in record time -- so, had more than an hour of just waiting around Hunter College High School. The first test started at 8:30 -- I was done by 11. It was not challenging at all, but I was so tired (and a bit hungover) from the night before, that all I wanted to do was put my head down on my desk and take a nap. So, when I was done, I walked down to the cafe at 88th and Lex that Karen and I had found 2 weeks ago and got myself a sandwich and cookie for lunch, and a soda with CAFFEINE. Headed back to the school to eat and wait for the afternoon exam, and ran into someone from my Wellesley class who is also enrolling in the fellows. Small world. Headed in to take the math test, and was not entirely traumatized by it. I mean, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, there was hardly any calculus on it, and I think there's a small chance I might have even passed it. (Thank You saraheeyore for your calculator! It served me quite well!) Left the school about 4:30 and made my way back to the hotel (stopping for more caffeine on the way). Went to the hotel, and then went out to see an apartment in Chelsea (yeah, sorry, but I don't want a room without a window). Mom and Sally headed out to theatre, and I showered and went to Brooklyn to see Karen and returned the generously "borrowed" Calculus textbook. Hung out there for a bit, (watched my team lose their chance at the Final Four) and then we left to go meet Mom and Sally post-theatre at db bistro moderne, the swanky manhattan restaurant where my cousin Michael is the pastry chef (not that I've seen or talked to him since I was about 10 years old...). OH MY GOD. it was SO GOOD. I had fish, karen had one of the 2 vegetarian things on the menu, and Mom and Sally split a salad and the $29 hamburger (they opted not to have the $59 burger with truffles on it, nor the $99 version with double truffles). Then, we had dessert. The matre'd knew that we were Michael's family (and allowed us to write notes to him on a dessert menu, since he was not in that night), so, yeah, we had 6 desserts. For 4 people. I don't know that I'll go back for the food, but I will DEFINITELY go back for dessert. Many times. I have to get in touch with Michael when I move to the city...I'll be a guinea pig for him anyday.
Sunday was devoted to . Saw 2 places on the Lower East Side. The first was this random loft right near Chinatown. Yeah, there was a reason it was only $600/month. So, no. Second, I went to a place with another teacher -- it's a basement apartment. It's kind of okay, not great, but I could certainly live there okay. Then, I headed uptown to the Upper West Side. And I found a place I REALLY want -- more than I wanted the place from 2 weeks ago. So, now I just have to wait while they make their decision. It's right near Lincoln Center, and SO NICE. And it has kitties! The second place I saw on the UWS was just too far out of my price range and, honestly, the woman was a little odd. I mean, she's a first grade teacher (which is fine), but I don't need to be talked to like a first-grader.
So, then I came home to Boston. And it looks like I might plan an impromptu trip to NYC next weekend to see a couple more places....we'll see.
My TOY arrived today. I really want to "get sick" and go home early to play with it :)
Saturday morning, got up, left and made my way uptown in record time -- so, had more than an hour of just waiting around Hunter College High School. The first test started at 8:30 -- I was done by 11. It was not challenging at all, but I was so tired (and a bit hungover) from the night before, that all I wanted to do was put my head down on my desk and take a nap. So, when I was done, I walked down to the cafe at 88th and Lex that Karen and I had found 2 weeks ago and got myself a sandwich and cookie for lunch, and a soda with CAFFEINE. Headed back to the school to eat and wait for the afternoon exam, and ran into someone from my Wellesley class who is also enrolling in the fellows. Small world. Headed in to take the math test, and was not entirely traumatized by it. I mean, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, there was hardly any calculus on it, and I think there's a small chance I might have even passed it. (Thank You saraheeyore for your calculator! It served me quite well!) Left the school about 4:30 and made my way back to the hotel (stopping for more caffeine on the way). Went to the hotel, and then went out to see an apartment in Chelsea (yeah, sorry, but I don't want a room without a window). Mom and Sally headed out to theatre, and I showered and went to Brooklyn to see Karen and returned the generously "borrowed" Calculus textbook. Hung out there for a bit, (watched my team lose their chance at the Final Four) and then we left to go meet Mom and Sally post-theatre at db bistro moderne, the swanky manhattan restaurant where my cousin Michael is the pastry chef (not that I've seen or talked to him since I was about 10 years old...). OH MY GOD. it was SO GOOD. I had fish, karen had one of the 2 vegetarian things on the menu, and Mom and Sally split a salad and the $29 hamburger (they opted not to have the $59 burger with truffles on it, nor the $99 version with double truffles). Then, we had dessert. The matre'd knew that we were Michael's family (and allowed us to write notes to him on a dessert menu, since he was not in that night), so, yeah, we had 6 desserts. For 4 people. I don't know that I'll go back for the food, but I will DEFINITELY go back for dessert. Many times. I have to get in touch with Michael when I move to the city...I'll be a guinea pig for him anyday.
Sunday was devoted to . Saw 2 places on the Lower East Side. The first was this random loft right near Chinatown. Yeah, there was a reason it was only $600/month. So, no. Second, I went to a place with another teacher -- it's a basement apartment. It's kind of okay, not great, but I could certainly live there okay. Then, I headed uptown to the Upper West Side. And I found a place I REALLY want -- more than I wanted the place from 2 weeks ago. So, now I just have to wait while they make their decision. It's right near Lincoln Center, and SO NICE. And it has kitties! The second place I saw on the UWS was just too far out of my price range and, honestly, the woman was a little odd. I mean, she's a first grade teacher (which is fine), but I don't need to be talked to like a first-grader.
So, then I came home to Boston. And it looks like I might plan an impromptu trip to NYC next weekend to see a couple more places....we'll see.
My TOY arrived today. I really want to "get sick" and go home early to play with it :)