Adventures of a "Transplant Dallasite Family"

Baby Slade's First Photo Op

2008-01-22T12:04:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled to be expecting our first baby, currently looking like a peanut. Our estimated due date is August 31st (although I have learned that there is only a 5% chance of actually delivering on that date, according to the multiple pregnancy books that I am currently reading, What to Expect When You Are Expecting, Belly Laughs, A Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, Baby Bargains, 1000 Questions About Your Pregnancy, and writing in The Pregnancy Journal). We would really prefer to have the baby in September, so we don't have to toy with the idea on holding the baby back a year in school if it is a girl, a boy would be a no-brainer. Thus far during my pregnancy, I have experienced major exhaustion (I take about a two hour nap everyday), a little nausea, heartburn, but overall a wonderful pregnancy (knock on wood)!

Our Last Week in NYC

2006-05-15T22:37:00.000-04:00

Jeff finished his finals late Tuesday afternoon and I attempted to squeeze in visits with as many of my friends as possible on Monday and Tuesday. I had such a great time hanging out in the City with my girlfriends one last time. This is a lovely picture I took at one of NYC's parks with my friend, Taryn.

On Wednesday, Jeff and I visited the Tenament Museum to help visualize what it was like in life of an immigrant in the 1870s and 1930s. Wednesday evening Jeff and I went to Mustang Grill to celebrate with the NYJL girls in my Provisional class (they threw a going away party for me there) before the Barrister's Ball. The Barrister's Ball was so much fun... NYU rented the Tavern on the Green off Central Park West for the party. Jeff and I danced the night away!

On Thursday, we went to Central Park for a boat ride on the Lake. Jeff rowed me all over the place... to every corner. We had a blast! Then we went to the Morgan Library to see the Gutenberg Bibles. We ended the evening dining at one of New York City's most popular restaurants, II Mulino in Greenwich Village. The food and service was exceptional!

On Friday, we spent the majority of the day doing some last minute shopping and began packing. That evening we went to eat our last slice of "pie" (pizza) and went to see the play on Broadway, Three Days of Rain with Julia Roberts. We snapped several pictures and acquired a couple of autographs. It was great being in the same room as Julia Roberts, Paul Rudd, and Bradley Cooper. Wow, what talent!!! We ended up staying up so late packing until the wee hours of the night... that is what you get when you procrastinate! This picture is of our apartment at 130 MacDougal and of our street.

Our last day in NYC was spent finishing packing and donating almost everything we had (because we only had six suitcase and four carry-ons to fill).

This is the last picture of NYC that we took from LGA. Goodbye NYC... we are going to miss you!!!

Alaska Cruise Shore Excursions

2006-05-08T10:46:00.000-04:00

After a lot of thought, Jeff and I have finally selected our Alaskan cruise shore excursions, which include the following:

JUNEAU, ALASKA:
MENDENHALL GLACIER & WILDLIFE QUEST
Approximate Duration: 5 1/4 hours

Experience Alaska' s premier attractions, glaciers and wildlife – by land and by sea. A narrated motorcoach ride takes you to the Mendenhall Glacier. Following a short drive to scenic Auke Bay, you will board a water jet-powered catamaran specially designed for wildlife viewing. Relax in the warm and spacious main cabin surrounded by large windows, as your experienced Captain guides you through the island-studded waters of Stephen' s Passage. This area is world renowned as a favored summer feeding ground for humpback whales. Once the whales have been sighted, your Captain will gently maneuver the vessel to allow exceptional viewing and photographic opportunities. Against a majestic backdrop of snowcapped peaks, the onboard naturalist will explain the behavior and habitat of wildlife you may encounter, including humpback and killer whales, sea lions, porpoise, harbor seals, bald eagles and black tail deer.

KETCHIKAN, ALASKA:
CANOPY ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE EXPEDITION
Approximate Duration: 3 1/2 hours

