Christmas in New York

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are looking forward to Christmas.  Blake and I were lucky enough to go to Mexico for Thanksgiving (thanks Scott and Nancy!), but I must admit, I am very glad to be back in New York.  It is so exciting and lively here right now.  After work tonight, I walked around the city and took some pictures of some traditional New York Christmas sites.  This weekend, I hope to spend time walking around and seeing more of the great decorations away from the tourist areas.  Also, this weekend it's time for couch shopping...I have to get into the apartment!!

Also, I wanted to formally congratulate one of my favorite people for the upcoming arrival of her first baby!  I wish I could be around to experience the wonderful, joyful time.  I can't wait to hear more news and see pictures of the sure to be gorgeous nursery.  :)  Also, hopefully, I can be home in May or June to meet the little guy or girl.

All BKD'ers...have fun at Downstream tomorrow. So jealous!

love you all - devin

Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Christmas tree

Many of the buildings along 5th Avenue are decorated, along with their window displays.  So pretty!  This is Cartier.

Trump Tower

Empire State Building

I have the keys!!

It is official, Blake and me have an apartment in Manhattan to call our very own.   Now, I expect each of you to start considering a trip to visit, if only to step in and tell me how crazy I am to spend so much money on so little space! I will take you outside and prove why we are so fortunate...hopefully Blake feels the same when he actually sees the place in December. He put a lot of trust in me! Okay, pictures...sorry, I can't figure out how to place them properly, so they are kind of all over the place.

"Eat-in kitchen"

Living room

Dining area looking into living room

View from the kitchen down the hall - bedroom is on he left

"Huge" closet according to broker

Living room closet

View from bedroom into hall

My dinner tonight was ramen and green beans - buyer's remorse

Bedroom

Small closet in bedroom

Hallway view from dining area

Kitchen.  Good windows all over

Kitchen - look at the dishwasher!!

Bathroom

Hopefully this is not premature...

Big News! 

I have an appointment to sign a lease tomorrow!  Big change from yesterday's post, right?!  If all goes as planned, I will have inside pictures in a few days when I get the keys.  It is a one bedroom (more like a junior one bedroom...) near 2nd Avenue and 75th Street.  It is very pretty and newly remodeled.  I know, I am doing the bad thing and getting my hopes up, but at least this time I have a lease-signing appointment.  We won't even get into the scary thoughts that come along when signing a lease or the crazy amount of cash I have to bring with me to the appointment, but I guess that is the risk we have to take to be so lucky and live in Manhattan.  Hope to post more later!

2nd Avenue and 75th street

75th Street

Byrant Park - not in the UES, but I walked there tonight and the fountain and ice rink was so pretty!

The NYC marathon

Sunday, I had the fantastic and lucky opportunity to watch runners participating in the NYC marathon.  Prior this experience, going to the high-fashion floors at Barney's was #1 best thing about the City so far...but I think this wins!

I went into the City around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, got a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte (weekend treat ONLY, or I would gain 20 lbs), and walked to Central park.  The runners were still a few hours from the finish line, so I picked out a nice sunny spot to read.  Families and dogs all over, so it was very nice.  After a but, I went to and stood along the fences between marathon mile marker 26 and the "300 yards" sign.  For some reason, standing there in the sun, in the park, with all the spectators and a high-rise backdrop, I remembered I so lucky to be here!  With the new job, apartment search and crazy daily commute to Brooklyn, I haven't really enjoyed and remembered how awesome it is that I am in New York.  Blake and I spent so many nights talking and dreaming about this opportunity, and it is in process.  So nuts. :)

Back to the marathon.  So, after just a bit, the 'professional' women's race came through first.  I could hear the announcer discussing the race for probably the last three miles.  The leader, who was on record pace through most of the race, was fading and two others were on her tail.  It was all so exciting, and when they came down the road, everyone was cheering and ringing the cowbells which were handed out to all spectators.  Then, the men's race came through.  The winner, who had also won the Boston marathon earlier this year, ran through and finished with a course-record 2:05 (and seconds).   Crazy fast!

