All HalloWEEK!

Just the hair and outfit. No makeup yet. The makeup was amazing. Sorta looked like a drag queen though. And I loved it.

So... I had SO MUCH FUN trying on all of my Jessica Rabbit outfit! Gah! Cannot WAIT to rock the shit outta this costume Friday night. Except that... I have no where to go...

I get off work around 10 or so and am gonna get ready in the work bathroom before I head... somewhere... Only I don't know where yet. Potential plans include: wandering around FiDi to see if there's anywhere to go or googling it until I find a place or having one of my glorious NYC friends coming to the rescue with a plan for me. Otherwise, I'll just have a kickass costume. Again. Next year.

I Live Here Now

My new neighborhood, Crown Heights!

So, we were approved by our apartment! We get it! I went ahead and ran all the errands today, getting the certified checks, reading through the lease and tomorrow Maridee is gonna stop by the restaurant so I can give her the checks and sign the lease before she meets with our broker and finalizes everything else. Move in date is November 6th, so be sending me good thoughts next Thursday!

And now, to find an air mattress to sleep on until I can make a Ikea trip to buy a big girl bed!

This is the final step! I really live here! Hooray!

I also was able to get the devil accessories for my work Halloween outfit and the wig to complete my Jessica Rabbit look.

AND because I was in midtown to stop by the other Stout and pay for my uniform, I was able to stop by and grab foods with my friend, Danielle, who is visiting from Seattle before she and friend went to see Matilda (#totesjelly). I like seeing my Seattle friends here in NYC!

Too Much To Do, Too Little Time...

So much to get done on my last day off until Halloween. Yeesh. I have to stop by Stout midtown to buy another shirt (and pay for the ones I already have), hit up a Ricky's (a NYC store that has all the costumes this time of year) to buy devil stuff to wear to work Friday and a wig to complete my Jessica Rabbit costume for Friday night, grocery shop for all the foodz, and possibly get a certified check to my potential new landlord (assuming I hear we've been accepted today)...

But right now I'm just gonna eat some breakfast and relax a bit.

The Subway

So... I've been in a fight with the Subway system of late. Luckily, I just bought a unlimited pass, so my on's and off's have been less painful (and expensive).

On Saturday I ended up a half-hour late to work because my train was re-routed with no notice at my stop (awesome). Instead of running to Fulton, I would have had to go all the way to W 4th st and then get off and turn right around and head back downtown in order to get to Fulton. Needless to say, the second I realized that the train was not going on the A,C line, I got off, walked to the surface and called work letting them know I would be late. Then I walked right back down to ask the MTA official how I should get to Fulton, she told me a number of complicated ways and then said that I could walk a few blocks to catch the 2,3 and get to Brooklyn. So, I walked. Turned out I was in Dumbo (a section of Brooklyn right next to the Brooklyn Bridge) that was so super cute, just ya know, not work... Yesh.

Then after closing on Saturday, and getting outta there at 230 or so, I stood and waited for a half-hour or 40 minutes for a stupid train... I didn't get home until 4am. It was awful. No me gusta.

Then Diana and I got a bit lost trying to go across town to Carlow East and I got a bit lost heading home...

And today (after checking MTA.info before heading to work), I got there no problem. But getting home? I walk down to catch the train and there's the sign. The stupid, stupid sign saying I have to go uptown to W 4th and then head back downtown on a train from there... Then, as I'm waiting for the uptown train, a Brooklyn-bound train goes right by me! Yes! So, I must have hit them right when they finished the construction and I got home in 35 min. Thank god. And now, to sleep!

Also, for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month. It's November), I've decided I'm gonna do my own version, which I'm gonna call NaBloWriMo (National Blog Writing Month) and try to write on my blog at least once a day. Even if it's just a short little update. I will write!

The City That Never Sleeps...Is Kicking My Ass (in the BEST possible way)!

Diana (a friend from Seattle) and me at the Hawks bar, Carlow East 

Hey guys, so it's been a while... and I apologize about that, but work and trying to find a place to live have been taking over my life... I feel like every opportunity I have where I could (and probs should) write, I need to relax and do nothing, so that's my excuse.

