day 10: susie

earlier in my blog adventures, i think i briefly referenced my neighbor susie. susie is one of a kind, man. when i first moved into my apartment, i had no idea how to work my gas oven and didn't understand that when the pilot light went out, it meant that gas was leaking (electric ovens FTW). i think thanksgiving 2009 was the first time i had noticed this phenomenon as i was trying to bake yams and had no idea why my oven was working, and had to call the gas company to relight the pilot light.

a short time after it happened again, and again i called the gas company and this time the lady said "LEAVE YOUR APARTMENT IMMEDIATELY" like the whole thing was going to blow up or something. so i went to my friend autumn's until they called and told me they were on their way. when i showed up at the apartment building, i was greeted by the sight of 4 fire trucks -and- the gas company. it didn't really register at first, but i heard the guy on his radio saying that there was the gas leak and i sprang into action and said "that's me! i have the gas leak, but i already called the gas company - they're here too." the fireman started to tell me that my neighbor had called to report it, when i see said neighbor barreling down the stairs. cordless phone in hand. rollers in her dyed reddish-orange hair. slippers. it was too good. and in her new york accent she says:

"oh hiiii, i smelled tha gayass. i cawlled the fiyah depahtment to make shore they cyame in case. i'm susie, i live upstayahs in apt 6"

the next thing i know, 3 firemen, the gas company man, and susie are all in my apartment. the firemen make sure the levels of gas are ok, the gas guy disconnects my oven, and susie comments on the decor of my apartment.

"where'd you get this tayble."
"how much you pay for this apahhhtment"
"you cawll me wit anything you need, i live right upstayahs"

over the years, i've learned that her husband ben sells jewelry "beautiful silvahh" at the flea market in fort greene on saturdays. they have a grown son, whom they constantly argue about in the apartment lobby. they've lived in the apartment for 37 years and have seen the neighborhood change and become gentrified, some of it welcomed, some of it not. she's thrown water on the girls waiting in line for the bar below the apartment building more than once if they were being too loud. and the craziest tenants were a "bunch of italians about twelve years ago on the top floor, who were havin' orgies. and smokin' grayass! i mean a constant smell of grass. the girls would climb up the fire escape to their balcony where they had a mattress laid out....for the orgies."

so the challenge today was going to be to write susie a thank you card. i don't think i've known any neighbors since i graduated high school and left bigstone place in westlake village, and it's rare to have one so genuine and so involved and concerned about your well being in the building. she's helped me through more than my fair share of apt difficulties, has called the super when i was unable to reach him, and let in maintenance men when i wasn't able to be home. she's pretty amazing, and as much as it weirds me out to say it - i'm totally going to miss her.

as i was leaving yesterday, i saw her in the stairwell and she threw her arms around me and said if i was ever in the neighborhood, to "ring her bell and come up and we'd have cwaffee and catch up." and i think i will. even if she did tell me that her husband was having surgery later that week because "his testicles were the size of grapefruits."

thanks susie, for making my stay in LES just that much more awesome.

day 10 - complete!

xoxo
meags

day #11: burgers, beers, and the big move

i moved. and it went smoother than i thought it was going to. the movers were hilarious and pleasant, and somehow they fit all of my belongings into a 20 sq foot room in manhattan mini storage. when i expressed doubt, the foreman said "we got you." and they did. they did got me.

we were done by around 1p, and then there was everything that i had to do after. all of my stuff was gone and packed away, but i had things i still needed to donate, suitcases and bags of spices/groceries to get to chris' in greenpoint, time warner cable boxes to return. all of this stuff is so difficult in manhattan without a car, so i decided to rent a zipcar which was the easiest way to go about everything. of course, somehow i picked a time of day to drop things off when school was letting out, no parking, etc etc. all i could do was laugh. i would be done soon.

after that long day, i needed a treat, so i met up with my friend carly to accomplish my day 11 challenge - dumont burger.

oh. my. god. DUMONT burger. why has it taken me 4 years of ny living to get to you? i literally am in brooklyn every weekend. and my friends have even invited me to go with them a few times but for some reason i could never make it work. but tonight, it was the perfect night to accomplish this challenge. it's been unseasonable warm the last few nights, but there's been a bit of a breeze which makes it bearable. carly and i decided to sit outside and have a beer while waiting for the burgers. we both ordered the dumont burger, and i just ordered it as is - no add ons like bacon, avocado, cheese, aoli, etc. mainly because i'm a purist and wanted to taste it in it's simplest form, but also because i didn't know if i was going to be able to finish it with all that stuff on it.

burgersssssss

the funny thing is, i wasn't able it finish it anyway. it's a biiiiiiig burger. and it tasted so good that i really really wanted to finish it. but i couldn't.

so glad i was able to get a brooklyn burger favorite in my belly before jetting off to LA. thanks carly! thanks dumont!

day 11 - complete!

xoxo
meags

day #12: times, they are a changin'

ugggh, i'm late again! but i'm still doing it, still keepin on writing, and it makes me feel good that i can continually keep this promise to myself (goals!). for my challenge on tuesday, i had planned to go to staten island to have dinner with a few friends. i did a little research and narrowed it down to beso (spanish tapas) or enoteca maria (italian made by grandmothers - literally. not chefs, grandmas.), and had also planned to MAYBE stop by the drunken monkey, big ang from mob wives' bar. the staten island ferry ride is free and it's a great way to see a different angle of NY - the NY skyline, the statue of liberty, ellis island, etc. it's GREAT for visiting guests, a highlight on the trip to do something new yawk-y. and they even have a bar on board. keep it classy, staten island. 

