“Things I Love” Thursdays - It’s a Small World

I am quite certain that Walt Disney came up with the theme after spending time in New York. It can feel like a small world if you run into someone in Pobunk, Nowhere, but the big city intensifies the small world feeling because it seems like it should be less likely to run into a random person from your present or past in such a crowded, busy place, where skyscrapers dominate the skyline reducing you to a figurative needle in a concrete haystack.

Yet small world tendencies are so New York. Aside from coming into daily contact with almost every culture on the planet within 22.7 square miles, over the last year Terrence and I have shared separate A-train reunions (1 and 2), my co-worker Jenny and I met a guy at Bryant Park Café who had been an elementary school student in West Chester under Jenny’s mother, I discovered a second or third-ish cousin (by marriage) works with me in another division of the same company (3), my co-worker Scott went to high school in North Carolina with my best friend (4), I recently found an old friend from my high school # 1 town (Camp Lejeune) who is living right across the Hudson in Bergen County, my best friend ran into an old classmate from our North Carolina college on the subway, a former colleague from my days in NC higher education administration got a job two blocks away from my office … and within the last few weeks:

While I was in my high school #2 town (Asheville) over Thanksgiving, my old classmate Ben and I realized over a beer in a North Carolina bar that we had seen the same stealth bomber flying over New York City on the same day in 2006. I had, in fact, randomly included my sighting from the 167th Station in the Bronx in a blog post (5), and he had been visiting New York two Septembers ago and had seen it glide over Central Park that very same day.

Iris and I left our respective offices (at 42nd Street and 34th Street) during rush hour and ended up on the exact same uptown no. 1 train when I switched from an express at 96th Street. Granted she was on her way to my apartment and we had coordinated our departures to arrive in Harlem around the same time, but the trains run more frequently at rush hour so the chances of meeting on the same car become even less.

I received texts from my secret service buddy and Brian when they ended up in the same midown diner as Iris at 4 a.m. And I received another text from my sorority sister Tiffany when she met Iris for the first time via Iris' former Brooklyn roommate (Iris just moved to a luxury highrise in Harlem this week).

I am frequently reminded how small the big city is, and that is something to love when the big city can just as frequently make you feel so small.

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

Unforgettable Day Weekend

Terrence left on Saturday morning to spend a few days with his family in Atlanta before joining friends in Ohio to play on Kevin's Gus Macker team in Zanesville. But there was no time for me to be sad following the end of his two-week visit because I had Saturday afternoon coffee and shopping in Soho, Saturday night dinner plans at Wild Ginger in the West Village, Sunday afternoon brunch at Roberto Passon in Hell's Kitchen, and a Memorial Day Weekend harbor cruise Sunday evening with various combinations of my best girlfriends.

Dinner on Saturday with all the usuals was relatively tame, but attributable to all-you-can-drink mimosas, bellinis, bloody marys and screwdrivers at Sunday brunch, there now exists photo documentation of me holding my dress over my head amongst some young Naval sailors in Times Square. I would love to depict myself as truly outrageous and free-spirited, but for the benefit of accurate memorial recordkeeping, I have to add that we began our Sunday morning sunbathing in Central Park and I was wearing a string bikini under my dress. So it wasn't as bold as it may seem, but with or without the panties, either version is a shameless salute to Fleet Week.

To celebrate Iris' birthday, we rounded out Memorial Day Weekend with a harbor cruise around Manhattan, a hook-up courtesy of a good friend who was DJ'ing on a yacht. Later, we were joined by Ra, Debasha and two of Iris' old roommates at a comped table at Club Home with one of our favorite promoters.

On a Hudson River party cruise, featured below from left to right:
Natasha (Natasha S., a newbie to NYC), Jackie (a new friend of Cassie's), Iris, me

Girls' Night and the City

Since I am too lazy to transcribe last night's events in my own words, I am shamelessly pasting the following excerpt from Eileen's myspace blog. After all, she was there and she's already converted the memories into bloggeries. She came, she saw, she blogged:

Alright...another day in the crazy NY Single gal's life! Today we have two celeb sightings to discuss. I would say two B listers ...

