Take the A-Train

Take the A-Train to see Duke Ellington perform at The Cotton Club.

Don't take the A-Train to Washington Heights after the 1, 2, and 3 trains have been stopped running uptown. It will feel like the whole population of New York City is at the 42nd and 8th ave station.

When I grabbed the 2 train at Times Square, I was ready to kick back with my novel A Summer in Europe (literally a Nancy Meyers rom-com in a book), and when we stopped right before we reached the 50th street station, I didn't think anything of it. The train was stopped in the tunnel for an hour. That means I was standing in my adorable, painful wedges for an hour. Even though the last couple of chapters of A Summer in Europe were riveting, I couldn't help but wonder when we were going to get out of this mess. The conductor came over the speakers a couple times, but never gave us any real information.

Finally, they said they were turning the train around to go back to Times Square, and there were no longer any 1, 2, or 3 trains running uptown. They directed us to take the A or C train uptown. After walking a block over, the A and C train station was PACKED. It didn't help that some old guido dude was trying to rub up against my backside. We waited 10 minutes, and when the A train finally did come, it was PACKED. No one could get on it. I knew I wouldn't want to be on a train that full with this weirdo pressing up on me.

Two minutes later, I found myself up on the street, trying to remember every movie set in New York City that I've seen, and how the characters flagged down a cab. Was there a technique? Did they pull over for someone who had one finger extended or all five fingers waving? If there is a technique, I clearly don't know it. While many of the cabs were full, I was unable to hail any of the empty ones. I walked around the north end o f Times Square for half an hour while I hunted one down, and finally found one stopped at a stoplight.

20 minutes and $23.50 later, I arrived at my corner, and was so frustrated yet relieved to be home. I was hungry, I was hot, and my feet hurt. Want to know the bright side? I left the cab with my wallet in hand.

Bug-A-Boo

**Bug-lovers, Aisha, Wendi, no need to read further. Bugs were killed in the making of this blog.**

Today has been a day for unexpected and unwelcome visitors.

First, the GINORMOUS fly in my room. I swatted him with my shoe and he stopped moving. Then when I went to pick it up with a tissue, it moved. Turns out I only gave him a slight headache, so I swatted again and then promptly removed him from my room.

THEN, tonight happened. I am peacefully walking back to my room from the kitchen and I see a large insect scurrying across the floor. Flashbacks to my first mouse encounter entered my head as I silently screamed and ran into my room, automatically going through the steps I had done before to secure my room from the opponent if it tried to enter my room.

I was content with being posted up in my room for the night, but as my roommate (the one who saved me from the mouse) walked in the door and screamed, I remembered the pact I made with her when she relieved us of the mouse. I told her since she got rid of the mouse and was terrified of roaches, I would kill the roach if we were ever in the presence of one. Okay, so I may have thought we would never see a roach, but when I opened my door and saw her panicked face, I realized I would have to put on my big girl pants and take care of this roach.

I donned some clothes to make sure all of my skin was covered (with the logic that if any skin was visible to the roach it would somehow be able to attack me), and we strategized in our living room. I grabbed our broom (hey-- it helped with the mouse!) and entered the war zone. It was sticking half-way out of our metal shelves. I then decided to try and cover it with our toilet plunger so I could grab some roach spray under the sink. As I tried to cover it, it ran into the middle of the floor. I surreptitiously walked over to the sink, grabbed the spray, and sprayed the holy heck out of our kitchen floor. After completely covering the floor with roach spray, I got him. Then, I covered him with a plastic bowl thing, and let him have his last few moments alone. He is still currently there as far as I know, and I will say my last good-byes in the morning as I flush him down the toilet.

To all the bugs I've encountered today, I have to quote Destiny's Child:

"You're bugging me and don't you see that ain't cool?"

Update: (literally not even an hour later) I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth to find one crawling up the wall....but I sprang into action with my spray and killed it. Roach apocalypse is apparently on its way everyone.

Where Is The Love

I'm thinking about sending a letter to the Black Eyed Peas and notifying them that I have found the love, it's right here in the city.

On July 2nd, exactly one month after I got here, almost to the hour, I received a phone call from a very sweet lady named Des that FOUND. MY. WALLET.

She had found it in the cab, tried sending it to Vancouver, but it returned to her (okay, so I guess I should have updated my address since my mom and I moved my junior year of high school), and so she called me to find out where to send it!!!

I almost started crying I was so excited. It didn't matter that I already had received new debit cards, I had my license, my student ID, and my faith in humanity back. I couldn't help but think back to my night I spent crying miserably, thinking someone stole everything and that there was no way I was getting it back. She had called my mother before me and told her "I have a daughter and I know I would want someone to return it to her." Well put, Ms. Des, well put.

Now, I'm deciding what I want to send back to her. I'm so grateful for her selfless act, I want to reward her!

"People got me questioning, "where is the love?"
Des got me answering, "where is the love?"
Right here in the city.

My wallet and I reunited!