unfortunately, i didn't make it. i am a procrastinator and i found out on tuesday afternoon that the only time slot for the movers to come was between 11a-3p on wednesday morning. so i had to forgo the challenge to be able to go home and finishing packing in time for the movers. sometimes, you just hafta be an adult (30s!). so what i did do, was order in from one of my favorite places (tre), and catch up on all of the DVR i had recorded while i packed. tuesday night would be my last night in my apartment.

i really got nostalgic packing up the last of my things. deciding what i wanted to keep and what i felt i could now live without. i think i've outgrown living in the LES, but i still get a little teary thinking about leaving. times, they are a changin. i'm writing this entry from greenpoint, as my friend chris was kind enough to let me stay at his place while he's gone. and i'm looking forward to exploring the neighborhood and gathering info on what it would be like to live here. and thus begin-eth my greenpoint vacation.

day 12 - complete.  

xoxo

meagen

day #13: in memorium

yesterday my dad sent us an article written about his father, captain robert f. carroll, receiving the silver star award after his act of gallantry during WWII. he survived the war, but he lost the battle with cancer long before i was born. i never had the pleasure of meeting him, so it was nice to take time out yesterday to honor his life and legacy, and remember all of the fallen heros who have fought bravely for our country and our freedom.

ROBERT F. CARROLL - AWARD OF SILVER STAR

ROBERT F. CARROLL, 0662744, Captain, Air Corps, 762^nd Bombardment Squadron, 460^th Bombardment Group, United States Army. For Gallantry in Action as pilot of a P-24 type aircraft. On 18 May 1944, Captain Carroll was leading a formation of aircraft assigned to bomb an important enemy communication center in Italy. Prior to reaching the target, an engine became inoperative and the aircraft began losing altitude. Captain Carroll was forced to leave the protection of the formation and he turned towards home. On the way back, his aircraft was attacked by five (5) enemy fighters, severely injuring and setting fire to the already crippled airplane, mortally wounding a pilot with him, and severely injuring Captain Carroll in the neck and left arm. Despite the great pain and loss of blood, Captain Carroll fought to maintain consciousness and to control the plane thus enabling the crew to destroy one (1) enemy aircraft, probably destroy another, damage one (1), and drive the remainder off. Captain Carroll directed the crew in putting out the fire and with his navigator as copilot; he brought the aircraft to a friendly field in Italy, whereas, despite the severely damaged condition of his plane, he made a perfect landing without further damage to the plane or injury to the crew. By his extraordinary courage, leadership, and professional skill, Captain Carroll has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America.

Residence at appointment: Brooklyn, NY.

thank you grandpa. and thank you troops who continue to protect us. 

day 13 - complete!

xoxo

meags

day #14: change

ok ok, so i didn't really do a challenge on sunday. ssshhhh. sometimes i think i must have been crazy to take on this challenge while in the midst of moving and going to LA. but then it wouldn't be a challenge right? right. soo, because i didn't get to anything yesterday, i decided to make up my day 14 challenge early on monday morning (this morning!). so i'll write while it's still fresh in my mind.

a lot of places are closed today for the holiday, so imagine my delight in finding that 88 orchard was open for coffee! thank GOODNESS. i've packed away all of my dishes, so making coffee at home is not an option, and not having my morning coffee is also not an option. so yay 88 orchard! and did i mention what an absolutely beautiful day it is today? it's one of those rare new york spring days (73 and sunny) that you hold onto and keep close to your heart because you know that very soon (thursday) it's going to be 88 and humid and you might have to sleep with ice packs on your body to keep from overheating. and yes, i have done that and yes it's necessary and not at all ghetto. but i digress.

so 88 orchard has great pastries and coffee, but sometimes their employees can be a little.....grumpy. maybe they're tired, maybe it comes with being a little hipstery...i don't know. but i feel like i go in there all the time and rarely get a smile. so i ordered my morning coffee, i paid with a $10 bill, and I decided to leave all the change in the tip jar. it's just something little, but it's sooo nice outside and i was feeling so great that i couldn't help myself from wanting to do it. and it made me feel great! so great, that i couldn't help the fact that the words "enjoy the day!" also awkwardly came out of my mouth as i put the money in the jar. and i couldn't tell if he was giving me a surprised look or a dirty look as i did it. but you know what? no one can rain on this positive parade! i feel great.

my speech teacher in college always said to start off or end a speech with a powerful quote. and so, i leave you with this, because it has to do with change and in my case...change. like physical change from a $10 bill. WHAT...double entendre bitches! so, i'm going to quote ghandi because that's how awesome i'm feeling. deal with it!