1) Renee broke the case at Dos Caminos on Park Avenue last evening...she came back from the restroom and said "Charlotte's husband... what is his name... from Sex And The City... is sitting over there"... TREY MCDOUGAL!?!?!?!?!? ...BUNNY'S SON!?!?!? I was so there. Adrienne and I planned our nonchalant walk by after getting his coordinates from Nae... We did a casual walk over... I recognized his long gross hair immediately... the same "do"... or should I say "don't" that he was rocking on "Desperate Housewives"... anyway... there he was... VERY THIN which surprised me... but never the less... enjoying some chips and guac w/a friend and a younger girl... We had the plan of walking back to the bathroom... thinking we had gone the wrong way... and turning around to come back. Wingman Katie walked up and was like "Guys... I think the bathroom is back that way"... to get us turned around to rejoin our group after seeing him... but a server heard her and was like "Actually...you are going the right way... it's just back there"... so we had to walk back to the bathroom.

I told them when we camped at the bathroom for a moment "I don't see him as Trey McDougal right now... I see him as the dude that had the wild sex w/Eliz. Berkley in 'Showgirls'"... what a scene... what a bad movie...!!! Anyway... there is was.

And I'm also including the continuation of Eileen's post because it's "so new york" and it includes an additional recap of last night and a fun glimpse into her life as a designer in the fashion industry:

2) This AM on my way to Bonsenior (sp?) to get a coffee before going to work... I was j-walking (as I tend to do on small streets)... and this van was approaching... so I stopped to let him go... who was it in the van... Oliver Platt. I know, I know... I had to look him up on IMDB to get his name. When I saw him I was like "Oh... it's that guy'"... he was driving slowly... looked at me, smiled... did a little "thank you" wave for letting him go. Get this... he was in a soccer mom van!!!!!!! It was slightly surprising... you don't really see those up here... we are more of an SUV folk. This was like the Brown Plymoth that Gail used to take me to soccer and dance in! It was fabulous............. in 1990. Anyway... that was a cool way to start my day. Here he is ...in case you are still confused.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001624/bio

So, last night... was Iris's BIRTHDAY!!! I'm going to change my Top Eight to the Birthday Crew after blogging so all of the players are there :)! We started the evening at the rooftop bar on 26th and 5th... on the 21st floor... the most AMAZING view of Manhattan EVER!!! It isn't really my 'male' scene... as it is a lot of OOBER rich dudes... and the future trophy wives who are slobbering over them. It was Iris, Nae, Gi'v'a and myself initially. Gina looks at me and says "I see your future husband"... I thought she was joking at first... but I looked over and realized... she knows me so well. It was a business guy w/salt and pepper hair... prob. checking in at 45 years old. I have a strange attraction to older men... not sure why... never the less... He has the most blue eyes I have ever seen and a nice suit... GORG. I didn't talk to him... just admired from a far... he was in one of the roped off company areas anyway... NEXT.

Katie & Neesho joined us later and we made our way to Dos Caminos... to have a FILLING dinner and celebrate 24 years that Iris has graced our globe! Diva looked FIERCE w/her BCBG Max Azria "Trench" dress... it was a trench coat material w/a plunging neckline... Loved it!

Adrienne joined us there also... 10/22 mafia sticks together... later some other friends came out. We all drank way too much sangria and mojitos and filled up on Chips and Guac. I'm so glad I split my entree w/Ade and Nae... way too much food.

ONE MORE THING!!! ...and this is the most exciting... I saw my first pedestrian carrying a bag I designed yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Granted he was in our building... but he didn't work for our little corporation. I said "That looks great"... which was prob. weird to him... and Gina jumps in "She designed that"... LOL. He said "I love it... I carry it a lot... you should do more bags in this color"... It was bright orange! lol... hey, the guy likes orange... I ain't gonna fight him :)!!! Anyway, it looked great on him and I was SO excited to see something that took so much work... being carried and filled w/someone's STUFF and not stuffing paper :)!!!! It was a cool moment!

NYC has Small-World Syndrome

So, I walked into H&M to look for a cocktail dress to wear to tonight's party at Kevin's apartment. I didn't find one there (that's what I get for waiting until the last minute), but I did come across an old acquaintance from Cullowhee, North Carolina.

As I browsed the racks with Iris, Angie and Natasha, a guy approached me and said, "Is your name Katie?"

I didn't recognize his face immediately, but quickly realized that he is a current Western Carolina student that I had helped get into college during my post-graduation, 3-year admissions counselor stint. A native New Yorker, he is back in the city for the Winter Break. We chatted for a few minutes about mutual friends and the dramatically changing landscape of Western Carolina's campus (the university has been undergoing a multimillion dollar facelift for a few years now).