That's Life

It was somewhere while I was walking from Union Square in search of food before I caught the train to a dance class, that I walked into a bad mood. It wasn't anything specific, just a seed of irritation that continued to grow inside of me. I decided to grab Jamba Juice because it was right across from the train I was going to take. Five sips in and I realized I couldn't drink the rest and I felt like I wasted $6.50 and kept my eyes peeled for a homeless person that might value it more than me. No such luck.

I marched into Steps on Broadway, hoping that dancing would get me out of this funk. It usually does. Except when I told the front desk associate I was taking the 1:30pm Intermediate Ballet, she says there isn't a class at that time. Okay, so I read the Friday schedule instead of the Saturday. So I marched right out and went grocery shopping in the store underneath the studio. I also had three invitations to hang out with four extremely awesome people that I had declined because I was going to the dance class. Now I had to sort all of that out. After a quick call to my mom in the produce section, I left the store with two bell peppers, two cucumbers, granola bars, and a plan. However, as I waited 10 minutes for the subway, the heat seeped into my plan and created another bad mood.

After dropping off groceries, I headed out to buy a swimsuit top over on the Upper East Side and then I was going to meet up with a friend from work and two old friends that were in town at Central Park to tan.

As I was trying on swimsuit tops, I heard one of the associates talk on the phone to her daughter. They were arguing about the daughter going to a party in the city after being out all day with friends. I poked my head out after she hung up, "Was that your daughter?" It was. "How old is she?" "She'll be 15 soon." First of all, a 14-year-old partying in Manhattan on Saturday night? My mom was just letting me go to the mall by myself at that age.

That's when it hit me. I was homesick! I love all of these new things I've been doing, all the exploring, the adventure, but I just wanted something familiar. I wanted some Vancouver Pizza, Ice Cream Renaissance (the early years), Pluckers, or I'd even settle for some Chik-fil-A from UT's SAC. (Not sure why everything I listed was food-related...)

As I left the store, the first song that came on my iPod was Old Blue Eye's "That's Life". If there was ever a time to have a soundtrack to your life, this was a very appropriate time. Then I realized how excited to meet up with Nicole and Rachel, two girls that have been like my big sisters since the third grade. They've given me clothes, advice, and laughs, and that's exactly what I needed in this moment.

We met up and talked at New York Burger Co. and there were tons of laughs and stories! I'm so thankful I got to spend time with two of the most gorgeous, ambitious, and lovely ladies I know.

Rachel, Nicole, and I catching up

In a way, I'm thankful that I had this day. I find that the more new places I go, the more unique things I do, the more I appreciate the old and familiar places and faces.

"Each time I find myself laying flat on my face, I just pick myself up and get back in the race, that's life." -Frank Sinatra, That's Life

I Don't Want To Be Like Cinderella

...and as adorable as her little mice friends Jacques and Gus were, I don't want their other mice friends to be my roommates.

This whole war started a week and a half ago, when I innocently walked into the kitchen to grab a refreshingly delicious cold glass of milk. I turned on the light to see a small brown behind scurrying down the kitchen counter and-- well I don't know where he went after that because in my panic mode, I booked it back to my room where I stuffed the bottom crack of the door with a blanket and posted up there for the rest of the night. I tried to not think about how badly I had to pee as I texted Brenden and my mom, asking for advice on how to handle this situation.

"It's more afraid of you than you are of it!" said Brenden.

"It's probably more scared of you!!! I heard of this cool cupcake place in NYC! I want to go!!" said my mother.

Then I realized that the mouse had ran me out of my own kitchen, without my glass of milk. In case you didn't know, I have a very strong affinity for milk. 

I had a vengeance. 

The next morning, you bet I stood in the kitchen, drinking the postponed cup of milk, savoring every last drop of it; my eyes scouring for the rodent that had separated me from my beloved dairy product. No luck. 

A couple nights later, I innocently walked into the kitchen YET AGAIN to find a small brown mound flying down the kitchen counter, tail whipping behind it. Enter panic mode number two. I woke up Leah with my squeals/screams, and she went to investigate. It had fled the scene again!

My other roommate Rachel and I acquired some glue traps from the exterminator, and set out to catch this mouse once and for all. 

Background information on glue traps: glue traps are a sticky pad of paper that mice get their feet and body stuck to so they can't run away. Unfortunately (or fortunately, for my animal loving friends) it doesn't not kill them immediately. This means however, the owner of the glue trap must execute the deed. 

For two days, I hesitantly peeked my head into the kitchen, and heaved a sigh of relief when I saw the glue trap was empty.

Then came the third day.

I hesitantly peeked my head into the kitchen, and entered panic mode number three as I saw a small brown mound lying on its side on the glue trap. I really did feel sorry for it, but as I heard it squirming around on the kitchen floor, I went to Rachel's room and woke her up so she could be the commander to finish this last battle. She creatively taped a dust pan to a broom handle, and used it as a shovel to pick up the mouse, and let its last moments be watching the beautiful NYC morning sky as it fell down five stories. Tragic, but it was better than hitting it with a frying pan or drowning it in the tub, which were real suggestions I was given.