"be the change you wish to see in the world" - ghandi

day 14 - complete!

xoxo
meags

day #15: nailed it

everytime i log onto the internet, i feel like there's a new trend. orange is the new pink, red is the new black, last years vajazzaling is this years vajacial (what). and with nails, everyone is getting nail art and i decided on that day 15 i wanted to be a part of that world. 

i did some research on nail spas in manhattan that specialize in kind of thing, and came across one called sakura that's in my neighborhood. i called a few days before and made an appointment for saturday, and they said they didn't have time for gel (never done that either) but could do a regular polish mani with some simple nail art. ok!

so i showed up on saturday at 12:30p, and was greeted by the friendly receptionist who asked me to pick my colors and offered me some green tea (yes please!), which was especially welcomed due to saturday's second coming of winter. wtf was up with that? winds, rain, and 40-50 degree temperatures. so bizarre. my nail technician was really friendly and made some conversation while she filed my nails. she asked me what i wanted, and the receptionist came over to try and translate what i had in mind. unfortuntately, what they didn't tell me when i made the appointment was that MOST (if not all) of the nail art that is out there is done with gel. which they didn't have time to do for me. bummer. determined to take advantage of my appointment, i looked through their sticker book and chose a few different colors so i could do at least something a little different than a normal manicure. sooooo.....what i came out with was one of the most schitzophrenic manicures i've had to date. BUT, i love it and it definitely suited for what i was doing on saturday night for my birthday evening. 

that night, my friend holly had organized a little get together with some of my NY friends for my 30th birthday, since i will be in LA on my actual birthday. she took care of EVERYTHING, despite my best efforts to try to butt in and control all the plans (thanks holly!). and i couldn't have asked for a more beautiful evening. we met at macondo for some drinks and bar snacks, and then headed to private room karaoke where we proceeded to sing (scream?) the hits. 

here are the best of the pics + vines from the evening. (ps, OBSESSED with vine now). yes, that is me lying down singing and yes, i am wearing my party pants. 

thanks to my friends for coming out to celebrate. day 15 - complete!

xoxo

meags

day #16: famous for over 125 years

i've gotten all sorts of thrown off with my day count after the janeane garafolo post was late. and since i was back working this week, the exciting factor of doing things has been at a minimum. so, i am just going to go right into day 16 - and i'll make up day 17 in a two-fer post when i'm not working next week so i am able to get back on track. ok? ok.

since i have lived in new york, i've wanted to try peter lugers. it's been open since 1887 and has been named best steakhouse in ny 28 years in a row. we all know how i feel about reviews, so this was a no brainer for the new york bucketlist part of the challenge.

my "i'm going to peter lugers" smile

oh man. where to even begin? i'm still dreaming of the steak. let me just say, it was the most mahvelous of evenings. my friend angela was gracious enough to accompany me on this challenge, even though the only reservation i could get was at 10:45pm. we decided to go early just to see if they could seat us, so around 10p we grabbed a cab and headed over the williamsburg bridge to lugers.

greeter

as we walked in, we were greeted two bartenders in white shirts and black bowties behind a long wooden bar. further in, we spotted the host - a dapper gentleman with a curled moustache and grandpa glasses. he found my reservation, and we decided to order a drink at the bar while we waited (glass of red, naturally. not 10 mins later, we were whisked back to our table in the front room. the waiter presented the menus with fanfare, and i couldn't stop staring at everything. the bavarian beer influences, the bare wooden table, the clientele. the lights were incredibly bright. the waiter came back with bread, and asked us if we were ready. he tried really hard to push the steak for two (at $97), but since we wanted to get sides we each decided to get the small steak (at a more reasonable $34), german hash brown potatoes, and broccoli - you know, to keep it healthy.

when the waiters brought out the steak, the sauce/juices were sizzling on the plate. the steak was brought pre-cut, and was served onto our plates along with the potatoes. and oh. my. god. it was INCREDIBLE. tender, juicy, flavorful, omg MEAT. clearly, i enjoyed myself as you can see in the clip below.

i kept telling myself i was going to save some of the steak to eat in the morning (steak and eggs - yes!), but i ended up eating it. the whole thing. we were going to stay and have a glass of wine for dessert, catch up, talk more, but i was so full i didn't think i could fit anything else in my stomach.at the end of the night, i really wanted to take a pic with our hosts, but when we left they were enjoying a steak of their own at the bar, as it was almost closing time. damn! here are the pics i did manage to snap:

this is the small steak. what. 

what are we doing? 

moooooooo

golden chocolate coins for desert

classy

QUEEN OF LUGERS

one of my favorite challenges yet. day 16 - complete!

xoxo

meags

day #18: disaster relief

when hurricane sandy hit last year, i was without power, heat, hot water, and cell service for a week - and i had one of the best case scenarios. the damage to the rockaways, staten island, and other parts of the east coast were devastating. people lost friends and family members, houses, belongings. below 25th street was completely dark for a week - we kept joking that it looked like a zombie apocalypse. we're all still recovering.

but the amazing thing that came from sandy was the sense of community. my friend kat was visiting from LA at the time, and we were taken in to friend's hotel rooms and apartments in brooklyn without question. we shared cabs with strangers, were grateful for the shop owners, restaurant workers, cab drivers, and everyone else who was still working to help provide goods and services for everyone affected even though they too were affected.

there are a million things you think you've planned for, but you can't predict how a storm is going to affect you or your neighborhood. you don't think that it's going to be so bad you're going to have to throw out everything in your refrigerator because you're not going to have power for a week. you can't predict the following cold front that would make your apartment unlivable without the building's heat. you don't know that the people you love you can't contact you because you don't have cell service, and even still you're trying to preserve your phone battery because there is no electricity to recharge it. you can't shower. and when you're hungry, you have to figure out a way to get food since no stores are open in your neighborhood, the subways aren't running, and there are no cabs. so you assess the damage and try and make a plan to move forward.

