I seriously can't believe we've already been living in Manhattan for a week! Things are so great here. This was definitely the right choice for us! Brace yourselves; this may be a long post!
First and foremost, PJ's job with the New York Times is going great! He loves it already. Everyone is super nice and friendly to him. He even got a Macbook to use in the office and at home! It's a rather relaxed environment -he has no really rigid dress code and gets to dress the techy-version of "business casual." And his hours are 10am-6pm, which is essentially perfect. He's been choosing his benefits and will be learning more about what he'll be working on specifically in the coming weeks.
We love love love our apartment! I've been gradually working on getting it put together and cleaned up. The bathroom is basically done, and the kitchen doesn't require much effort. PJ has his desk and computer chair set up, and we've bought a brand-new bed and mattress that we're waiting on. Also, thanks to some generous family members, we have a brand-new 32" flat screen Sony television! We've never had a flat screen or HD TV before! The cable people are coming on Tuesday - so excited! So things are coming along. I still have long to-do and to-buy lists, but we have time. We can already see ourselves living here for longer than a year. I love love love our bathroom especially! I've added lots of storage and the tub/shower is wayyyy better than our old one. The building is nice too. All the doormen are wonderful and incredibly nice. There's garbage AND recycling on every floor. And we just had our laundry sent to a place down the street that washes, dries, folds, and delivers it for you - all for $1/lb of laundry.
Like I mentioned before, we're basically in a prime spot, and I looove our neighborhood. Things I've found so far that are within walking distance:
-Central Park
-Columbus Circle
-Lincoln Center
-Bed, Bath, and Beyond
-Best Buy
-Rockefeller Center
-Times Square
-The New York Times building
-Madison Square Garden
-Macy's (and all the awesome stuff around Macy's)
And I'm sure there's even more that I haven't discovered yet! There's also great food everywhere, and practically every place delivers - for FREE! In our little "block" alone, there's a great pizza place, a great Mexican place, a great diner-type place, a really awesome and stylish contemporary kind of place, a great "we have it all" place (pizza, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, salad, dessert, bread, etc.) And there are still a million different places we haven't tried.
We've spent a lot of time just hanging around and enjoying each other's company, but we've had some New York-type fun as well. We had our first New York brunch, I ate a nice lunch in Central Park one day, we've done some shopping and dining and riding around in cabs, and we even saw a small concert at a dive bar this weekend.
I really do love it here. Hopefully the next week will bring just as much excitement, but just will some better weather!
Also, now that the whole moving-to-New-York thing is taken care of, wedding planning is back! I'll write more about that in my next post. :)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Just Like Freshman Year...
At the end of my freshman year, I was good at two things - procrastinating and all-nighters. I've been really good at the first thing lately, but not so good at the second! I had a 12-15 page paper due Monday that I finished around 2am this morning (for those keeping track, it's Wednesday). I probably could have finished it Sunday night into Monday morning, but I decided to sleep and take the possible grade penalty. That's how I know I'm getting old. At least there are only 4 finals standing between me and graduation. And I can't really procrastinate on those!
A week from right now, I'll be arriving at my apartment in NYC for the first time! I honestly can't wait to be back there, and to show my mom the city. I really feel like I'm on the brink of my new life, and I can't wait to actually start it.
I'm also SUPER excited to decorate the whole place. We're only going with an air mattress right now, so I'll be able to buy all new stuff to suit my tastes. First up - a monkey bathroom courtesy of Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Good luck to everyone during finals and your next steps in life!
A week from right now, I'll be arriving at my apartment in NYC for the first time! I honestly can't wait to be back there, and to show my mom the city. I really feel like I'm on the brink of my new life, and I can't wait to actually start it.