After the professionals (olympians, world-record holding runners, etc.) ran through, all the normal people started to follow.  It is so inspiring to watch individuals who dedicate themselves, no matter their busy family and work life, to finish the marathon.  So cool.  It is a big dream, but I would love to run a marathon some day.  Super accomplishment!

devin

Central Park - near the marathon course

Apartment search

So much for my plan to be a good blogger... I have an excuse for not writing anything for a bit, and it is called apartment searching in Manhattan.  Beyond work, I can't think of anything else besides apartments, fees, dogs, fees and neighborhoods.  Prior to moving here, I knew to expect high rent and fast pace.  So far, the prices are what I expected, but the pace of the market is crazy!  It doesn't help that I get emotionally attached to nice apartments the second I walk through the door; this is something I am working on with every apartment I apply for and don't get. :)

Our first plan was to find an apartment "on our own" a.k.a. no broker.  I started looking on Craigslist for no-fee or by-owner apartments, even though friends warned me these apartments are often fake.  They were right.  I emailed probably 20-30 Craigslist ads, and almost all of them lead back to a broker.  I even went to see a few that were by-owner, and a broker met me at the door.  Also, the pictures on Craigslist may not even be the apartment you are going to see.  So, on to plan two, use a broker.

I will be nice and start with the good side to using a broker.  They have access to more apartments than I could every find on my own time, and they do work decently hard on your behalf (because they want their fee, of course).  Yesterday, one woman I am working with ran across 1st avenue in front of  a bus to turn in my application (her fee is 12% of annual rent.)  She also emails me with apartment options as they become available. 

Now, the bad.  They basically STEAL your money.  As mentioned, the broker fee we will likely pay is 12-15% of annual rent.  Yes, annual rent.  For our price range, this is around $3000.  I hope they are willing to run across the street, at noon, in front of a bus, in the rain, in heels, with a backpack...you get the picture.  People here just deal with this, but I know all of you in Springfield will think this is nuts, right?  This is a major reason I want to find a good apartment.  We can not afford this fee every year!

Now, to the pace.  I have seen quite a few apartments and put in appliations in on four apartments.  On each, I was supposedly the only applicant when I wrote the check/got the cash for the application fee.  On each, there have been multiple other applicants which the broker "didn't know about."  Maybe they don't know, but it seems so strange how it happens like that every time.  So, with multiple applicants, it has come down to first, credit score, and second, if we are willing to pay more rent.  This is where I wonder about the truth in all this...are the brokers/landlords just doing this to get more rent?  The problem is, I will never know and I don't have the luxury of waiting to find out because some other person is taking the same risk as me.  In one case, the rent magically went up $150/month.  Hum?  Also, I lost one because the other applicant's salary was 80x monthly rent.  I don't know why I am competing with someone who makes a fortune for a one bedroom apartment East of 1st avenue...move to Madison!

All of this is made worse by the fact that I am in a new job, so I can't leave every few hours to go look at potentials which is what the brokers want.  And, of course, Blake is trying to help me from 1200 miles West.  Our teamwork on this process was a little rough at first, but we are learning to work together better.  He tries to find nice places online and I go look at them.  But, that doesn't make up for the fact that I see the apartment, along with the block and neighborhood, and he doesn't.  I think he also gets frustrated at my becoming emotionally attached too early.  Whoops.

Over all, I think we will find something, but it will likely cause more stress and cost more in fees than it is worth.  Oh well, I am the one who wanted to move here, so I better suck it up and try again tomorrow!

Love and miss you all!

devin

The basics

I've never had a blog before, so I don't really know where to begin.  Choosing the name and background was difficult enough, and now I have to think of what to say...