on the third day without power, i completely lost my shit on an employee of a restaurant above 25th street for only taking cash. "WHERE WAS I SUPPOSED TO FIND CASH" I screamed. "THERE ARE NO WORKING ATMS." he just stared at me, and asked if i still wanted the burger. i realized i might need to change my attitude, i was just hangry (angry because i was hungry). i later apologized to him when i found some cash, and also apologized to kat for screaming at her that THEY WERE ONLY EFFING TAKING EFFING CASH as she silently handed me a $20. it wasn't his fault. it wasn't her fault. he was just trying to get me a burger. she knew i needed food. everyone reacts differently.

for today's challenge, i donated to the red cross to help those affected tornados in oklahoma. my heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragedy.

if you would like to help, the link to the donation website is below or you can text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.

http://www.redcross.org/charitable-donations

day 18 - complete.

xoxo
meags

day #19: janeane garafolo

i just want to start this off by saying - if you would have told me that janeane garafolo would have something to do with the transition into my thirties, i would have said - what? but also at the same time "well, i mean i get it." because why not? why wouldn't janeane garafolo factor into my birthday? life is weird like that.

i thought that growing up in LA would make me way cooler about encountering celebs. but it didn't. at all. sometimes i get nervous, and then i act like i'm all cool and like "whatever" which probably means i come off not cool and like "whatever" and i actually come off like a douche or like i'm too good for them. or shy and quiet. or a snob. maybe it's all in my head and no one is actually thinking anything about me at all because they're too busy thinking about themselves. but the point is, i get nervous.

when i was 22, i had a terrible experience with bruce willis. i was young and it may or may not have involved quite a bit of wine (spoiler alert: it did). my friends were in a band and they had a hotel cabana at the roosevelt hotel in LA, which meant that you could party in your hotel room but also mingle amongst the bar patrons by the pool. so basically i thought i was the bees knees that night. paris hilton and lindsay lohan were there, and i was there too. and in my mind, that meant i could DEFINITELY go up to bruce willis and talk to him.

so i walk up to him and i tap him on the shoulder. and without even turning around he gives me the "wait a minute" index finger. now, any normal person would have walked away at this point - but i was committed. it was bruce willis! so i hung around, clinging to a poolside heater, waiting for him to finish his story and talk to me. so he finally turns around surprised that i'm still there, and says gruffly:"what." and it was at that moment, i realized i had no idea what i wanted to say to bruce willis. i didn't even really like him all that much. i'd never seen die hard. in fact, i think the only thing i'd seen him in was the sixth sense. and at that moment, i wished i was a dead person he couldn't see. so i blurted out the only thing i could think of:

"um. i just want to tell you i think you're fabulous."

"thanks," he said as we shook hands, and i retreated back to my friends, laughing and humiliated. but at 3am when i thought it would also be a good idea to invite paris hilton to our cabana, i remembered bruce "wait a minute finger" willis, and decided against it. lessons!

my friend kerri hosts an amazingly funny internet show called "geeking out"where she interviews her favorite celebs and geeks out all over them. which is very similar to my own behavior, except for i don't have an internet show because that would involve celebrity interaction and well, bruce willis incident. one of the celebs she interviewed was janeane garafolo, so kerri had invited me to see her perform at a storytelling show in brooklyn called "jukebox." all of the performers were HYSTERICAL. seriously, if you have a chance to see this show - it was great and it was only $5, and it involves the performers telling a story and then karaoking a song that pertains to the story. genius.

Kerri with the poster for her show Geeking Out!

David Wain, performing a card trick story

Our lovely hosts for the evening - theme was Prom

 

Peter Krauss

janeane!

so after the show, kerri and i waited to say hi - but janeane got swept up in deep, deep conversation almost immediately with a girl that could have been her mirror image, armed with a notebook and a healthy dose of sarcasm. so we decided to catch janeane on her way out. as she was making a beeline for the exit, kerri called out "JANEANE" and waved her over. i shook her hand, and said it was nice to meet her, and how great the show was. and for my challenge, i was going to throw out all of my "too coolness" to ask her to take a picture with me. AND I TOTALLY FAILED. hahahaha. i could make all kinds of excuses about the fact that it was weird timing, she looked like she was in a hurry, she wanted to get out of there, blah blah. and kerri could totally back me up - or probably tell me i should have just taken the damn picture. but it turns out i STILL have things in my 20s that i can't seem to shake just yet. gaaaa. 

maybe it was for the best, maybe i avoided another bout of humiliation ala bruce willis. or maybe janeane's karaoke song was a taunt to the next time i come in contact with her.

either way, day 19 - complete!

xoxo

meags

day #20: LES living

i know. i know. i didn't do an entry for day#20 yesterday. i'm the WORST. but - i do have a bit of an excuse. i had half written the post and i was going to finish it when i got home from day#19's challenge. but when i got there, i had no running water, my toilet didn't work, and it appeared as if someone had been in my apartment. the trash can was moved, the shower curtain pulled back, and my spare key was missing my from the entry table. the funny thing is, even after all of the law and order: SVU that i've seen, the first emotion i had wasn't fear - i just was PISSED. ha. guess i'm one of them new yawkas now eh? 