I'm also SUPER excited to decorate the whole place. We're only going with an air mattress right now, so I'll be able to buy all new stuff to suit my tastes. First up - a monkey bathroom courtesy of Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Good luck to everyone during finals and your next steps in life!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Almost Done
As everybody is more than aware, it's the last full week of classes! It's so nice that school is almost over, but I can't believe how soon everything ends and I move away. As excited as I am, it's getting harder and harder to think about being so far from family and friends.
I happily sold my car this weekend! That put some money in our pockets and will help us save a lot on gas and car insurance. Not that we'll notice as much once we're in New York, but still.
There is still soooo much to do though!! As if everything my professors have so kindly piled on wasn't enough, I still have to go through EVERYTHING in my apartment and either sell, throw out, or pack it all. And I only have two more weeks to fit it all in. I may go crazy by the end of this...
I happily sold my car this weekend! That put some money in our pockets and will help us save a lot on gas and car insurance. Not that we'll notice as much once we're in New York, but still.
There is still soooo much to do though!! As if everything my professors have so kindly piled on wasn't enough, I still have to go through EVERYTHING in my apartment and either sell, throw out, or pack it all. And I only have two more weeks to fit it all in. I may go crazy by the end of this...
Monday, April 18, 2011
Back From The Big City
I returned to Peoria yesterday from New York, and I must say, it's not so great to be back. I know I should be enjoying my last few weeks at Bradley and in Illinois, but I can't wait to finally make the move to New York.
The trip was wonderful! We found our apartment on the first day, but saw about 20 more, and then applied that night. The next day we were approved, saw a few more places, and then signed the lease! After that we got to sight see and hang out. We spent more money than we ever have before, but at least we have a place to live. It really was a great time.
Our apartment is fabulous! It's a studio with a separate kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom is nice and the kitchen is getting all new appliances, including a dishwasher, which I've never had before. There are two big closets and big windows. I took some pictures:
The best part, though, is the building and location! We have an elevator, laundry room, and doorman! The building is in Midtown West. We're about 2 blocks from Columbus Circle, which marks the entrance to Central Park (2 freaking blocks from the park!!:)) and also has a mall, CNN's headquarters, Time Warner's Headquarters, and Trump Tower!! We're also about 5 blocks from Lincoln Center, where the symphony, ballet, and opera are. About 15 blocks away is Times Square, which is absolutely incredible. PJ's work is about a 20 minute walk - not bad for New York! Our block has tons of restaurants and pharmacies and dry cleaners and pretty much everything we'll need. So we pretty much hit the jackpot.
I really hope the next four weeks go by fast. It's so hard to concentrate on or care about homework and tests and readings and papers when I know what's waiting for me!
The trip was wonderful! We found our apartment on the first day, but saw about 20 more, and then applied that night. The next day we were approved, saw a few more places, and then signed the lease! After that we got to sight see and hang out. We spent more money than we ever have before, but at least we have a place to live. It really was a great time.
Our apartment is fabulous! It's a studio with a separate kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom is nice and the kitchen is getting all new appliances, including a dishwasher, which I've never had before. There are two big closets and big windows. I took some pictures:
The best part, though, is the building and location! We have an elevator, laundry room, and doorman! The building is in Midtown West. We're about 2 blocks from Columbus Circle, which marks the entrance to Central Park (2 freaking blocks from the park!!:)) and also has a mall, CNN's headquarters, Time Warner's Headquarters, and Trump Tower!! We're also about 5 blocks from Lincoln Center, where the symphony, ballet, and opera are. About 15 blocks away is Times Square, which is absolutely incredible. PJ's work is about a 20 minute walk - not bad for New York! Our block has tons of restaurants and pharmacies and dry cleaners and pretty much everything we'll need. So we pretty much hit the jackpot.
I really hope the next four weeks go by fast. It's so hard to concentrate on or care about homework and tests and readings and papers when I know what's waiting for me!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tomorrow!
I know my past few posts have all been about New York, but I can't help it - I am so excited!! Tomorrow, Wednesday, I will officially begin my very first trip ever to New York City.