First, if you are reading this, I care about and miss you!  Being in a new place defintely makes one realize all the great people they know.  To my family, friends, and espeically my BKD coworkers (sorry mom, Blake and Edie), life isn't the same without you. :) 

Logically, I should start with an introduction, but if you are reading this, you probably know me pretty well, so no need to explain.  Basically, Blake and I took a huge risk and decided to move to what we hope is the most fun, most diverse, most life-changing city in the world.  So far, those items are as-advertised, along with expensive and potentially lonely if you aren't willing to leave the comfort zone and try anything (legal) that comes your way!  

For this first post, I will give a bit of the basics about the first few weeks.  I have now been here 18 days, and truthfully, it seems like I have been here for months.  I attribute this to the fact that each day is very long.  Probably the most crazy phenomenon for me is how different each day has been so far.  In Springfield, I was in a routine...to say the least.  I got up, went to work, left work, worked-out, ate dinner, watched 1.65 hours of TV and went to bed at the same time (give or take 15 minues) each weekday.  So far, that is not the case here! 

Currently, I live in Brooklyn and have a 10-15 minute walk to the subway.  On work days, I then have a 45-60 minute train ride/walk to my work.  The days have started out pretty routine, with my getting to the train for either the 7 a.m. or 7:08 train.  This puts me at work right around 8, where I am one of the only people in sight!  To those BKD-ers out there, it is like 6 a.m. during tax season style crowds.  At work, I am slowly but surely finding my place and getting started with clients, etc.  The work has been difficult, but I am definitely learning a lot which was another goal in this move.  I don't really have a view, so when I go to the pantry or printer, I take the long way. :)  I am on the 36th floor, and on one side of the building you see Rockefeller Center and on another side, the Crysler Building.  Definitely a little better than St. Louis street.  Sorry guys.

After work is when the day gets crazy.  To try and get some cardiovascular activity - I am waiting to join a gym until we find our permanent home - I have been walking the length of Manhattan each day and catching the subway right before the river.  For this walk, I try and take different routes.  3rd Ave, Lexington, Park, Madison, and 5th are in a rotation.  I am amazed at how different each Avenue feels.  For the views, 5th is the best.  When I say views, I mean stores!  The window displays at Saks have changed twice so far, with Burberry and Pucci filling the windows this week.  Ah, to be rich.  Erica, I think of you most...you would love it.  Unfortunately, 5th gets a little crazy around 34th street, with the Empire State Building, so from there to Union Square, I try and get East. 

By the time I get to Union Square, it is about 8 p.m. and time to find dinner.  The Whole Foods is insane, with the craziest color coded/number check-out system, so I have been trying to go to more local stores.  The Trader Joe's wine center is close by, also with long lines, but worth it!  Also, near Union Square is a great place to do some shopping, but I am trying to limit the dollar outflow...apartment search is fast approaching and I need the cash. :)  I take my bags, walk to Canal and get on the train.  Luckily, the train goes over the Manhattan bridge, so I get a pretty nighttime view.  Unfortunately, the train is typically very full, so I am standing.  Once I get home, it is pretty much eat, iron clothes for the next day and pass out.  Mentally and physically tiring, but I haven't yet felt like I wasted a second of the day, which is a good feeling.

For the weekends, my great cousin Paul has helped keep me busy and find great places to go.  Fun restaurants and bars are a given, but we have been to two great, local movie theatres.  Like the Moxie, but older and busier.  Also, I had a pumkin spice latte at a local coffee shop this afternoon that made Starbucks taste like a convenience store.  For the record, The Ides of March is okay (with the handsome Ryan Gosling as the best part), but Moneyball is great.  With the CARDINALS win last night, a baseball movie was a perfect choice today...also, Brad Pitt made a major comeback in my eyes.

Well, I guess I didn't have a hard time coming up with something to say!  More topics for more days - my awesome family here, apartment searching (yuck), the good/bad of subways, FOOD, concerts and more.   A few pictures below.  I put the snow picture on facebook, but it is so crazy, I had to share here also.

love - devin

SNOW in Prospect Park

Columbus Circle - I would LOVE to live near here

Lincoln Center - hope to attend many events here

On the Brooklyn Bridge