so i called my super alberto, who informed me that there was a leak in my shower that was trickling down into the pickle guys so he had to shut off the water. but - how did he get in? oh, the brokers who have my keys let him in, and because he didn't want to rely on them to let him in today to fix it, he took my spare key. i had received no phone calls about this matter, and it was extremely disconcerting that someone was able to enter my apartment without my permission. grrrrr. but - i'm only living there for another week, so i'm working on letting it go. but it does just further the fact that i'm making the right decision in moving.

the ironic thing is, today's entry was all about being nostalgic about my neighborhood. jokes on me i guess - haha. and this is exactly why i freaking love this challenge. it's really been opening my eyes more to everything that's happening around me. i feel like i've almost been in a constant state of wonder and amazement since this all began. i am so grateful.

so anyway, day#20. since i am leaving my neighborhood, i wanted to try and pack some of my favorite LES things into the day. i had some business to attend to up in the flatiron district, so i decided to walk home (2 miles) before popping into the falafel shop to get an amazing sandwich. and as i was chowing down, i started thinking about the restaurants and shops i was really going to miss after i move. i don't even think i covered them all, but here are a bunch of my fave spots in the LES:

Dudley's - one word: fried chicken sandwich

The Whiskey Ward - LES sweet tea is the best drink ever

Meatball Shop - anything and everything, tho i'm partial to the spicy pork

Spitzers - burger, fries, beer. 

The Fat Radish - great little spot

169 Bar - really fun music, good mojitos

Essex Restaurant - brunch deal is the best in the neighb

The Falafel Shop - just a really good, cheap falafel sandwich

Home Espresso Bar - really sweet owner, good everything

88 Orchard - a fave breakfast spot - they have tofu cream cheese for lactards like me. 

An Choi - decent pho, but i live for the 1/2 bahn mi 1/2 pho combo 

Lil' Frankies (sort of east village, but it's my favorite) - ROASTED EGGPLANT. i die. and everything 

Katz's Deli - the pastrami really is as good as they say

Mole - great fish tacos + margs

Pala - they have pizza with dairy free cheese and can also make it vegan and/or with gluten free crust. 

Tre - super great neighborhood italian. also has the option of GF pasta

Tiny's Giant - HOT TURKEY SANDWICH. yum. 

September Wines - the best wine shop i've come across - helpful and priced amazingly.

Ten Bells - oysters, wines, and meats. love. 

Barrio Chino - amazing margaritas + tacos as well as a host of other things. probably my favorite neighborhood mexican

Epsteins - a surprising favorite for bar burger. decently priced drinks - a fun place for a saturday afternoon

Beauty and Essex - ok, it's really not my scene. BUT, they have free champagne in the ladies bathroom. so they're ok in my book.

Doughnut Plant - hands down, best donuts. tres leches cake donut is like a drop of heaven

Clinton Street Baking Company - see post referencing pancakes here

and that brings me to the last spot i am going to miss terribly - rockwood music hall. there are two rockwoods right next door to one another -one with free shows every hour and one with some free and some ticketed shows. and i've never seen a bad act here - all the talent who performs is really amazing. so when my mom called and told me her best friend from high school and business partner kiki ebsen was in town and performing here on monday night, i knew what i needed to do wasn't something new, but rather something i loved. my friend angela graciously agreed to accompany me, and we had a nice low key night listening to some free live music. perfect, ny evening. that's us in the bottom photo - i think we kind of look like a theatre mask no? we're ridiculous.

LES, you've been my home for 4 years and i love you. and even though i am getting nostalgic (standard), i am keeping in mind the amazing things that are coming as well. and i am focusing on living neither past nor future, but appreciating the present. this is day 20 and it is COMPLETE.

xoxo

meags

day #21: i hear 30 is a good year

did i mention that during this 30 day challenge, i am also preparing to move? in less than 2 weeks, i'll be moving out of the apartment i've called home for the last 4 years and heading out to LA for the summer on a freelance gig. i'm not moving back to LA - it just happened that the job coincided with my lease ending and i knew i didn't want to re-sign. so i've decided to sell a bunch of my stuff and put the rest in storage.

it kills me how timely and poetic this all is. like i'm selling off little pieces of my 20s, while still holding onto a few key items that can transition with me into the next decade. the bookshelves i bought at crate and barrel can stay. the dresser with the drawers off their runners and a knob missing, cannot. adult! of course, i'm already getting nostalgic about everything. leaving my only NY apt i've known, leaving the lower east side, the pickle guys, the stupid bar next door that i hate, the really unfriendly chinese bodega down the street, and how could i forget my nosy neighbor susie (she almost deserves her own entry). i keep telling myself it's not goodbye forever - just goodbye for now. but it's still hard.

all that said, i had a minor freakout yesterday thinking about everything and thinking about all the work i still needed to do, so i didn't really accomplish a challenge. meh. but in keeping with it's spirit, i did try and do small acts of kindness where i could. i said hello to my neighbors, held doors open for a strangers, donated to a few online causes that friends were hosting, smiled a lot, and in general just tried to keep a pleasant attitude to put out some good vibes.

after the freelance job ends this august, i'm headed to kauai with my sister for a week, and then off on a cruise to mexico for my best friend's bachelorette party. and then we shall see where work takes me after that. will i stay in LA a little longer, or will it take me back to NY? wherever i end up, i know that a lot of good things are coming. i think i'm really going to enjoy my 30s.

as my good friend ali says - i hear 30 is a good year.

day 21 - complete(ish)!

xoxo
meags

day #22: brooklyn brewery

it was the first saturday in a long time that most of my friends had the weekend off, so we decided that this would be the perfect day to accomplish one of my new york bucket list challenges - touring brooklyn brewery. 

we had planned on taking the 2pm tour, so we met at 1:45p. but it was apparent from the long line wrapping around the corner that we were not the only people with this plan. fortunately, the brewery does tours every hour, so we decided to grab a beer, catch up, and wait for the 3p tour instead.

the tour on the weekends is more of a history lesson on beer and the brewery, since the brewers take the weekend off from production. i think you can take more of a tour during the weekdays, but to be honest i really ended up enjoying the lecture from our cute, bearded hipster man.

he started by telling us about the ingredients of beer - malt, yeast, hops, and water. he had little cups filled with two different kinds of malts, explaining that the lighter color and the darker color indicate how long the grains have been roasted, not the alcohol content (who knew?). he let us sample the different grains and smell the hops, explaining that the hops flower is actually part of the cannabis family, and no there is not weed in beer and no, you cannot get high from smoking hops.

he then explained the production process of beer and gave a history lesson about the brewery itself - explaining how the founder was a war correspondant for the associated press who decided he wanted to make craft beer after sampling some home brews in saudi arabia. how the label was designed by the same designer who did the iconic "i heart NY" logo. and then he explained that the chandelier above his head was a reminder that this was a classy establishment.

after the tour was over, we decided to cash in the rest of our beer tokens, and we had a few more friends trickle in for the hangs. 

after the tour, we decided to get some amazing bbq at mables next door, and to go over to my friend wade's house to hang out in his backyard for a few hours. we ended up staying all night, dancing to britney and big freedia and that 'rhythm is a dancer' song. singing taylor swift at the top of our lungs. eating bacon pizza (wut) and munchies. and just having a truly great day. thanks for sharing in this day with me friends - i love you all. 

day 22 - complete!

xoxo

meags

day #23: happy birthday nick carraway

i was half as old as i am now when i read the great gatsby for the first time. i was 15, and i couldn't think beyond my 16th birthday (driving!!) let alone my 30th. it was 10th grade and i was in mrs. stanley's english class. i had bangs, braces, and a learners permit. i had my whole life ahead of me with a past rooted only in childhood, and the promises of a future beyond the awkward walls of adolescence.

the great gatsby is riddled with complex themes that go far beyond what most high schoolers can understand, because 15 is not long enough to have experienced them. obsession, drinking, money, self-delusion, lies, love. to have had something you so desperately wanted that didn't pan out. to experience raw and deep emotions: happiness, disappointment, love, and loss, maybe wanting at some times to manipulate the past to know then what you know now so you might be able to change it. but the beauty of life lies in the fact that we learn to adapt and move forward. i once read a beautiful quote from author tom stoppard that sums this up:

“We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered.”

the downfall of gatsby comes in his desire to recreate the past. i admit that at some points in my life, i have felt this way. i mean i feel like we all have those thoughts at one point or another. if only i had done this instead of that, turned left instead of right, dated him instead if the other guy, maybe things would have been different. maybe i'd have 3 kids and a house in the burbs, or maybe i'd live in another country, or maybe something whacky would have happened like i'd be in jail or something. but life has given me amazing things. new york city, freelance, travels, and everything on that list before beginning this challenge and beyond, fulfilling dreams i had and those i never knew i wanted. 

so today, i really didn't accomplish a 'challenge' per se. but sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is to see a great movie with a great friend, and reflect on the amazing week of experiences that you've had so far in this countdown to 30.

"I was thirty. Before me stretched the portentous menacing road of a new decade...Thirty-the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning brief-case of enthusiasm, thinning hair." - Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby

day 23 - complete.

xoxo
meags

day #24: better the devil you know, than the devil you don't

i have wanted to go see book of mormon since it debuted on broadway back in 2011, but the tickets have been sold out/too expensive/ok fine i haven't really tried to get any, pretty much since that day. in doing research on how to get discounted tickets, i came across their rush tix policy and decided that my day 24 challenge was going to be about trying to get (cheap) tickets to book of mormon.

there are three ways to get cheap tickets on the day of each show:

1. enter the book of mormon ticket lottery: show up at the box office between 2.5 and a little before 2 hours prior to showtime, write your name on a slip of paper and indicate if you would like 1 ticket or 2 tickets. at 2 hours prior to showtime, they draw names for the 20-22 seats they have available. tickets are $32 each.

2. standing room only tickets: show up at the box office about 2.5 to 3 hours before showtime and wait in the SRO line until show performance. the announcer said if there are more than 20 people in line already, you probably won't get in. tickets are $27.

3. cancellation line: show up at the box office about 2 - 2.5 hours before showtime and stand in the cancellation line until show performance you might have a chance of getting a ticket if someone doesn't show up for their seat. tickets are face value, usually around $150.

i knew any of these were a longshot, but i decided i would try for the lottery and let go of the results. if i got in, AWESOME. if not, then i would just get to see what the experience was all about so i could try again next time. i showed up at 4:30p, 2.5 hours before the 7pm show and entered my name into the lottery for 2 tix. as it turns out, they accept slips of paper up until 4:59p, so there really isn't any benefit to coming early since it's all a random drawing. NOTED. i asked a few people in line if they had done this before, and there was a couple that was visiting from london who had tried the day before but hadn't won, and today was their last chance to win before they left. to be honest, i was rooting for them more than myself.

