I've been back for just a few days and find it shocking that everything looks and feels the same. It's like I never left. Which is nice though underwhelming and I still worry about all the same shit I did last time I was here like money and employment and school and boys. What a cliche.
I wake up late because I still haven't transitioned from California time and 10:30am feels like 7:30am which means that I am not at all lazy but quite the early riser considering I have no big plans for the day. I take a shower and walk the dog. It's beautiful and sunny and all I wear is the light, purple coat I bought at Target on the 50%-off rack - something I brag about every time someone mentions my coat in casual conversation. I wonder what it would be like if someone mentioned something about my coat in un-casual conversation. Probably something like, "Shit! Your coat is on fire!" Back inside, my hair is mostly dry so I curl it, something I don't do often so I feel pretty damn fancy.
My roommate suggests going to Union Square before we head over to the Center for Architecture for a talk about Urban Planning and Resilience. We take an unfamiliar subway. The B. The B existed in Harlem but I never took it because it was slow and went to parts of Manhattan I wasn't interested in. Apparently, it goes all the way to Brooklyn and is quite speedy on this side of the East river. I read from my Kindle and allow the familiar sway to guide me towards The Borough.
Union Square is just as crazy and weird as ever. I'm fairly certain the beat of those Congo drums doesn't change and if it ever stopped the earth would cease spinning. I don't know the scientific details of what would happen if the earth stopped spinning but I'm pretty sure we all die so thank God for those beanie-wearing hippies and their desire to make noise in public. We head to Bank of America so the roomie can take care of a few things because being an adult is stupid and then we decide to walk up Fifth Ave. and look at clothes we can't afford.
We find the sale section of a store that is so stupidly over-priced that I want to hate it but I don't. Instead I love it and hope to make irresponsible purchases there one day. Even the sale section is far out of our financial reach but we each pick a pretty occasion dress (we have no occasions) and try them on. Beautiful. Then we hand them back to the very pretty and very snooty lady in the dressing room and walk back out to the streets, Empire State building in the background. I love this city.
We walk down, past Washington Square park - the Christmas tree is still up and lit under the arch - and find a cute cafe just a few doors down from the Center for Architecture. Two black coffees from a bearded barista and we're ready for an academic talk about Urban Design. It's interesting and engaging and the immensity of urban planning challenges overwhelm and excite us all. Time for free wine.
Our friend from the graduate program we all love and hate came and brought yet another friend, new to our program and new to the both of us. He is funny, intelligent, and nice which is a rarity I did not ignore. We went for drinks at a cute Brazilian bar and restaurant nearby. Two Dos Equis. Good conversation (weather, sports, weather, our interests, weather) and lots of laughs made for a great night.
B train and bed.
I wake up late because I still haven't transitioned from California time and 10:30am feels like 7:30am which means that I am not at all lazy but quite the early riser considering I have no big plans for the day. I take a shower and walk the dog. It's beautiful and sunny and all I wear is the light, purple coat I bought at Target on the 50%-off rack - something I brag about every time someone mentions my coat in casual conversation. I wonder what it would be like if someone mentioned something about my coat in un-casual conversation. Probably something like, "Shit! Your coat is on fire!" Back inside, my hair is mostly dry so I curl it, something I don't do often so I feel pretty damn fancy.
My roommate suggests going to Union Square before we head over to the Center for Architecture for a talk about Urban Planning and Resilience. We take an unfamiliar subway. The B. The B existed in Harlem but I never took it because it was slow and went to parts of Manhattan I wasn't interested in. Apparently, it goes all the way to Brooklyn and is quite speedy on this side of the East river. I read from my Kindle and allow the familiar sway to guide me towards The Borough.
Union Square is just as crazy and weird as ever. I'm fairly certain the beat of those Congo drums doesn't change and if it ever stopped the earth would cease spinning. I don't know the scientific details of what would happen if the earth stopped spinning but I'm pretty sure we all die so thank God for those beanie-wearing hippies and their desire to make noise in public. We head to Bank of America so the roomie can take care of a few things because being an adult is stupid and then we decide to walk up Fifth Ave. and look at clothes we can't afford.
We find the sale section of a store that is so stupidly over-priced that I want to hate it but I don't. Instead I love it and hope to make irresponsible purchases there one day. Even the sale section is far out of our financial reach but we each pick a pretty occasion dress (we have no occasions) and try them on. Beautiful. Then we hand them back to the very pretty and very snooty lady in the dressing room and walk back out to the streets, Empire State building in the background. I love this city.
We walk down, past Washington Square park - the Christmas tree is still up and lit under the arch - and find a cute cafe just a few doors down from the Center for Architecture. Two black coffees from a bearded barista and we're ready for an academic talk about Urban Design. It's interesting and engaging and the immensity of urban planning challenges overwhelm and excite us all. Time for free wine.
Our friend from the graduate program we all love and hate came and brought yet another friend, new to our program and new to the both of us. He is funny, intelligent, and nice which is a rarity I did not ignore. We went for drinks at a cute Brazilian bar and restaurant nearby. Two Dos Equis. Good conversation (weather, sports, weather, our interests, weather) and lots of laughs made for a great night.
B train and bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment