Here and at home

Hello again! I know it's been a week without a single peep, but I'm here. After a glorious weekend away on Fire Island, I'm actually starting to feel at home. It's been a tiring week of settling in, which involved a trip to the IKEA in Paramus (my first trip to NJ ever, ha), waiting at home endlessly for deliveries, assembling IKEA furniture, unpacking, and assembling more IKEA furniture. Our apartment is in pretty good shape though considering we've only had a few days to work on it together. It's funny how household tasks like getting new pillows become novel when you buy them from the Bed Bath and Beyond in Lincoln Center and schlep them home on the subway.

It's also strange to fight that touristic urge to see and do everything all at once. Aside from the trip away and a run around the Central Park loop, I haven't even stepped foot in any other NYC neighborhood besides my own. It's comforting to know that I actually live here (self: yes, really!) and that the city will let me wind my way through it at my own pace.

I am learning lots of new things every day, but namely, how to think in seasons. In SF, there are only two seasons: foggy and clear. In either one, you'd never pack away your wool coat because god knows you'll still need it in July. Here, it is stubbornly summer: shoulders are getting brown and freckly, girls are in cute, breezy dresses, boys are in shorts, chapeaus, and the ever-so trendy black Wayfarers, and diners are eating al fresco. I can't wait for autumn, but from a practical storage standpoint, I have to pack those sweaters, coats, and knee-high boots away until at least October. Seasons: who knew?

On a related note, does any East Coaster know what kind of tree this is with yellow leaves that are perfectly white underneath?
Very curious. I spotted these this weekend. More on that soon!

Nearly there

Ahhh. I am finally catching my breath, after a whirlwind of events. There have been friends to dance with (exuberantly!) at Cat Club, a half marathon to run, a bevy of fantastic last meals at Range, Bar Jules, and Citizen Cake, and a beautiful wedding to attend. All in addition to the packing, shipping, and moving involved with relocating to another city. I haven't had a chance to even really get excited about the thought of living in NYC, until now. I'm feeling disheveled, nervous, sad, and happy all at the same time.

I've started to become known to my friends as the friend who likes to leave town every other year or so. I swear I don't do it for the free meals, attention, and City Walk cards from Krissy. (Although I would love to get the one for Paris and Barcelona one day, ha.) I get antsy in one place. But if the past is any indication of future behavior, I will return.

To all my family and friends who continue to let me be antsy: thanks for all the hullabaloo. :-) I do love and appreciate it all. The next time I post, I'll be in NYC. Crazy.

Things found this weekend

Hot salty beef!!! (Vegetarians, avert eyes now.)

An Edenic grocery store

A Zagat Award of Distinction bagel shop

And a home! :-)

More details soon. xoxo

On early retirement

"It is said: San Francisco is where young people go to retire." Or, so says Cal Stephanides.

While I haven't exactly been basking in the glow of my "golden years"* (and the idea of actual retirement in San Francisco is pretty much absurd, unless you are independently wealthy), for some reason, this quote has always rung true to me. San Francisco is an often breathtaking city, bountiful in its opportunities for contented living, play, and mostly organic food. I could happily live here forever, playing the young person's equivalent of shuffle board (whatever that is), but I don't know if I'm ready to be set out to pasture quite yet.

So, in a little over a month, I'll be leaving my hometown and moving to New York City (!). I hear it's where young people go to have their midlife crisis...

Readers, will you welcome me back? (You know who you are!)

*If I were Golden Girl, I think I'd be Sophia. Et toi?