Envision the thrill of gliding through the top of a rich rainforest canopy along a series of cables suspended between tall spruce, hemlock and cedar trees, all bordering the magnificent Tongass National Forest. This eco-adventure combines the rainforest canopy with a flight over seven zip lines and 4,500 feet of high-tension cables, three aerial bridges and a ground-based network of nature trails and boardwalks. After outfitting with state-of-the-art safety equipment and a safety briefing, a 6 x 6 wheel-drive off-road vehicle will transport you up a steep hillside to the canopy camp. Ease into the forest canopy along cables ranging from a short 175 feet to the 850-foot pulse-pounding “Ben’s Revenge.” Watch for wildlife from the tree platforms, discover a hidden waterfall, and cross three hanging sky bridges; all offering breathtaking views up 135 feet above the forest floor. The final zip line emerge s from the rainforest and transports you over lush grassy wetlands to a viewing tower 55 feet above ground. Descend stairs and return to the base camp, where each participant is awarded the custom-cast Alaska Canopy Adventures medal in recognition of their achievement. Upon completion of this extraordinary experience, view the exhibits in the Interpretive Center, enjoy a complimentary snack and hot beverage, and shop in the General Store. Note: Participants must be at least 10 years of age, weigh between 80 lbs. and 265 lbs. and be in good physical condition. You should be prepared to ascend 125 feet by a steep boardwalk forest trail and stairs, and must be comfortable with heights. Pregnant women, persons with pre-existing or recurrent medical conditions, and/or persons with a fear of heights, should not participate. Completion of a waiver and/or release form is required. We recommend you wear layered clothing and long pants. Closed-toe shoes are required. Although wildlife sightings are frequent, they cannot be guaranteed.

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA:
BUTCHART GARDENS & WINE WITH CHOCOLATE PARING
Approximate Duration: 4 hours

This tour is primarily designed for first time visitors to Victoria, in beautiful British Columbia. You will get an introduction to the city, visit Butchart Gardens – a Vancouver Island jewel – and top the evening by indulging in paring wine with chocolate truffles in a truly magical setting at the Church & State Winery. Departing pier side, you will pass by the majestic Legislative buildings, the famous Empress Hotel known for its high teas, and the inner harbor area, one of the most romantic and photographed areas in Victoria. Continue to Antique Row, passing through the “Gates of Harmonious Interest” en route to Butchart Gardens. The gardens began with a turn-of-the-century effort to beautify a quarry site on the estate of Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Butchart and have since grown into a veritable Eden, covering 50 acres with all the colors of nature. Butchart Gardens recently celebrated its 100th year in bloom, and is a place where life still runs at the pace of a bygone era, and the gracious traditions of the past live on. Maps help you conduct your self-guided tour of the colorful gardens. After your visit, rejoin your guide and motorcoach for a short drive to the Victoria Estate Winery, where you will get to tour the winery and be treated to wine tasting and paring with Rogers chocolate truffles. Time permitting, browse the wine/gift shop or simply stroll through the winery at your leisure. Upon return to your ship, pass by the majestic legislative buildings, aglow with lights, making a picturesque end to an unforgettable evening.

SKAGWAY, ALASKA:
SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN RAINFOREST HIKE & RAILWAY
Duration: 5 hours

This tour combines a short rail trip aboard the historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railway with a dramatic wilderness hike. You’ll board the historic railroad for a brief ride to the wilderness whistle stop and the Denver Trailhead. Experienced guides will accompany you through the dense temperate rainforest filled with beautiful old-growth western hemlocks. Lookout points provide spectacular views of the raging waters of the Skagway River, the Denver Glacier Valley and the magnificent Sawtooth Mountain Range. There are plenty of opportunities along the way for photographs and wildlife viewing. Guides will provide information on the valley’s forest, plants and geology. At the end of the hike, you will be served snacks and beverages while enjoying the train ride back to town. We have also requested the following, but are awaiting a cancellation (because this tour has been sold-out... we would cancel the one above to go on this one).

SKAGWAY, ALASKA:
WHITE PASS RAILWAY & LAUGHTON GLACIER WILDERNESS HIKE
Approximate Duration: 9 hours

This trip combines a train ride aboard the Historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railway with a wilderness trek to the magnificent Laughton Glacier. You will board the train for a one-hour scenic journey filled with spectacular waterfalls, rushing rivers and jagged mountain peaks. At Glacier Station, you will begin a fully guided, eight-mile round-trip hike in the clean mountain air. The magnificent sub-Alpine rainforest valley is home to an abundance of moose, bear, and mountain goats. This spectacular trail winds along the raging Skagway River to the majestic Laughton Glacier. The terrain changes dramatically as you leave the rocky riverbed and climb over a steep boulder field to the ice field. Enjoy the breathtaking views, exposed crevasses and mullions of the great frozen river of ice, ever changing in the harsh Alaskan environment. Upon your return to the trailhead, you will be greeted with our traditional “Bush Buffet,” complete with a beverage. Relax and enjoy the ride back to town on “The Scenic Railway of the World.” No trip to Alaska is complete without a ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route narrow-gauge Railroad that served the mad rush to the Klondike in 1898. It became the supply line for the Yukon gold fields, the Alaska Highway and postwar mining development. Board an old-fashioned parlor car and take a 40-mile, round-trip excursion. A panorama of wilderness unfolds as you leave Skagway and pass through two tunnels, sky-high trestles and remote valleys. Outside your large picture window, view Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. Your guide will announce all points of interest and tell the unique story of this railway.