standing room only line - already people lined up at 4:30!

announcing what the procedure is, cracking jokes

at 5pm, i came back to the box office and the crowd had grown exponentially from 1/2 hour ago. i snapped a pic of the crowd - and this is just one side! there were as many if not more people on the other side of the box office as well.

all in all, there were about 300 people who had entered their name in the lottery and only 22 seats available. my hopes were high, but i knew that it was a long shot. every time the announcer said it was someone from new york, there were whoops and hollers, everyone hopeful it was their own name. and every time a person won regardless of who it was, the group cheered and clapped for them, silently hoping that good karma would come back around and theirs would be the next name called. when the last name was drawn, i smiled. it wasn't mine, but i had done what i set out to do - and tonight wasn't my night to win. sadly, the couple from london didn't win - but i did see them make a beeline for the SRO line so hopefully they were able to see it before going home.  the whole experience only lasted about 10 minutes - not bad for such an amazing discount.

before i go out to LA for the summer, i have 3 more chances to win the ticket lotto - and you bet your ass i'll be trying again. i'm definitely more prepared for next time, knowing to bring a snack and a friend in case the lottery doesn't pan out so we can get a chance at the standing room tix. either way i WILL see this play before i'm 30.

i can't remember who told me this story, or if i read it in an article somewhere, but there have been quite a number of actual practicing mormons who have seen the show. in fact, there was even someone from utah in my ticket lottery group who won, and i kept thinking - i hope she knows it's a satire. but anyway, the story goes that there was a guy who was sitting next to a few of the mormons during the show and he kept thinking how strange it was to see them at a play that was basically poking fun of their religion. after a while, he leaned over and said "excuse me, i just have to ask - why did you come to see this play?" and the mormon guy pursed his lips, and said back:

"better the devil you know, than the devil you don't"

day 24 - complete!

xoxo
meags

day #25: i want your hot body

it was cold and rainy in new york on day 25, so i decided that it would be the perfect day to accomplish one of my new york bucket list challenges - the russian and turkish baths. and even as i write this a day later, i still can't stop laughing.

the baths have been in the east village since 1892 - and is one of those places that i feel like you have to see and experience for yourself to believe it. it is operated by two feuding owners, so half the time it's run by david and the other half of the time it's run by boris (of course it's boris). each has their own staff and way of doing business which makes for an interesting business model. i happened to catch a boris week.

i went up to the counter and was greeted with a silent stare by the man behind the counter (boris?). he pulls out a slim locker drawer and still without talking, points to a small sign above him:

put valuables in drawer

then points to the small sign next to it:

your key number is the same as your valuables drawer and locker

and then points to the small sign next to that:

pay when you leave.

all of this was done in complete silence, but hiiii, boris i have questions! so i asked about the treatments they offer, and which one he felt was the best. clearly annoyed he says, in a thick russian accent, "all good. all by rosa. there she is. she tell you." i turn, and meet rosa. a short, stocky woman dressed only in towels. one around her body and one on her head. was there a bathing suit under there? i don't know, you can't worry about details like that at the russian baths. you just go with it. she says "come to me in 1/2 hour. we do mud"

there are a few different kinds of rooms, with supposed different purposes. i try the aromatherapy steam room first, but the only thing i can smell is the kitchen staff cooking the borscht (not kidding), and the only thing i can think about is how many sweaty new yorkers must have sat in the very same spot i was sitting. i can't relax, so i decide to switch saunas and then i see rosa barreling out of her treatment room and rush over to me. "you ready for me?" i say yes. she puts her hand on my chest, looks me in the eye and says in a thick russian accent:

"i want your hot body."

i try and surpress a laugh.

"what?"

she repeats again:

"i want your hot body"

and then gestures to the russian sauna room. OHHHH. she just means i need to go in the sauna beforehand...to get hot. i think. or it's a come on. i go into her shower lair, where she tells me to take everything off. (yep, come on)

"i can tell you're shy, you can use towel if you want. for cover"

ok.

i lay down, and when she comes back in she takes the towel off immediately, so...ok, not shy now? then she proceeds to slather me in mud all over my body, with the door open - so you're welcome everyone! then she let me set, and my whole body started tingling. after about 10 mins she came back, rinsed the mud off and scrubbed my whole body with what felt like a soft brillo pad? whatever it was, it was amazing. after that, i started to loosen up and enjoy myself. i tried all the rooms (there are 4) and even went up to the roofdeck to read, which was really nice.

aromatherapy steam room

redwood sauna

roofdeck!

my favorite room was the "hot body" room, or the russian sauana.  it literally feels like you walked into the surface of the sun, but there are ice cold buckets of water everywhere that you repeatedly pour on yourself to keep cool. i can't explain it, but somehow it was one of the best and most relaxing feelings i've ever had.

i stayed for about 3 hours and when i exited the facilities, i just started cracking up at everything that i had seen. rosa, wanting my "hot body." the russian staff who doesn't provide any instructions. and just the general crazy stuff you see during the women only hours. like the 80 year old woman naked in the common area, covered in mud doing different yoga poses (no). or the woman in the sauna loudly groaning (why?). and just the whole place which i really don't think has been updated since 1892. all in all, i'm really happy that i went and had a very weird, hilarious, amazing, relaxing new york-y day.

day 25 - complete!

