Phone Photo Op - In Production

You're more likely in New York City to use your lunch break to get your chipped pedicure fixed at NY Nature Spa on West 41st Street (yesterday) and notice this signage outside of Arena ... unless MTV happens to be filming a True Life episode of "I'm an Objectum-Sexual" in your hometown.


Side note: If men knew the extent of our maintenance - waxing, shaving, trimming, dyeing, filing, polishing - they'd always have dinner ready and waiting for us.

A Year Ago Today: "Things I Love" Thursdays - Dog Parks
Two Years Ago Today: No post

One Degree from Michelle Obama

Texts you're more likely to receive living in New York City (or Washington, DC): I'm at the time warner center wrking the first lady till 10pm (sent by my secret service buddy).

Thoughts you're more likely to have living in New York City: OMG. The First Lady is at the Time Warner Center - less than 10 blocks from my apartment!

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: Subway Talk

Another Day, Another Dollar, Another Headline

Just another day in New York City when three of your bosses are in The NY Post.

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: Phone Photo Ops - City in Bloom

So ...

You are more likely in New York City to be walking to the gym one morning, enjoying the Eighth Avenue breeze ... and suddenly remember that you got felt up by a married woman in Johnny Utah's last night.

A Year Ago Today: United Colors of Benetton
Two Years Ago Today:
Say It Ain't Snow!
Phone Photo Ops - Yesterday's Weather

City of Actors

You're more likely in New York to walk through the tunnel between the Times Square and Port Authority subway stations and pass by an advertisment for a TV show in which your best friend might have a frequent recurring role ... say in the barbershop ... as Kiki ... [name drop, name drop, name drop].


A Year Ago Today:
Phone Photo Op - Double Yokes and Oftens
Reviews of Views
Two Years Ago Today: Phone Photo Op - W. 4th St.

The Reality of Likelihoods

You are more likely in New York to have a friend go to L.A. for a few weeks and then return to tell you that she was filming a reality TV show.

Catch our girlfriend Natasha on VH1's "Tough Love", Sundays beginning on March 15.

A Year Ago Today: M-I-C-K-E-Y ... M-O-NYC
Two Years Ago Today: Size Does Matter

Other Natasha-related links:
VH1 Profile
NatashaMalinsky.com
ShopNYCTours.com (Use code TUFLUV for 10% off any shopping tour!)

Celebrity Sightings & Overpriced Surroundings

In New York, you're more likely to see NFL stars guest appearing on TV shows while walking from the office or browse $100 Christmas tree ornaments at Saks.




A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: Bloomingdale's Blues

Phone Photo Op - Commuter Keys

In New York, you're more likely to hear Alicia Keys perform live in the Good Morning America studios while walking to work.


A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: Reality Soon Sets

Published Photo Ops

Living in New York, you are more likely to see images from a recent event you attended in People Magazine.

A Year Ago Today: Phone Photo Ops - The View from the Top

Two Years Ago Today: No Soup for You!

Phone Photo Op - Tinkerbell on Sixth

Sometimes I see fairies when I'm walking home from work.

And it's not weird at all.

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: It's Happening Now

United Nations-Related Traffic Delays

During the past week, you were more likely in New York City to receive a company-wide email, which may have been some variation of the following:

The shuttle van service [between our three corporate locations] is not running on time due to increased traffic in/around the UN/Clinton event, which is ending this Friday.

A Year Ago Today:
Gina's Front Stoop
Barack in Washington Square
Starting Line-Up (Happy One-Year Anniversary to the H&M on 42nd and Fifth)
"Things I Love" Thursdays - Lox (And Happy One-Year Anniversary to "Things I Love" Thursdays on BNY)
Two Years Ago Today:
America's Top Air Mattress
Infamattress

Starry Nights

On a Monday in New York City, you're more likely to party at tables in Butter adjacent Leonardo DiCaprio, Evan Ross and Baron Davis.

And you realize you would never have noticed Leonardo, Evan or Baron if a zealous club promoter hadn't pointed them out to you. And then you wonder as you squeeze your lime into your Vodka Soda, is Leonardo attractive just because he's famous?

He went up at least 10 points in celeb-crush potential when I learned he drove a Prius.

A Year Ago Today: This Weekend's Round 2
Two Years Ago Today: No post

"Things I Love" Thursdays - The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

When it comes to loving New York, you have to take the good with the bad ... and with its ugly pretention. Pretentiousness exists here, as it does in any other money-ruling, celebrity-obsessed, materialistic society, but this city still beats L.A., where I swear it's nearly impossible to gain any level of respect unless you are "somebody" or you have a name to drop.

In New York, for instance, you are more likely to be in a nightclub, where a wealthy patron orders four rounds of 10 bottles of Cristal during a birthday party, then buys a bottle of Cristal for every table in the club, and then further instructs waitresses to pop bottles of Cristal and spray the club goers.