As we parted ways after musing over our chance encounter, I said to him, "Don't you love this about New York?"

Later, after finally finding a dress at BCBG with about five hours to spare, I was was walking along West 40th Street to Seventh Avenue to catch an uptown train to Harlem. I looked up Broadway at the barricades and crowds gathering in Times Square and couldn't believe a year had passed since Terrence and I had waited there for the ball to drop into 2007.

Just before descending into the subway at 34th Street, I texted Iris, who was already en route to her own apartment to get ready for the 2008 countdown, "Girl. There is no better feeling than walking in the streets of new york carrying a bag containing a gorgeous dress! :)"

My First Yankees Game

The Former SNL Actor got Natasha four tickets to the Yankees game versus the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night and told her to invite two girlfriends. So she brought me and Iris.

The Yankees didn't win, but I had my first MBL hot dog. I couldn't help but wonder if the secret was in the sauce or in the stadium. And beer had never tasted so refreshing.

"Katie," the former SNL actor said, leaning across Natasha after the fifth inning, "You're going to love this."

The Yankees grounds crew came out to rake the infield mid-game and performed their traditional YMCA routine as they worked. I had to take a second and appreciate the moment. We were sitting in seats that the three of us would never have even dared to search for on Ticketmaster. The crowd was singing along, my friends were laughing, my beer was ice cold.

I added the moment to the montage of memories that I plan to play in my mind the moment before I die, right after me and Ra struggling to shop in Toys "R" Us for Mayra's baby shower, and right before Tasha screaming at Natasha and me to "work those thighs" as we ran up the stairs to catch a Manhattan-bound A train on the elevated platform at 111th Street in Queens.

Below: Waiting for the game to start ... and glad that the three of us stopped waiting for our lives to start (in Idaho, North Carolina and Arizona respectfully) and found each other.









The highlight of the game: Iris throwing the ball back to A. Rod.

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

Official Quotes from Our NBA All-Star 2008

Quotes:

"C just started running!" - K, drunk and lost on Canal Street and wearing a hat that wasn’t hers, after A and B picked up me and Iris from the airport

"Get in that ass!" - K

"This shit right here ... This shit right here ..." - Katie and K in sporadic intervals (adapted from Katt William's Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1)

"We need a whole lot a' chicken in room 2214!" - Davin to the Sheraton room service at 4am

"[NBA player] ordered 12 breakfastses over an hour ago, and he's pissed!" - Davin to Sheraton room service at 5am

"This is K [pointing at K], this is Katie [pointing at me], and she smells like Icy Hot [pointing at Iris asleep], want to smell her?" - Davin to Anyone Who Walked into Room 2214 between 4:15 and 5am

"Baby, I'm bow-legged." - Uncle Junebug (Snoop Dogg's uncle) to A

"Lemme get a pencil and write your number down." - Uncle Junebug to A

"You are beautiful!" – An NBA player, the owner of a Miami radio station who introduced us to Doug E. Fresh, whoever that comedian was at the NBA Players Association Party, and a bunch of random people ... all to C

"K, he is not Deebo." - Everybody

"I am not Deebo." - The Actor That K Thought was Deebo

"Danity Kane!" - Dozens of people following us around NBA Jam Session after we were escorted courtside with talent guest passes (at least our colors sort of matched)

"I'm a Pisces; I just fall so hard!" - A

High Caloric Weekend

The increased calorie intake actually began on Wednesday with drinks and dinner at Divine Bar West with an old North Carolina college friend visiting from Chicago. As the Vodka Sodas (my signature drink) and Vodka Gimlets (his) flowed, we began to realize just how far from Cullowhee we really are. It's amazing, the clarity that comes with low-level intoxication.

"I never would have believed," I said, "Back when we would walk by each other and nod on campus - you in your over-sized hooded sweatshirts, and me in my velour sweatsuits - that we would one day be in a trendy Manhattan lounge miles and years away from North Carolina, sipping trendy drinks and eating gourmet chocolates given to me by a celebrity chef [I didn't add, 'You in smooth business casual and me in a black dress and 4" patton leather pumps']."