Let's see... What has been happening? Um, mostly just work, I guess. I worked five days this week and picked up a Sunday shift last week, so I worked six days (and it was exhausting). It seems like my schedule has kinda solidified to being close Mon, Tues off, work lunch only on Wed, work lunch and part of dinner on Thurs, lunch and dinner Fri, close Sat and then Sun off. Or, at least that seems like that's what it's been last week and is gonna be this week too.

The only hard part of last week was the 12+ hour day I worked Thursday and then turning right back around and opening on Fri. Oof. It was hard. But luckily, I was cut around 530pm on Friday, so that day only ended up being 7 hours.

I work tonight at 5pm and then I have tomorrow off (thank the gods). I also just finished my application for an apartment in Crown Heights right off the 3 train (super close to work and still in Brooklyn) with a friend from Seattle and her current roomie. And it's reasonably priced and I am just hoping beyond all hope that this works out! Lord a-mighty this has been stressful.

Key to Success

I closed for the first time as a full server last night and after two hours of only one table, the bar exploded. It was wonderful. Sorta stressful and I made many, many mistakes, but I think I was getting  pretty good. Plus, I got to and from the Fulton st stop without needing either google maps on my phone or getting lost. #winning!

I close again today, but since it's a Tuesday instead of a Sunday or Monday I'll have to be there until 2am for the first time (kitchen closes at 12m Sun & Mon, bar at 2am versus 2am and 4am the rest of the week)... Needless to say, I am taking today pretty slow. Plus, it really feels like autumn has hit here, so thank GOD my boxes arrived when they did (more jackets than just the jean one I wore on the plane! And scarves! And boots!). It's gorgeous today, but has been pretty rainy this last week, so I'm grateful for my umbrellas, too (turns out New Yorkers use them here).

Nate and I hungout at the Seahawks bar to watch our sad implosion of a game on Sun, too. I made new friends again and generally had a great time, minus our loss... Come on, boys! Now both the Niners and the Cards are ahead of us in the NFC West? Boo. To be honest, I am mostly concerned about all the injuries... Be careful out there, boys, I need you healthy to repeat again this season.

Low Key

Met up with Jess to see Jessica Mitriani with Rossy de Palma's show, Traveling Lady, today and besides a little technical difficulties, the show was... interesting. It was only 45 minutes and incorporated the story of Nellie Bly, commercials, a talking coat and lots and lots of black and white imagery. Still not quite sure what it was saying, but it was interesting. Very different. Always glad I go to shows recommended by Jess.

Followed the Husky game (good win, boys!) from my phone this evening as well., and post-show grabbed a drink with Jess and her friend, Jess, from PS 1 before the three of us split off and I came home, grabbed some Maker's on the way, ordered Seamless Chinese and am now chilling at home catching up with old Daily Shows and Colbert Reports. Good night.

Tomorrow Nate and I are meeting up at Carlow East (the Hawks bar) to watch the game and hangout. Yay Seattle people! Yay Seattle sports! Yay friends!

Also, saw my schedule for next week and yesh... I am closing three times and working 2 doubles. Here we go! I said I wanted to be busy and make money and meet new people and I am jumping in with both feet. Less than a month in, too... woah.

Well, That Didn't Quite Work Out...

Well, today was day one of working and making tips. And the restaurant was empty. I was hoping to be there until 5 or 6 or so, but NOPE. Cut at 2... Now I'm home and just ate lunch and am killing time until I leave to meet Jess for the show at FIAF.

Blearg. But I got my schedule for next week and I'm closing three times, but it's good. Five days of work (with Fri & Sun off). I just need to make some monies (and friends)!

One Last Thing...

I stopped by the original Stout to buy my new uniform (black Stout 3/4-length collared shirt w/2 patches on the lapel and arm, & a short pleated skirt to be worn with black opaque tights and black shoes), but they did not have any aprons, so as of right now I am... just gonna wing it tomorrow? I have everything else, but booooooo! The thing that would actually help me, NOPE. I wandered from Uniform store to Uniform store (90% did not exist. The other 10% were closed. Awesome.) before giving up and just ordering one online. Should be here sometime next week? I hope... Boo.