My roommate recounted this exact scenario to me this morning while we were getting ready for work. After a Nike event last night, I had opted to retire for the evening while she continued on to Pink Elephant, where she witnessed the "look what I bought" sparkler parade of bottles constantly circulating the club. I replied in total Debbie Downer-mode with "What a waste of money! Think of all the charitable contributions they could have made instead!"

Ever the Devil's Advocates, we agreed that people with that much money must certainly make plenty of heartfelt donations, even if it is for the tax write-offs alone. Yet I still could not help but feel disgusted thinking of all the additional contributions that could have been made to the needy of New York City, the United States - and even the world - in lieu of hosing down already well-to-do nightclub patrons with champagne.

But as I walked to work, I had to ask myself if I was Debbie Downer about it because I would truly prefer to see the world become a better place or because I cannot buy bottle after bottle of expensive champagne to consume or waste as I please. Was I repulsed or envious? Being one to always question the deep-seeded motives of my own feelings, I decided to call Terrence while walking to the office and see what he thought of what my roommate had witnessed. His response was similar to mine: "Wow. That's annoying."

Good, I thought.

But I'll take New York either way. Give it your tired, your poor, your weary and your pretentious. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the freedom to be any (or all three) are, after all, what makes it so great.

"Things I Love" Thursdays are inspired by "I Love New York" (BNY, February 14, 2007).

A Year Ago Today: When I See New York
Two Years Ago Today: Wisdom and Chocolate

Over & Over Again

I keep running into the same guy all over New York.

He used to promote nightclubs - which is how we met - and now works in event marketing. We became "facebook friends" months ago, but recently we've been running into each other in real life in the most random places. Once at 135th and Broadway, on a weekend just before I moved out of Harlem, when I was taking old clothes and shoes to donate at a local threft store. Another time on my way to a spa appointment near Madison and 34th Street during a lunch break.

And then last week, instead of going straight to the office, I had an early doctor's appointment. As I was walking down Ninth Avenue from my apartment, I paused to check out the brunch menu at a restaurant called Orchid. I was lifting my sunglasses off my face to get a better look when I heard a voice, "That's it. I know you're following me."

I started to laugh before I even turned around.

And a few weeks ago, my roommate and I were out strolling around Hell's Kitchen one evening, exploring our new neighborhood and collecting take-out menus, when a voice from my college years in North Carolina called out, "Katie!"

My R.A. from my freshmen dorm was sitting at the first table inside of a tiny, attractive hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant. I had not seen him in over five years.

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: No post

More Breasts, More Fun

While my friends and I were abreast the 45-story, 90-degree plummet of Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, we missed this opportunity to march topless in Manhattan over the weekend.
For More Flags, More Fun! Click Here

Meanwhile in the kickoff of your corporate workweek, you are more likely in New York City to get an email from another executive assistant that reads: "[Name eradicated] can no longer make this today - she has a meeting with [celebrity] … thanks."

A Year Ago Today:
Insightful Taboo
Faux Walk of Shame
Two Years Ago Today: No post

The "Reality" Next Door

In New York, you're more likely to see aspiring assistants running down your street on an episode of "I Want to Work for Diddy".

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: Phone Photo Ops - My Best Friend's Wedding

Likelihoods - Celeb Rendezvous

In New York, you're more likely to have a roommate dating an A-List comedian/former SNL cast member (we met him at a club on Friday night, they went on a date Saturday and then picked me up afterward for drinks and dancing at a West Side hotel lounge) and a coworker who lives in the same building in Brooklyn as Linda Lopez.

My coworker asked me this morning about my weekend.

"It was alright," I replied. To which he said over his steaming mug of coffee, "Oh come on, tell me something interesting."

"Oh ... well, my roommate went on a date with [censored]." I said. His eyes widened and he began to laugh as I told him the details of the chance encounter, the date that followed, and we reminisced about his skits on "Saturday Night Live".

"So tell me about your weekend." I said as he continued to sip coffee next to my cubicle.

His response: "'Well, I was talking with a neighbor, who recently had a baby [he and his wife also have a young baby], and we were chatting about another pregnant woman who is new on the hall and how there will soon be lots of children in the building. So my neighbor says to me, 'You know who that is, right? It's Linda Lopez, Jennifer Lopez's sister.'"

"Wow, so J.Lo and Marc Anthony might be stopping by often for family dinners and such." I said.

"Yea," he replied between sips of coffee, "I'm pretty excited about it."

A Year Ago Today: Phone Photo Op - Skyline From Soho
Two Years Ago Today: Countdown: 10 Days

Obama in the House

In New York, you're more likely to receive the following email at work:

The shuttle van service [between our multiple office buildings] has been delayed due to streets being closed because of Obama's motorcade traveling through the area.

Any questions, please feel free to call Office Services at extension [removed].

Cuisine-ical Diversity

In New York, you're more likely to hear a coworker two cubicles down say over the phone, "There's this new Lebanese place down the street that looks super cool. We're going to go check it out this weekend."

I think I'll go to the Afghan Kebab place by my apartment this weekend. Just because I can.

It's For the Look, I Don't Light It

In New York, you're more likely to pass by someone making cig-a-cigars a block from your apartment.