This Past Week in a Nutshell

2006-05-08T10:15:00.000-04:00

During the weekdays, I visited the Frick Collection, the Tenament Museum, and the Cloisters with my friend, Taryn. All three of the museums have been my favorite thus far in NYC. After visiting the Cloisters, Taryn and I went to Amy Ruth's in Harlem. We ate some home-style southern cuisine! I had The Rev. Al Sharpton, which was country fried chicken and a waffle served with pure mable syrup. We also ate some cornbread and mac & cheese.

On Friday, I saw none other than Julia Roberts walking from her Gramercy Park apartment to her 8pm Broadway show! I saw her around 6:50pm and she was with a bodyguard getting into a black XL Yukon (I think)... there were two Yukons present because I assume that she gets mobbed with crowds of people at her show, so they are there to assist her.

On Saturday, my friend Dee from CT came to visit me. She and I did some shopping and went to the New York City Marble Cemetery. I finally found something that I liked enough to purchase at H&M, which was very exciting!

Sunday, was a workday for me... Playground Improvement Day with the NYJL. We worked so hard attempting to make this park in Harlem look pretty. My job was to scrape paint and paint the brick walls. After lunch, I was able to receive my gardening fix by creating this lovely pathway with several friends. We moved rocks and shoveled mulch in order to accomplish our goal. Hopefully, by the end of the Playground Improvement Project (which was several weekends of work for many) they are able to make the park a nicer place for family and friends to gather.

Oh My Goodness!!!

2006-04-30T18:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I baby-sat for this little boy Alexander and at a local park we saw a little friend of his named Anna. This morning I received a phone call from Alexander's mom telling me that Anna's Mom told her that she saw me at the park. She also wanted her to know that while I was swinging Alexander I was swinging right next to Julia Robert's husband, cameraman Daniel Molder and twins Hazel and Phinnaeus! I totally remember them because the twins were so adorable! I also remember Julia Robert's husband acting really goofy with the twins. His pants were also ripped in the bottom to where you could see his boxers. It turns out that they live in Gramercy Park (the only private park in NYC) where Alexander now lives. Go figure!!!

The Cloisters Museum was so much fun with the New York Junior League girls. We had a four hour brunch at the New Leaf Cafe located at the beginning of Fort Tryon Park in the 190s. We only had an hour at the Cloisters, so I might make a trip back uptown for a longer visit later next week (pictures coming soon).

Last Couple of Days...

2006-04-30T10:17:00.000-04:00

On Friday, I visited the American Museum of Natural History with my friend, Taryn from Church. The museum was so big that we did not have time to see everything, so I am going to make a trip back again next week.

On Saturday, I had brunch with my sister's best friend, Charlotte from Houston. We ate at Pastis and I had the Eggs Norweigan, which was poached eggs with smoked salmon & hollandaise it was excellent! Then, I went on a tour of Central Park with Taryn called "Manhattan Adirondacks." Olmsted and Vaux designed the North Woods to replicate the forests of the Adirondack Mountains with its crystal streams, calming cascades, and rustic bridges. There's no need to fight the traffic on the Thruway this summer to the Adirondacks. This scenic and meditative walk is right in New York City's backyard. While walking through Washington Square Park there must have been a dachshund show.

Today, I am going to brunch and the Cloisters Museum with the New York Junior League girls!

WalkAbout in the Lower East Side

2006-04-27T10:55:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, I walked around the Lower East Side. I ventured to Katz's Delicatessen (the one and only since 1888... the Katz's chain is not the same) for lunch and picked up hands down the best sandwich I have ever eaten (the first time we went was when my parents were here for Thanksgiving)... the Pastrami Rueben (which cost $14.10, but ever penny is worth it). I brought home the other half for Jeff to eat for dinner. Hopefully, I will have an opportunity to go just one more time before we leave! Then, I took a detour before heading to the New York Marble Cemetery to BabyCakes to discover the best cupcakes I have ever eaten (I have eaten cupcakes at all the popular cupcake bakeries including Cupcake Cafe, Magnolia, Butter Cup, and Tommie Joes, but these were by far the best)! Too bad I did not discover this earlier. I learned about this bakery reading the "New Yorker" magazine... they mentioned them being the best cupcakes in NYC. The best part was it was gluten-free!!! They also have wheat-free and all their cupcakes are vegan (not that I am a vegan although living in NYC without eating a lot of meat makes me feel that way).