While we both agreed that we wouldn't change our pasts and that we appreciated all North Carolina had provided in our lives, there was nothing left back there for either of us. Then, we swapped our big city stories - both good and bad - but mostly good. And we toasted Chicago and New York.
*****
Thursday night was dinner at a friend's apartment in Harlem, where I inhaled two pieces of steak that he cooked on a grill - even though I don't typically eat beef - steamed broccoli and wine, followed by a popsicle, two packs of fruit snacks and a late-night trip to McDonalds for a hot fudge sundae and two cookies that we devoured in the McDonalds parking lot (there is actually a drive-thru on Broadway and 125th!).
*****
Friday night was dinner at Park Avenue Winter, a restaurant that changes its name, menu and decor with the seasons, and a going away party at Kush for Gina B., who is moving to Los Angeles. All weekend long, I was quoting Samantha from "Sex and the City," "I'm always surprised when anyone leaves New York. I mean, where do they go?"

Where do you go once you've lived here? As someone once said to me while we were dining in Morandi, "If you were in North Carolina right now, you'd be sitting around with your friends watching a Reese Witherspoon movie, talking about how much you love her."

While I know that's a comical exaggeration, I know that if I left New York for anywhere else right now, I'd ultimately wake up one morning and wonder what the hell I was doing there. Maybe I'll feel differently in a 5-10 years.
*****
In the meantime, I rounded out my weekend high above Columbus Circle at Asiate at the top of the Mandarin Oriental with a three-course brunch and mimosas. Then, the Sunday dinner crew (Iris, Keith, T and Olu) came to my apartment on Broadway Sunday night for a once-a-month ritual we started at Iris' apartment on Lenox in December, went to Olu and T's apartment in Jamaica Queens in January, and brought to my place for February (even though it was already the first weekend of March). Next is Keith's in Long Island, though I think we'll make him bring the menu to Harlem.
*****
It's five days and eight pounds later, and I just returned from an industry event at The Bowery Hotel, where a fellow executive assistant and I (attending on behalf of our bosses) downed complimentary champagne, mango martinis and tiny hor'dourves served on silver trays. We sat on the private terrace bundled in our jackets and scarves - just warm enough from the alcohol and the overhead space heaters - while she smoked cigarettes, laughing about how "Sex and the City" we were.

And I have more communal eating with friends this week. This is good news for neither the wallet nor the waistline.

Phone Photo Ops - Rare Sighting & Chocolate Confessions

I received the following text yesterday afternoon: "Hey, we're having a party at my friend's place in the west village, huge apartment! Then stretch hummer to go to Marquee. Come, it should be fun! Let me know"

So my girls and I decided not to go see a band performing in the Lower East Side and redirected our plans to the west. I hate hummers (because they are not environmentally friendly and they just look stupid), but getting to the clubs in the West 27th Street region of the island can be a headache on foot. My girls and I have done the walk from 28th and Seventh many a time when vacant cabs are scarce.

While we were all impressed with the high ceilings and tall windows of the West Village apartment of a lawyer for a prestigious New York-based law firm*, I was most intrigued by the presence of this handy appliance.

*Partnered by a former New York mayor.

After drinks, pizza delivery from Two Boots, and three bowls of Ben & Jerry's pistachio ice cream from the lawyer's refrigerator (all three bowls consumed exclusively by me), we squeezed two guys and about 15 girls (not an exaggeration) into a stretch and went to Marquee, where I stuffed myself with their fabulous little chocolate squares and strawberries.

The mid-Clicquot sip and chocolatey aftermath are featured below.



The morning-after chocolates I pilfered upon exiting the booth at the end of the night using Demi Moore's strategic chocolate swipe from Indecent Proposal.

While the night was quite enjoyable overall and ended with Iris and I crashing at an investment banker's highrise apartment in east midtown after a pit stop at Ray's, the evening was most noteable for what may have been my first encounter with a Manhattan-based dishwashing device.

Phone Photo Ops - St. Patty's Day in NJ

Heading to the a.m. house party with my girls: Jenny, the Broadway star from Cats; Eileen, the White girl who out-danced everyone at Morris Chestnut's Chocolate Party a few Valentine's Days ago; Iris, the ex-girlfriend of an NBA player, who walked away because she was too good for him; Annisha, the fashion designer turned magazine publisher; Gina, the fashion merchandising extraordinaire; and Farrisha, the vivacious twin sister of Annisha, whose wit and sarcasm was immediately endearing.


Climbing through the window to a party on a roof deck, until the police came and told a bunch of young New York professionals that we were getting too rowdy.


As the St. Patrick's Day Parade ended, barhoppers filtered back into the bars (and the lines to get into the bars).


The Empire State Building from the streets of Hoboken


Pizza at Lombardi's back in Manhattan later tonight

Again

I can't believe it has been my first full calendar year in New York City. I knew 2007 was going to be a good year for me, full of all the clichés that I won't let myself openly admit I came to seek in New York. There weren't any celestial prophecies; I just like odd numbers.

It was a year of good, bad and ugly moments, from the 2007 countdown in Times Square with 1 million other people to last minute preparations for tonight’s New Year’s Eve 2008 party at an apartment on Bleecker Street with 30-40 friends and acquaintances (kudos to Iris for finding me a great dress at BCBG a few hours ago). And I have appreciated every moment.

Between recent holiday parties and the New York club scene (of which I have taken full advantage since the office has been closed since December 21), I haven't been as reflective on 2007 as I was nearing the end of 2006. A year ago, I had finally found an apartment and just secured a permanent position with a multimedia company; I was trying to understand how to fit into the new lifestyle I had chosen for myself, and I was slightly fearing that (paraphrasing MMINYC here) I might never have the kind of life and friends that I had left behind in North Carolina.

I guess I was still trying to find my place in this huge city. Fast forward to now, I am all dressed up and waiting to meet a few amazing friends in Harlem for the trek to the West Village, where we will join the other fabulous people that New York City has weaved into my life.

And so tonight's the night the world begins again [again]. I close the chapter of Katie & New York City 2007 with an open door into 2008.

My Main Cast

It took me almost a year to find the close circle of friends that I now have in the city. Last July-September, I began hanging out regularly with a few woman in Manhattan. Because of our diverse ethnic backgrounds, we once jokingly called ourselves "The United Colors of Benetton" and personalized a Disney fairies image that now hangs in some of our offices. The name for our clique never really stuck - not that we've ever tried to label ourselves as if we were some sort of girl band - but the group has gradually updated itself since the initial Cast of Characters post to encompass a beautiful group of women that I am proud to call friends.

Hallmark should make a card that reads, There are 8 million people in New York City, and we found each other. I'd buy one for all of them.

In alphabetical order:
Debasha - the fashion corporate merchandise planner
Iris - the fashion designer / personal shopper extraordinare
Jackie - the cocktail waitress who receives $100 tips from Jay-Z for counting his cash
Mayra, the international manufacturing, research and multimedia supervisor
Natasha M. (Tasha or T) - the film and TV voiceover/actress and the best "Sex and the City" Tour Guide ever
Natasha S. (Natasha) - the finance executive and fabulous roommate dubbed by the Former SNL Actor: "A White Girl Who Swallowed a Black Girl" (check her out from behind and you'll see what he meant)
Ra - the shoe designer and footwear guru

Other main characters (around and about NYC):
Bobbi (Tokii) - the best friend from college, whose acting career takes her in and out of the city
Annisha - the publishing marketer
Candice - the flight attendant
Cassie - the Connecticut-based nanny, soon-to-be-fulltime-New Yorker
Gina - the fashion merchandiser who just moved to LA

A Year Ago Today: September Sunrise
No Title for Last Night
August's Sunset
Two Years Ago Today: VMAs, Mass Celebrity Sighting and Almost TGIF

This Weekend's Round 2

Iris and I began our Saturday evening at the bar of one of New York's top restaurants with several courses, complete with wine pairing, courtesy of my celebrity chef friend. We started to draw a bit of attention at the bar when people began to get curious why the chef was coming out to explain each course to us. Maybe they thought we were food critics. By like the fourth course, a nearby guest said to me, "I guess that's one perk of knowing the chef."

By the time we got to the four dessert courses, we were so full, we started passing the desserts down the bar. Our fellow bar dwellers seemed fairly intrigued by the chef's delicious descriptions and accounts of how each tasting was created so why not share the love? It was fun to meet new people that way.

Afterward we met up with friends at Coffee Shop in Union Square, which included our federal agent buddies and one guy who is currently on a former president's security detail. They have some great stories - well, at least the ones they can tell without having to kill us afterward.

Pajamas & Couch Night

Ra and I went to a lounge in Chelsea for Happy Hour on Thursday night, where our good friend was DJing. After turning down a promoter's complimentary dinner starting at 10pm on Little West 12th Street followed by drinks and dancing at a nearby club, we were both back in Brooklyn and Harlem respectively before nine o'clock and asleep by ten.

We had ambitious hopes for a Friday night out, but you know it's been a long, hard week when two 20-something New Yorkers pass up another promoter's complimentary dinner in the Meatpacking District and a table at Tenjune. Or maybe we're getting over the clubs, restaurant openings and velvet rope parties that are so exciting when you're new to the city. Or maybe we are unwilling to admit that we can't party in our late-20s like we did in college.

Friday afternoon we were comparing text messages we had received from promoters inviting us to various clubs in attempt to lock down a plan that we both knew we would likely bail on later. By the time I left the office, we were texting each other and relieved that we both felt the same way. All for pajamas and couch night? Say, "Aaaaaaaah."

Besides, Iris had to attend a Fashion Show in Brooklyn, Tasha is out of town for a wedding, and Mayra - though she vowed to continue with an active night life as long she can still fit in her club clothes - is in the uncomfortable phase of the first trimester of her pregnancy. Tonight, however, we're gathering at Ra's apartment in Brooklyn for a house party. Wine and hard liquor for all and Virgin Bloody Marys for Mayra. Full report tomorrow.

Search-Term Saturday: "Some Pig" - Charlotte A. Cavatica

Someone in Arlington, Virginia, googled "twin blondes new york yankees behind home plate" on Wednesday and found my blog because the keywords probably found this post.

Those must have been some blondes.

Funny that no one googled "gorgeous, half-Filipina brunette behind home plate" the day after I attended the Yankee's game with Natasha, Iris and Former SNL Actor.

A Year Ago Today: Cocktail View
Two Years Ago Today: Not Exactly An Offer Yet, But An Opportunity on the Table

United Colors of Benetton

Tonight is Girls' Night.
Meet the cast of characters from my nightlife in New York City.
We're like the United Nations or a gang of Disney Fairies.



Clockwise from top (with fairy correlation):
Natasha M., (Tasha) the film and TV voice over/actress (the adorable blonde)
Ra, the shoe designer (the token Black hottie*)
Iris, the handbag designer (the gorgeous White girl with an ass)
Mayra, the international manufacturing, research and multimedia supervisor (the Equedorian with the entire exotic package, including the sexy accent)
Me, executive assistant, blog author (the half Filipina/half White girl with long hair)

*Featured as the Token Black Fairy in our Disney remake and representing for:
Gina, the fashion merchandiser who just moved to LA
Debasha, the fashion corporate merchandise planner

Other main characters:
Tokii, the best friend, whose acting career takes her away from the city more and more and takes my heart with her wherever she goes (the next Tia & Tamara Mowry by appearance; next Angela Bassett by trade)
Annisha, the publishing marketer (the Caribbean beauty)
Candice, the sexy flight attendant (the Black Southern belle)
Cassie, the Connecticut-based, soon-to-be-fulltime-New Yorker, hot nanny that I would never hire to be eye candy for my husband in my home, and one of the top five prettiest people I've ever seen in real life (Puerto Rican with a Southern accent - does it get any hotter than that?)

The most interesting part of the above list is that all of us, with the exception of Annisha (from Trinidad & Tobago), are from or have lived in North Carolina.

There aren't too many Disney references that can be applied to our unmarried-gals-in-the-city lives, but this blog is full of cliché Sex and the City quotes. Many of my cliché moments are inspired by the most important women in my life within the five boroughs ... although that area is quickly expanding to encompass the world.

Phone Photo Ops - The View from Brooklyn

After a Saturday night out on the town with my girl Iris, I dragged myself out of bed and to a birthday brunch in Brooklyn for my friend Gina C. I was joined by my best friend Tokii and her fellow Juilliard alum Jamario, four fabulous people from Gina's job, including a gorgeous girl who looks exactly like Maggie Gyllenhaal and has legs for days, Gina's roommates and other new friends.

We ate waffles cooked by the Birthday Girl and topped with everything, drank Mimosas, played Taboo! (which gets funnier the more Mimosas you drink) and had a hilarious photo shoot in the kitchen. What started as a brunch turned into an all day affair. By the time Tokii and I were headed back west to Jersey and Harlem respectively, it was getting dark and I was lamenting the end of another weekend.

