Observations.

It's funny, but when it rains in NYC, people hide away.  The streets become isolated, coffee shops become less crowded and grocery stores & boutiques remain empty. I noticed this scenario twice this week.

Exhibit 1: Monday was a rainy, yucky day in the big apple. On my way home I stopped by Fairway, a gourmet market that is always crazy busy. The store attracts both tourists and locals. On normal days it's difficult just getting in the door. There are always hundreds of people climbing over each other to do their grocery shopping.  You always have someone to cut in front of you as you stand in the express check out line, which usually goes pretty fast and you can never take more than three small steps in front of you without having to stop for others. It's freaking nuts! However, the store is in my neighborhood and has great selections of gourmet foods at decent prices. I shop there for the convenience and the prices; not because it's 'like no other market...' 

But this past Monday was an exception to the normal hectic atmosphere. I walked in and noticed there wasn't the usual crowded hovering by the door, trying to make their way into the produce isles. I could saunter right into the store without hesitation. I easily navigated my way through the spacious isles (spacious for NYC grocery store standards), getting exactly what I wanted without fighting my way through the people, or getting trampled to death. The ultimate blessing was not having to stand in a line that is usually wrapped around for a mile. I was literally in and out of Fairway.  All because the weather was yucky outside and New Yorkers would rather order in or get their groceries delivered,  than tackle disgusting weather conditions.

Exhibit 2:  Today is a very humid, wet, windy Friday so far. I decided to walk to work since it wasn't pouring rain and I'm from Seattle so I am used to it. Besides, taking public transportation in bad weather conditions is disastrous. Everyone opts for the bus and subway, making it very difficult to not be squished like a sardine as you travel to your destination. But walking today was a breeze! Not a soul was on the sidewalks! Usually the streets are so congested that anymore it's impossible to walk down them. Not this morning. The sidewalks were empty, the coffee shops didn't have the usual lines and overall, it was easy getting around the city. Even Central Park was deserted. No runners, bikers or dog walkers. It was perfect! 

Although I'll never understand why the city becomes uninhibited when the weather turns bad; I will never complain. I would much rather dodge the few delivery men from restaurants, delivering New Yorker's their take out in the dodgy weather, rather than maneuver myself around hundreds of individuals, on a beautiful day, who feel as if they own the streets of Manhattan.

Celebrity Sightings of the Week...

Sorry I've been a little relaxed in my weekly reporting. I'll be better, I promise. Here are some sightings for this week:

David Hyde Pierce:  I have actually seen him twice this week. Both times by Lincoln Center (65th & Broadway). He was not in disguise...

Steven Van Zandt:  Aka, Little Steven.  He came into my office yesterday to meet with some of the professionals. He's a super nice guy. John has worked with him several times on the Sopranos and said he's very down-to-earth.  Little Steven was wearing jeans, a mustard-colored leather jacket and of course, his signature head band...

Kelly Ripa:  I have actually seen her before with her children, but this time she was alone. She was getting out of a car at the ABC studios on 67th & Columbus. Kelly wore a velour sweat suit and had black sunglasses on with her hair up. She looked cute...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!

Today is my boyfriend's birthday! Happy Birthday baby. I love you with all my heart! Have a fabulous day.

In A Sea Of Ghostly Legs

As I got up this morning and got ready for work, I did something that I haven't done in a very long time. I went without nylons. Yes, the weather is finally warming up and I was able to put on my dress, without wearing constricting hosiery. As I headed out the door, I noticed many other women shared my sentiments.  They too, went without nylons, tights or ankle socks, displaying freshly painted toes resembling the color of shiny Jolly Rancher candies.

I quickly noticed as I walked down Broadway, that it was like being in a sea of ghostly legs. Some legs were waxed; some were not. But nevertheless, they all shared the same feature - chalky whiteness. On display were 'pre-beach legs' looking like stalks of mozzarella cheese. Many legs were exactly that; stark white. Some had a light shade of pink to them. Some even had twinges of yellow. I glanced down and gasped in horror to my own milky white skin and was almost blinded by the pale brightness.  The whiteness in my legs seem to be even more emphasized by the black dress and shoes I wore.  

But soon the days will come when endless weekends will be spent at the beach and the whiteness will be replaced by a healthier looking glow. Walking down Broadway will no longer result in an ocean of pale legged creatures, but ladies with shiny, fresh-as-baked-bread lightly brown tans. 

It's funny, but sometimes I feel you can tell the seasons just by the color of women's bare legs.

Strange Days...