We fly out of Peoria around noon and get to New York by 7:30 p.m. We're staying with some family friends of P.J., who couldn't be nicer or more gracious for taking us in. Then, bright and early Thursday morning, we have an appointment with a broker to begin looking at apartments!
I'm super excited to see and experience what will be my new home in a few short weeks, but I'm also very nervous. Finding an apartment is generally difficult, but they make things very complicated in NY. I know we'll find something (mostly because we have to), but we have a lot riding on this trip.
We get to stay until Sunday afternoon though, which means 4 glorious, real estate-filled New York days. I'll definitely post some pictures when I return. Wish us luck!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Done Waiting!
That waiting game that I've been complaining about is officially over for me - I was accepted today into NYU's Summer Publishing Institute!!! :)
NYU was my first choice, too, so although I'm waiting to hear on the other two, I'm pretty well decided. I'm so excited that I don't have to be stressed out about it anymore and that I'm actually going. I can't wait to learn more about my field and meet some of the biggest publishing executives.
So within the last week, my fiancé got a job at the New York Times, I was accepted at NYU, I started packing, and we booked our plane tickets for what will be my first trip to NY! I can't believe it's all happening, but it is. Now we just have to find an apartment and sell all of our stuff and we're there! Oh, and finish school/graduate. ;)
Speaking of selling everything, we really are, so if anyone needs a kitchen table/chairs, living room furniture, a bed, small kitchen appliances, a TV, etc. let me know!
NYU was my first choice, too, so although I'm waiting to hear on the other two, I'm pretty well decided. I'm so excited that I don't have to be stressed out about it anymore and that I'm actually going. I can't wait to learn more about my field and meet some of the biggest publishing executives.
So within the last week, my fiancé got a job at the New York Times, I was accepted at NYU, I started packing, and we booked our plane tickets for what will be my first trip to NY! I can't believe it's all happening, but it is. Now we just have to find an apartment and sell all of our stuff and we're there! Oh, and finish school/graduate. ;)
Speaking of selling everything, we really are, so if anyone needs a kitchen table/chairs, living room furniture, a bed, small kitchen appliances, a TV, etc. let me know!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
New York, Here We Come!
Got the best news in the world today! My fiance got the job he interviewed for! He's going to be a Web Developer for the NEW YORK TIMES!!! :) The starting salary is wonderful, and he's getting a signing bonus that will help (although not completely cover) our vast moving expenses. This makes it officially real - we are off to New York!
The is one minor...thing...though. He is scheduled to start working May 16th - a mere 2 days after graduation, and 5 days after finals end. That makes things even more stressful. We're probably going to have to miss some school to fly out, look at apartments, and sign a lease so we have somewhere to stay. That will be easier than missing finals. We'll be here probably for finals and graduation, and then fly out after graduation to prepare for his first day.
We'll also have to sell/store/get rid of/pack ALL of our possessions, including our furniture and car. We have to plan how and when we'll get our things to NY and when we'll start the moving process. Plus, we now have just about a month to save up for our apartment, moving costs, flying, etc. It's stressful, but I'm so excited! Now, fingers crossed, I'll get into a publishing institute and we'll both have our careers underway literally right after graduation!
The is one minor...thing...though. He is scheduled to start working May 16th - a mere 2 days after graduation, and 5 days after finals end. That makes things even more stressful. We're probably going to have to miss some school to fly out, look at apartments, and sign a lease so we have somewhere to stay. That will be easier than missing finals. We'll be here probably for finals and graduation, and then fly out after graduation to prepare for his first day.
We'll also have to sell/store/get rid of/pack ALL of our possessions, including our furniture and car. We have to plan how and when we'll get our things to NY and when we'll start the moving process. Plus, we now have just about a month to save up for our apartment, moving costs, flying, etc. It's stressful, but I'm so excited! Now, fingers crossed, I'll get into a publishing institute and we'll both have our careers underway literally right after graduation!
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