The most refreshing thing about Brooklyn was the space. Gina and her two roommates share an enormous three-bedroom apartment. It took me an hour to get there from Harlem on the A train, and the commute from midtown would be more than what I would desire, but the thing about living in New York City is that you have to be willing to sacrifice one or more of three things:

1) Low Cost
2) Large Space
3) Convenient Commute

When I looked out of Gina's window, the first thing I thought was: "It is such a beautiful day." And the second thing: "It took me an hour to get here from there?"


Zoom view

(The camera phone pic does it no justice, but the Empire State Building actually dominates the horizon from her window)

Knicks vs 76ers = Bad Team vs Another Bad Team

I've become a Knicks fan by default. At least there is only one New York team to pick from in basketball - unless you want to count the Nets, who will eventually be in Brooklyn. I chose the Yankees because I like their uniforms better, and a Giants fan was born on December 29 because I sat in the stadium and watched the underdog put up a good fight against the undefeated Patriots. All very girly reasons to root for one particular team over another.

So at last night's game with Iris, Cassie and a friend of hers, we were delighted when they beat the 76ers, which isn't a big deal, if you let real sports fans tell it. But hey, our tickets were free (courtesy of one of the team's coaches); thanks to the Giants, I now know that I love drinking beer and actually paying attention at a live sporting event; and I'm a Knicks fan by default!

How many hockey teams does New York have? Do I have to pick between more than one?

Night Out Summary via Text Message

A text message from my friend Tasha summarized last night out with the girls:

"Had a blast last nite! Love you girls! Highlites: limo ride, porn, finding my $30 lip gloss after I lost it, and Iris falling on 27th Street!"

All correlated details have been omitted from this post.

Bienvenido a Miami

Miami Weekend Highlights ...
Iris and I went to Miami for the weekend and stayed in a friend's 22nd floor condo in downtown Brickell overlooking the Port of Miami.

Friday Highlights:
Staying here

One Miami

Splashing here

South Beach

Outdoor cocktails here

Mandarin Oriental

Clubbing here

Mansion

Saturday Highlights:
Partying here

Privé

Sunday Highlights:
Brunching here

Big Pink

Lounging here

Nikki Beach

Returning here

New York City

Odd One Out

Last night I went to a single's party at Stitch, a bar in the Fashion District, to celebrate Valentine's Day. I'm assuming that I was probably the only person in a relationship in the bar, but I'll never know because I spent the evening drinking Apple Martinis and chatting with Eileen and about two dozen of her female coworkers, friends and friends-of-friends.

Eileen had forwarded me the following evite last week, and she informed me yesterday that my Valentine's evening would not be best spent in the spinning class at my gym.

Host: Some good looking single people
Location: Stitch Bar & Lounge, 247 W 37th Street (b/w 7th & 8th Ave)
When : Wednesday, February 14, 6:00pm
Bring on the single and the booze. t is Valentine's Day and Wednesday so what better to do then gather with like minded singles post-work to lift up some drinks and get your party on. Pass on to other single people you know and maybe you might just get lucky on Vday. Thursday mornings are great for a walk of shame.

So I ditched the gym and engaged in bar talk and empty calories for a few hours, which is how I would come to meet Iris, Renee and Miriam. A few guys tried to loop themselves into our conversation from time to time, but for most of the evening Eileen, two other girls and I were engrossed in absolutely hilarious banter covering a wide range of topics: past lives before New York City (which included North Carolina, California and Ireland), ex-boyfriends, myspace, a weekend spent in Florida with an heir to some Louisiana fortune, fashion design (Eileen's line of work), advertising (my line of work) and Brazilian bikini waxing.

Before the night was really over, three of us headed out of Stitch and walked down to Penn Station, where we had a laugh at my tipsy nonrecognition of the Empire State Building because - and I quote myself, "it looked too skinny." From Penn Station, we went our separate ways - Harlem, Hoboken and Brooklyn.

It wasn't the most romantic Valentine's Day ever. I mean, I'm in a long-distance relationship, and I was home in time to catch what I missed on LOST (thanks to DVR technology), do a little blogging and be in bed by midnight. But it was my first Valentine's Day in New York. The great thing about falling more and more in love with Manhattan is that there is no walk of shame the morning after.