I walked by the New York Marble Cemetery to find the gates locked. New York Marble Cemetery sometimes called the Second Avenue Cemetery is the oldest public non-sectarian cemetery in New York City. Most of the 2,060 interments took place between 1830 and 1870; the last was in 1937. All burials are in 156 below-ground vaults made of solid white Tuckahoe marble. Although there are no gravestones, the names of the original owners are on plaques in the surrounding walls. Their descendants may still be buried here. I have never wanted to visit a cemetary, but for some reason I would like to see this one before we leave??? I am scheduled to visit on Saturday, May 6 (one week before we leave).

Finally, I spotted my first New York celebrity just casually walking down the street... Bridget Moynahan! Setting the silver screen ablaze with her memorable movies Coyote Ugly, Serendipity, The Recruit, and The Sum of All Fears. I think I forgot to mention that Jeff was sitting in front of Robin Williams at Church a couple of weeks ago. I was out of town that weekend visiting friends otherwise I would have had a picture taken with him!

PS Also, I renewed my lifetime membership to Bally's Total Fitness. They gave me a deal that I could not pass up! The closest location is about 40 blocks round-trip, so I will have a good warm-up time prior to my workout. Time to get in shape...

A Key To NYC's Most Exclusive Park

2006-04-23T18:53:00.000-04:00

Gramery Park is the only remaining private park in New York City. This exclusive park is only accessed by the owner's of the unique Brownstones (dating around the Depression era) that surround the perimeter of the park. Today, I was responsible for a two year old boy and the special key... that I had to check out from the doorman (even the residents don't have their own key)! The park was very well manicured and the tulips were the largest tulips that I have ever seen (wish I had my camera). Alexander and I had an exquisite time!!!

Museum and CP Visit

2006-04-21T20:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning, I decided to walk uptown to the Museum of New York City, which is about 100 blocks from our apartment. I believe that the best way to actually see NYC is to walk everywhere. I walked up Fifth Avenue to 103rd Street from West 3rd Street. I took some great pictures of the Flatiron Building, the Empire State Building, the New York Public Library (see picture below), The Met, and the Museum of New York City. Look in the bottom right hand corner of this picture of the New York Public Library. The library is educating the public on these nasty birds known as Pigeons (many of you know I am not the biggest fan of them... there has been several times that I have almost been touched by them or pooped on (because of the overpopulation of them in NYC)). Pigeons spread a total of 60 dieases to humans!

Today, I visited the Museum of New York City, which was great! It is a relatively small museum, but it had several interesting exhibits. I got to see rooms from 18th Centery New York apartments, New York children's toys from a variety of eras, a Manhattan dollhouse called the Stettheimer dollhouse with some very exquisite furniture, a special Katrina exhibit, and a couple of rooms from the apartment of John D. Rockefeller. Overall, my experience at the museum was pleasant.

Afterwards, I ventured into Central Park. First, visiting the Conservatory Gardens, which were so beautiful because of all the new Spring blooms. Then, I went into the forest canopy of the Adirondacks and got lost attempting to get to the opposite side of Central Park. Once I found my way, I stumbled upon one of the best kept secrets of the park (and one of my favorite areas), the Ravine, which is in the North Woods. The Loch, a stream that flows beside the pathway under both bridges, is dammed in several places to create the cascades you hear as you stroll through the Ravine. I snapped this picture of one of the lovely cascades.

PS Blogworthy News!

Last night, prior to watching a DVD on my laptop, Jeff dropped my laptop on the floor. We restarted the computer and it started making this grinding noise, which obviously was not normal. Jeff diagnosed the problem thinking that we needed a new hard drive. We hurried (running at times because it was close to 10pm) to several electronic stores and found either they were closed or they were out of stock. So, this morning first thing, my sweet husband went to Best Buy and purchased a new hard drive for my laptop. His theory was correct, my laptop did need a new hard drive! Jeff installed it and I was about to cry watching him take apart the thing (I have never seen the inside of a computer before)... he really is a computer genius (his first major at Cornell University was Computer Science). I am SO glad that I married this man!

PPS We don't have these things in Texas... ewww!

Spring Fever in "The City"

2006-04-20T18:09:00.000-04:00

I am just lovin Spring! First thing I want to do in the morning is get outside just as fast as I can. Today, I conned Jeff into taking a couple of pictures in Washington Square Park about a block from our apartment. Doesn't he look adorable in that baby blue EB Polo?

PS What is this gorgeous pink tree... I am totally obsessed with it (the blooms are incredible)?

The Fun is Just Beginning...

