February 23 2012

I RECEIVED CO-OP BOARD APPROVAL

I HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE

I MOVE TO AN ADORABLE COBBLE STONE TREE-LINED STREET IN THE WEST VILLAGE WITH THIS COURTYARD IN A WEEK

YAY!!!

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February 22 2012

“It’s not personal”

“What is that supposed to mean? I’m so sick of hearing that. All that means is that it wasn’t personal to you. But it was personal to me. And what is so wrong with being personal anyway? Cause whatever else anything is it ought to begin with being personal.”

I keep hearing the term “it’s business, not personal”. And while I’ve learned to not take things personally, I can’t help but think of the above quote and smile at the fact that when I care about something, I put so much effort into it that it does become personal.

It may not be personal for you, but it is for me.

The end.

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February 22 2012

I return to Tamarind more often than any other restaurant in New York City. It’s definitely my favorite Indian and falls within the top ten overall.

Last week, instead of ordering the usual Chicken Tikka Masala, our group of four asked the owner to just send over what he wanted. Our only requirement was that he still include a Chicken Tikka Masala - it’s addictive.

The result? Curry heaven.

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February 21 2012

Wedding season has officially started.

Let the Bachelorette parties begin!

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February 19 2012

Weekend reflection while dining at Commerce in the (hopefully) new neighborhood.

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February 14 2012

Manhattan/West Village Apartment Hunt - 2012

Apartment hunting in Manhattan is such a torturous activity that I would only wish it upon my enemies. And even that may be extreme.

In fact, trying to find an acceptable apartment in Manhattan is like going through the 5 Stages of Grief.

Denial - This happens before you actually “hit the pavement”. You say things like “It’s winter time - more apartments are available now than in the summer months. I’m suuuure I’ll find a fabulous apartment!”
Anger - I hit this stage of rage after seeing 3-4 horrific apartments and starting yelling “WHY ME?!?!”
Bargaining - At this point, I started questioning apartment priorities. In New York, this means saying things like “I know there’s not a dishwasher and there’s only 6 inches of kitchen counter, but surely I don’t really need a dish drying area? I can just eat out for every meal, right?”
Depression - Before I found the apartment, I spent a good 5 minutes debating through a New York escape plan. I was just too depressed to go on and considered moving home to Baltimore and living with my parents forever. Not a bad idea, right?
Acceptance - But in the end, it all works out. It always does.

For some of us, not only do we have to endure the emotionally taxing search for a mediocre (at best) apartment and overpaying for it, but also, the coop board review and approval.

I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to move from the Upper West Side to the West Village (i.e. higher prices, smaller apartments), but I was still shocked with what I saw.

After seeing many 1 bedroom apartments in the West Village (perhaps the most difficult neighborhood in the city to find a home), all equal in extraordinarily tiny size, I found one that seemed too good to be true. It’s on the most idyllic, prime cobble-stone, tree-lined street, twice the size of the others, includes many nice features that are rarely included in rentals (Crown molding! Lighting fixtures! Blinds! A courtyard!) and somehow, still within budget.

The catch?

The building is a Coop, so even though I’d be renting from the owner, I still have to go through board review and approval.

What does this mean?

Essentially, I submitted a package showcasing every single detail about my life, history and assets, minus my DNA. They wanted items that I did not even know existed! The process was exhausting, to say the least.

I already signed the lease, but now I have to sit and wait as “the board” determines if I’m a qualified candidate. This can take up to another week.

So while I endure the anxiety of “will they accept me???”, I’d like to share a couple of the other “charming” apartments I saw during my search. I’m going to hold off on posting photos of the apartment where I signed (don’t want to jinx it), but thank goodness I found the one that I did!

Wish me luck - fingers (and toes) crossed!

Apartment #1

This apartment had a surprisingly nice bathroom, in addition to the exposed brick I wanted, but was somewhere in the 400 sq. ft market. I soon learned that this would be a trend for almost all the apartment I saw.

Apartment #2

Although this apartment had several pluses (fireplace! washer/dryer - a first!), it was also very teeny tiny and the bedroom could maybe fit a full size bed. And nothing else.

Apartment #3

Another bite-size gem.

Apartment #4

I saved the best for last. Not only was this the MOST expensive of the bunch, but it was also the most questionable. The only good thing going for this space is that it was located next door to one of my favorite brunch spots, Extra Virgin.

Located on the top floor of a 6-floor walk up, the living area seemed fairly okay….

Then I saw the bedroom, hidden behind a curtain. The bed is supposed to go on top of that platform on the right. The left area is rod for your “closet”.

This was followed by the smallest bathroom I have ever seen. On the upside, you could pee and brush your teeth at the same time.

Then I saw the “furnished” roof. While was view is amazing, the “furniture” left something to be desired.

Ah, New York.

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February 14 2012

I’m a bridesmaid in an Indian wedding this spring and my traditional handmade outfit just arrived from India.

Here’s a sneak peek.

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February 13 2012

I’m the first to admit that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are fantastic dogs!* In fact, I tell anyone who will listen (i.e. strangers on the street who coo over Lady on a daily basis) that they should absolutely get one, too!

And now, an article highlighting the breed for the Westminister Dog Show, perfectly explained why:

“They’re like a big dog in a small body, a golden retriever in a small package” via

In case you’re thinking of adding a pooch to your family, I couldn’t recommend this breed more.

*Lady is 1/2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, 1/2 Cocker Spaniel, but her appearance and demeanor are mostly Cavalier.

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February 10 2012

Since I work in social media, clients consistently ask for a “big idea”, a “game changer”. For Fashion Week, my team delivered.

My client, DVF, is the first fashion brand to kick off the introduction of Viddy’s new Facebook Application (which doesn’t launch until February 28th) to stage a near-live, behind-the-scenes customized Facebook experience during New York Fashion Week and at DVF’s Fall 2012 Collection.

This kind of experience offers DVF’s fans an exclusive 360 insight into how the brand prepares for and executes NYFW.

Mashable spotlighted our campaign, saying:

“Staffers from DVF and its social media marketing agency will be using the iPhone app, which is often described as “Instagram for video,” to shoot 15- to 30-second clips that will populate a designated tab on DVF’s Facebook page. Videos, the first of which will be posted Wednesday, will include backstage interviews with Furstenberg and her creative team, model castings, hair and makeup runthroughs, as well as shots of looks as they go down the runway.”

Check out DVF’s NYFW Facebook Tab here and make sure to check back often during the show this Sunday!

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February 08 2012

Biscuits and Scones Baking Class

A couple days ago, I took another Le Pain Quotidien Bread Baking class, this time with a couple friends and my Mom.

This was a belated birthday present for Mommy Dearest and I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the most important woman in my life.

I took Le Pain’s Bread Basics class last Spring (read more about my experience here) and as much as I loved baking baguettes and chocolate rolls (it was heaven!), this past weekend’s Biscuits and Scones class was even better! Our instructor, Jo, dazzled us with his personality and infectious laugh and provided such smart tips along the way.

Le Pain weighs out all your ingredients before hand, but even still, I was so surprised to learn how easy the recipes are to execute….less than 30 minutes start to finish.

Painting each of these little guys with melted butter and heavy cream was a definite highlight.

The final result? Currant Scones, James Beard Biscuits (yea, that James Beard), and Scottish Shortbread. 24 hours later, my coworkers (i.e. my taste testers) exclaimed that these were still the moistest, fluffiest scones and biscuits they have ever had.