xoxo
meags

day #26: keep calm and eat pancakes

before starting this 30 day challenge, i wrote down a rough list of the things i wanted to accomplish so i had a little bit of guidance for how i should spend my days. i didn't come up with exactly 30, because i wanted to leave room for the kinds of things that life hands you that you can't plan for.

for day 26, i was having a hard time coming up with what i wanted to do. i had a bunch of errands to run (BORING), so i hoped that as i was checking some things off my list, the days challenge would somehow present itself to me. my friend chris had asked me to water his plants while he was out of town, so i decided to walk over the williamsburg bridge to get to his place (a 3 mile walk) so i could also get some exercise. while walking up bedford avenue and jamming out to some sweet tunes, i noticed i was coming up on two girls with clipboards and i immediately started to tense up. if you've lived in new york - you know that feeling i'm talking about. as new yorkers, we really just don't want to be bothered. ever. there is ALWAYS someone who wants something from you (usually money, sometimes directions) and you get used to just walking around with your head down or saying no thank you as you breeze by because you just want to get 2 blocks without being solicited. it's such a common feeling that it was even parodied in the video below, which also happens to include several other annoyances that are completely accurate as well.

but as i've been saying, i am working towards being in a state of 30 day zen - and that means challenging what feels comfortable to me (ie, walking to the other side of the street to avoid them, pointing at my headphones semi-apologetically and walking by, etc) and doing what feels uncomfortable - stopping and talking to them. and i swear even they were surprised. as it turns out, they were trying to raise signatures and funds for gay rights, which is something that i feel very strongly about. so i listened to the spiel, signed the petition, and donated what i could. she was super thankful and nice and i was happy i could help support something that i believe so strongly in. i even got this sweet sticker. winning!

so on the walk back towards my apartment, i started to get hungry from the all the do-gooding (ok fine, it was from the walk) but nothing was sounding good. the beauty of living in a city like new york is that you can usually gain inspiration from your surroundings, which is what happened to me when i decided that i was going to ALSO make this day about a new york challenge and try the pancakes at clinton street baking company. now, i have tried to get the pancakes here several times, but it's always been on a weekend and there is ALWAYS at least a 2 hour wait that i couldn't possibly do because i am sooo busy. but, because i'm an unemployed freelancer this week, 2pm on a tuesday was golden.

everything on their menu sounded good, but i was there for the pancakes so i tried not to drool over the buttermilk biscuit sandwich or the egg deliciousness or the fried chicken sandwich or, like, everything listed. pancakes meagen! focus. there is a choice between wild maine blueberry, banana walnut, or chocolate chunk. i opted for the blueberry since they had been voted best pancake by nymagaize twice. and um HELLO. holy shit these pancakes were good. light, fluffy, perfectly cooked. they were dusted lightly with powdered sugar and served with a warm container of maple butter on the side. no syrup needed. i will DEFINITELY be coming back to try the banana walnut...like tomorrow. 

PANCAKES. check out how jealous the people waiting outside are.

NOM NOM NOM.

ugh, so full. i don't think i can go on. 

weird, somehow i was able to finish them.

so all in all, day 26 was a major success. i moved out of my comfort zone, talked to strangers and donated to a cause i truly believe in. AND i ate the best pancakes i've ever had in my life after a 6 mile walk on a tuesday afternoon. it is definitely going to be hard to go back to work next tuesday. 

day 26 - complete!

xoxo

meags

day #27: yelp me yelp you

dude, i LOVE reviews. like...love. i think i may have stated my obsession with reading reviews in day 30's challenge, when i mentioned i was trying to get away from planning things. but today is day 27, and that means it's a different challenge yeah. so let's review (groan). basically, i like to read reviews of restaurants, beauty salons, movies, plays, experiences - pretty much anything that's out there i want to see what someone else has to say about it. and i have found that yelp is usually the best site to read, pending you're willing to take the time to actually read the reviews and not just judge by the star count. sometimes you see a one-star review and you think the food must be terrible until you scroll down and realize this person is mad because they showed up with a 25 person birthday crew with no reservation and they threw a hissy fit when they waited 3 hours. then usually, there is one line about the fact that the food was excellent, BUT DON'T GO HERE EVER FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY. ok, crazy. we get it.

the idea for this challenge came to me when i got an email asking for a review from this amazing boutique rental car company i used when i was out in LA for work. and like most emails asking me to put in extra work - i promptly ignored it. and i really hate that it's my first inclination to do that. so, what i did today was write 5 yelp reviews of places i love to just give a little something back to a site that's given me a lot. here is the list:

1. christine chin salon: where i get my eyebrows waxed in ny - connie is a miracle worker.

2. intimacy: where i get my bras - i literally have cried in here i've been so happy with the selection and service.

3. takahachi: best sushi in the east village and the wild shrimp tempura will make your tastebuds sing.

4. sleep no more: anyone who knows me might have heard me talk about it once...or twice...or every time we go out. seriously, the best play experience i've ever seen.

5. west side rent-a-car: radu is the man! best long term car rental place ever.

and, link to reviews here, in case you care to read:

http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=wy_QDTgdiR2DFw9zr2bwFA

no pictures from today, since it was just me at the computer writing. but it was the perfect challenge for today since i had flown back from florida and was so tired that i needed something that didn't require me leaving the apartment. so the lesson learned today: take time out of your week to give back to something or someplace you use all the time. it makes you feel good to support local businesses, and keep the positive momentum alive.

day 27 - complete!

xoxo
meags