I also sent out a package (hint hint!) to someone who's birthday is coming up soon. And then congratulated myself by getting a manicure! It's so purty. And was totes worth it.

On my way home I stopped by the wine shop and bought a bottle. Yum!

I work the lunch shift tomorrow before meeting Jess.

It's All Connected

Went on a super-long run again today (over 10 miles!) and it was amazing. Ran all around Prospect Park. It was incredible. And a long run. I didn't make it all the way around, but you know, it was fun. I was also trying to figure out if I could go see some places today, but that didn't quite pan out...

Tomorrow, my plan is to head uptown to the other Stout and buy the uniform and I work (officially) for the first time on Saturday where I will make my first tips! Yay! Things and stuff! And that night I am meeting Jess to see some craaaaazy show. Yay more things!

It's Officially Official!

I feel like I've received two HUGE "you live here now!" medals today. I officially PASSED MY TEST (and therefore, have a job) AND my packages were delivered! BOX SUCCESS! And now to sleep, because exhaustion.

Also, the Hawks won a messy one. And I got paid to sort of halfway pay attention to it. There were a few noisy Redskins fans in the bar too. They just made me angry... But ultimately, it sucks to be them because we won. Ha, ha!

The boxes have arrived!

Crazy Performance Art

Saw a crazy times performance art piece today with Jess after all of the stress... All. Of. The. Stress.

Finally heard back from Greyhound Shipping and our packages have arrived (YAY!!!!!), but they would not tell me whether or not they would courier to me today or not until waaaaaaay too late for me to go study all my stuff with Em, so suddenly I did not have the time to actually take a train all the way up there, get anything done and still make it to the show on time...

The show was in Long Island City in Queens and after it Jess showed me this absolutely crazy gorgeous view of NYC skyline. Seriously, to die for. It will most likely be my spot to go to when I'm missing Seattle. Felt like the ferry ride to Bellingham looking back at the Seattle skyline.

Also it rained like MAD this morning, so no run for me. Tomorrow I head back to training for the new job and after Monday's training shift I should be able to take the little test thing. But before tomorrow's shift I will most definitely be taking a little run. Assuming no crazy times rain again... Fingers crossed...

First Day of School!

I had my first day of training today at Stout FiDi. It was crazy. I mean, insane. And I have a TON of studying to do before Monday night when I take my test. Hopefully I'll pass, and then officially get to start a nutty new job, make the monies, keep myself occupied, and get a new social circle.

I picked up some notecards and got them started this evening and since I'm not working again until Sunday, I decided to start right away with the studying. Tomorrow I might meet up with my friend Em (who got me the job) since she offered to help me go over stuff (guys, I'm a good student. I kinda like studying things, especially food and beer).

Also, I did good and got up early enough to go for a run before my shift today. Then when I got home and realized I needed notecards, I decided to walk to Target and back. So, ya know, no biggie, but I hit nearly 32,000 steps today. That's over 16 miles... Yesh. I need to sleep.

Patti Smith

Saw Patti Smith and her daughter do a soundscape / poetry reading about Nico from Velvet Underground's tragic death in Ibiza in the late 80's. Then I ended up at a party with her. And I talked to her daughter.

Also, Steve McQueen, you know Oscar nnominated (and maybe winning?) director of 12 Years a Slave, was at tonight's performance. So there. 

You know, New York life...

A Wonderful Town

Well, job interview is officially done. And I start training on Fri. Crazy! Hoping it's a good fit and that I can still watch my footballz.

Spent the rest if this dreary, rainy (though not cold at all) day working on my audition: re-reading the script, printing out the sides, working on them... And now I am sitting in the absolutely drop dead gorgeous main branch if the NYPL. I guess I'd only ever seen it from the outside before. But now I'm inside and I have a NYPL library card and I feel even more like I live in this Wonderful Town. Now, if only I can find a more permanent place to live... And receive my boxes (yeah... That's getting annoying)... Then, maybe then, it'll seem less surreal.