All alone in the Big Apple

It may be a bit premature but I’m ready to pack it in and move to the big apple, as in NYC.  I’m not gonna lie, I have been a bit apprehensive about coming here by myself.  I’m here for a work function.  But the hotel is 3 miles from the meeting/dinner stuff.  Not sure why they booked a hotel way up here EXCEPT that it’s a pretty great location overlooking Central Park.  Although I personally am not overlooking Central Park – I’m overlooking the city…still it’s NYC.  Anyway, anyway, last time I flew into Laguardia I was met by limo drivers, way back in the day when I worked for Thomson Newspapers, who would whisk me away and drive me up to Stamford.  So navigating a cab was the first adventure..pretty easy..and then I got car sick, but to be fair I got a little motion sickness on the plane when we were landing.  Holy shit it was bumpy and he kept turning around, possibly to avoid turbulence, but maybe to confuse us into thinking we were on a ride at Universal Studios.  I was trying to remember the last time I was actually “in” the big city when my taxi driver asked me and at first I said at least 10 years, but I realized it’s probably more like 20.  Ugh…hate to have memories that far back.  Anyway, it was thrilling to be able to pay for that taxi ride with a credit card.  I mean how convenient!! Except I forgot to get a receipt.  Oh well..

So other than making the cab driver walk me across the street cause he dropped me off across the street from the entrance I decided this is no big deal.  It’s a city.  I’ve worked in a city most of my adult life.  You make a left, make a right, find a landmark and go.  And well that’s what I’ve done so far.  I felt like I walked a far way down 5^th Avenue but when I look at a map it was only ½ mile. But that was ½ mile down and ½ mile back.  My shoes are okay but not really supportive for a 3 mile walk.  But how much fun am I?  I mean kinda like Mary Tyler Moore…although a little bigger than Milwaukee.

Here are some of the sights from my afternoon get-acquainted-with-my-area walk:

So I take a cab the three miles to dinner – took almost an hour – and when the cabbie found a workaround he drove so fast that I thought I would cry.  I shut my eyes so many times..I thought I’d throw up…again.  And then we got into almost an argument because, my fault, I thought he passed the place and he yelled at me. I mean I was nice about it,  I was just lost.  But what a ride.  Literally.

Dinner was okay – it was loud – a restaurant called Arte, not great.  I mean seriously disappointing for New York; however, I met some lovely people when I could hear them.  It was very very loud and I couldn’t really hear the person next to me.  However, Jim, who lives in the upper west side, was taking the subway home and he said it went “right-by” our hotel.  Kim at my table was game so we followed him onto the subway home.  I think when New Yorker’s say “right-by” it has a different meaning than what I think of as “right-by”.  We walked through Greenwich Village to catch the subway and got out at Columbia Circle.  Luckily Kim knew where she was going to get back to our Hotel.  I wouldn’t have figured it out.  I asked Kim if she wanted to try the subway in the morning to go back to the meeting and she said “no” – taking a cab.  HA!  Yea, I think I’m with her. It’s just not worth it.  I mean I could get the hang of it if I was here longer but I think I’ll just get that thrilling cab ride tomorrow morning.  It’ll wake me up.

At the end of the day, which it is, I am having a great time.  It’s so fun!

xoxoxo