The Cheetah Girls had it right, I don't want to be like Cinderella. I may have dressed up as her for my 2nd Halloween, but the mice friends just don't work for me!

We Are Young

Okay. I think we all knew this post would come.

The whole I've been SOOO busy, I have no idea where the time has gone! I love New York!


Blahblahblah. I hate it when people write stuff like that.

I'll try to say it another way: I'm tired.

Yup, that's it.

I feel like one of the best measures of fun is how tired you feel. I remember my first semester of freshman year at UT, I got basically 10 hours of sleep every night. Towards the end of the year, I would stay out late with my friends, have fun, get less sleep, and then feel super tired. It was awesome.

That's how I'm feeling now, and I gotta tell you I love it. Over the past couple of days, some of the interns have gotten together to shop, explore, and most importantly, EAT.

Katie, Niyeti, Michelle, and I at dinner!

Michelle and Jett, the fabulous graphic design interns

Michelle and I at the Hudson River

Some of the NY native interns introduced us out-of-towners to a place called Artichoke Pizza, aka HEAVEN. It was the best pizza ever and was literally the size of my face. 

Friday night, my roommate Leah and I went to the Liza Colby Sound's show at B.B. King's Bar and Grill. Liza Colby is an amazing performer! She had such attitude and a captivating stage presence! After, Leah's friend that knew her introduced us and she immediately asks "You're mixed right?" Ah, the bi-racial radar. We bonded over wearing hair natural, and she gave me a great hair place in Harlem that can help me werk my afro au naturale.

Fast forward to Sunday (I spent Saturday bumming around because I was sick), and I spent the night at the fun. concert!! Of course, there were some crazies showing off how many drinks they had by ferociously yelling and getting into fights, but overall it was a really fun concert! (pun intended).

fun. concert!

Colleen and I waiting outside!

As I was walking to the subway after the concert, I looked up at those pretty illuminated buildings that help create the famous NYC skyline, and I had to cheesily smile to myself because I was just so happy. Sure, I had a sore throat and would get less than six hours of sleep, but I didn't care. I was walking along the NYC streets at night, which I have always thought equated to the essence of cool.

All of these moments remind me of two quotes that I love.

Kyoko Escamilla on the 20s years:
"Your 20s' are your 'selfish' years. It's a decade to immerse yourself in every single thing possible. Be selfish with your time, and all the aspects of you. Tinker with shit, travel, explore, love a lot, love a little, and never touch the ground."

Tom Petty on college years:
"You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you  have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does..."

Or maybe fun. puts it even simpler: "Tonight we are young! So let's set the world on fire, we can burn brighter than the sun."

Or maybe my blog title puts it even simpler than that: "The summer that never sleeps".

Yup, that's it.

Seven Days In Sunny June

It has been seven days since I've arrived in New York City, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and sans wallet. (Yes, I'm still bitter about it.)

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm actually embarking on what is sure to be a life-changing summer in the city. Although I am reminded when I see the Empire State Building peeking out over the tops of the other buildings, or spend an afternoon lounging in Central Park with one of my really good friends, I still have to squeal when I think that I could update my facebook "Currently Living" city to New York, NY.

Today was a great celebration of one week of being in NYC! After skyping my GO! Grant Project advisor (if you have no idea what I'm talking about-- I applied for a grant to produce a play at UT next fall and got it!), I met up with my great friend Scott at Crumbs Bakery! Sadly, we weren't impressed. Lucikly, we rectified the situation by grabbing Spongebob popsicles and chatting in sunny Central Park! I was in cat nap mode, but instead we walked down 5th avenue and checked out some clothes, and he showed me Bryant Park. It was great to walk around that area because it exuded the feeling that I love about NYC! Super busy, fast paced, and energetic!

[Scott and I in Columbus Circle!]

[His Spongebob had some plastic surgery mishaps]

[The view from where we sat!]

[Beautiful!]

[Central Park!]

 After, I met up with my roommate Leah (who will get her own blog posts one of these days-- I love that girl) and a few of her co-workers for Inwood's Shakespeare Festival's As You Like It. Performed in a little neighborhood park, we sat on blankets and ate picnic-style as we were entertained by some wonderful actors. I'll be honest, when I was on the train to meet up with Leah, I was nervous I might be underwhelmed after the exciting downtown day I had. But as I sat there, letting Shakespeare's familiar (yet confusing) rhetoric wash over me, I felt comfortable and at home. I felt like I was at UT watching a production, mixed with the summer outdoor concerts Esther Short hosts in Vancouver. It made New York seem a little more real and a little more home-y. I'm always in shock by the impressive and prestigious nature of downtown, but it was great to spend a couple hours in a realm that I knew so well.

My first seven days in sunny (and partly rainy) June have already been such an eye-opening experience, I can't wait to see what the other 63 hold in store for me. (You're welcome for the cheese).

Felicia