Photo taken from Gothamist website

Strange observations I noticed this morning while going to work:

• A lady was coming out of her apartment building in nothing but a string bikini and a sheer, short cover up. I saw her walking down Broadway towards the Food Emporium. Perhaps she was going into the grocery store? Nevertheless, it's only 50 degrees outside and the sun is not shining. She must have been extremely cold...
• A man and woman were walking with their twin daughters. At the exact same time, both twins sneezed in unison! Amazing! I knew twins were so much alike, but sneezing at the exact same time in perfect harmony? That's something I haven't seen before...
• A man on roller skates; occasionally you will see people roller blading around the city to work and so forth, but this guy, dressed smartly in a 3-piece suit, was on 1970's style roller skates (blue skates with orange wheels), on his way to work I presume. Very odd...
• A guy walking (around 20?) dogs, on leashes. I guess not too completely strange, he must have been a dog walker, however it's something you don't see everyday...
• A man, dressed as a woman, a scantly clad woman, coming out of Starbucks. Very scary and definitely very strange...

TGIF!

How To Be A Domestic Goddess

I love to cook. I love entertaining. I enjoy making homemade soups, stews, cookies and cupcakes, then bringing them into the office or to neighbors. John and I enjoy having people over and playing host. I love spending hours upon hours in Williams~Sonoma, Gracious Home or Pottery Barn, gazing at all the wonderful goodies that could potentially wind up in my home. We love fixing up our apartment. Most recently, we painted the kitchen and bathroom, added additional shelving in our living room and bought a fabulous floor rug for our bedroom. 

I think I get my love of decorating and entertaining from my mother. She was always inviting her friends over for tea, or fixing up our home. Whether she purchased something new or just rearranged the furniture, our house always looked fresh and new. 

Your space can be quite limited residing in Manhattan. At times we have to become creative in our decorating efforts, as well as adding to our storage space. It’s a bit of a downer, but can also make it easier to select certain items and not going overboard with buying unnecessary pieces for our place. 

Refurbishing is a constant ongoing project, one that we love and take pride in. Being domesticated is a great hobby.

Question of the day...

Okay...I have been pondering a frustrating question for sometime now. It's a bit childish and prima-donna on my part, however it irritates me so I need to ask it.  

WHY do doormen and superintendents of apartment buildings feel the need to hose down the sidewalks during rush hour?

I mean honestly! I understand the need of keeping NY clean and washing the sidewalks of the city is highly necessary, however, why must these people do it during the hours of 7-10am? These hours are predominantly a high traffic time for professionals in midtown, downtown and on the main streets (i.e. Broadway) of NYC, commuting to their jobs. Why do they have to wash the sidewalks during that time? Couldn't they do it really early in the morning or late in the evening? Or even before lunch hour or in the early afternoon?  Why do they choose to do it when most people are going to work. 8.00am is a high traffic time on many of the streets in the city, and this is when they choose to do it!  I have actually went out of my way to avoid these people, only to encounter them on the next street. 

And it's much worse during the summer. It seems they are out more and more, cleaning off the sidewalks. Why I get so upset is that water from the garden hoses they use, splatters from the sidewalks and the wind picks it up, showering you with a fine mist. If you're wearing flip flops (or strappy sandals) forget it. When you walk through the puddles on the wet pavement, you end up flinging dirty water onto the backs of your legs and on your pretty spring and summer dresses. If you're wearing nude nylons or light colored pants, the street crud ends up there as well. Usually these guys will continue to spray right up until you come up on them, only stopping for a second before blasting the pavement with another round of water, barely letting you through their war zone. It's so frustrating!

Last summer I fell right on my backside because some moron was washing off the sidewalk on Broadway between 57th & 58th street at 8.30am. I remember it all to well! It was mid-August and I was wearing a sleeveless, light blue and white print dress. It came to my knee and since it was unbearably hot and humid, I wore a white lacy thong underneath my garment. I was happily walking down the street when suddenly with my next step, my leg shot straight up in the air. Then the other one followed and I came crashing down onto the sidewalk right on my butt! It was as if I slipped on the ice or something. I was wearing white flip flops and I guess the bottoms caught the soapy, watery, marble sidewalk and I the next thing I knew, I had flashed my underwear to several cars sitting at the traffic light just before I was laying on my back in the wet sidewalk crud! That was one of the most lowest points of my life, not to mention, the most embarrassing. 

Needless to say, nobody offered any type of assistance to me. People just walked right over me. The guy spraying off the sidewalk came up and apologized at least. I remember walking to work with a stinging derriere with a muddy wet dress. How humiliating!

(Note: the next day I walked in the area and the same guy was spraying. This time he had a sign up saying, Caution, Wet Sidewalk!)

Without further rambling, my point here is that these doormen and building owners could choose to wash the sidewalks at a less highly traveled time during the day. Instead, they wait when people are going to work, when businesses open and when tourists are out in droves. It's so annoying!