2006-04-19T21:07:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, Jeff and I are leaving NYC on May 13, and are starting a new chapter in our life in Dallas, TX. However, prior to our move we feel the need to CELEBRATE, which we plan to do. Therefore, on May 21, Jeff and I will embark on an Alaskan Cruise!!! We will be leaving from Seattle, Washington to cruise the Inside Passage & Glacier Bay and port in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria (British Columbia). We will keep ya'll posted on all of the Shore Excursions that we book, but until then enjoy these breathtaking views below...

Happy Easter from NYC!!!

2006-04-16T14:07:00.000-04:00

Confession... we did not make the early Easter service (as planned) because Jeff and I slept in. So, I started my morning going to the Easter Parade and then this evening we went to the Easter service at Church. The Easter Parade did not have the typical floats or marching bands it primarily had people dress in period clothing (Moses even came) wearing a variety of homemade hats, which more like a festival...

and then the drag queens made an appearance (I had yet another encounter with the yellow-haired pregnant man (he is still prego) along with his dog Catalina)!!!

Lovely Day!!!

2006-04-15T22:56:00.000-04:00

Today, I went to brunch with my friend, Roxanne (from the NYJL), and her friend, Dee, who Roxanne wanted me to meet because she is moving to Dallas too. After brunch, we ventured to do some shopping in SoHo and the Chelsea Market. What fun! I was SO tempted by this chocolate shop that my friends and I stumbled upon, but then I saw these two male chocolate cowboy bunnies that we inspired by the movie Brokeback Mountain (ugh!). I decided to do something non-traditional instead... my find for the day was a Red Velvet cupcake (Jeff's favorite) for my sweetie for a little Easter treat.

Little did I know, when I got home Jeff announced to me that instead of having to pay taxes to the government this year (as we predicted that we would have to) we ended up receiving a refund! Although, Jeff tells me that all we have done is give the government an interest-free loan with the extra taxes that we paid. However, I view it as a free check from the government! Of course, he tells me this after I came back from shopping... didn't want to tell me while I was out shopping. Boo hiss!!!

Tomorrow, after Church I am going to the Easter Parade in New York City...

One More Month To Go!!!

2006-04-13T07:25:00.000-04:00

Our one-way flight to Dallas is booked on May 13, which is one month from today! I would like to do the following things before our time is up in NYC: a Central Park boatride, brunch at Pastis, lunch at Balthazar's, lunch at Katz's Deli (just one more time), dinner at Il Mulino, visit the American Museum of Natural History, New York City Museum, and The Cloisters (which I am going to with the NYJL), finish my Provisional volunteer time in the NYJL, see the upcoming Broadway, Three Days of Rain starring Julia Roberts (which we are seeing May 12... our last night in the City), get a massage/treatment at Bliss Spa, tour the old Marble Cemetary, and finally visit the New York Public Library Central location off Fifth Avenue. I think that I will be ready to go once I have done all of these things!! There is also a lot of "stuff" that I would like to purchase as well, but I won't bore you with those details.

My Day Off in NYC

2006-04-12T13:50:00.000-04:00

People ask me all the time "what do you do in New York City when you don't work?"

Today, was a perfect example of why it is very difficult to work four days a week for me (although next week I am working six) because there is just too many things to do in one day. My morning began making breakfast (on days that I work Jeff makes his own breakfast because I am out the door earlier than he is). After putting my face on and hair in a ponytail, I headed to the bank to make a deposit and then to Duane Reade (NYC's #1 Pharmacy) to purchase some mascara (typically, I don't purchase make-up in stores, I buy Mary Kay from my Mom, however I was in a desperate situation). My third stop was East Village Cheese, a place Jeff and I are certainly going to miss. East Village Cheese is stocked with the freshest, least expensive cheese ever! It should be the first stop a New Yorker goes to when entertaining (although Jeff and I currently don't entertain anyone but ourselves). About 6 blocks away is my favorite store in New York City, Whole Foods. I do not know what I would do without it! Today, we purchased my soymilk there (yes, I am addicted to the stuff especially the Silk Light Chocolate ), Brown Cow Plain yogurt (the best yogurt I have ever tasted), a 77% Cocoa Chocolove Chocolate Bar (another addiction... extra strong dark chocolate), Certfied Organic Granola. They were running a couple of sales, so I ended up with more than on my list. Mind you, hauling those groceries broke a sweat and weighed appoximately twenty pounds. Whole Foods is about a 16 block hike. After unloading my groceries, I went to our other grocery store, Morton Williams also known as Associated. We purchase basic food items there such as eggs, canola oil, olive oil, and regular milk. After Morton Williams, I went to another favorite specialty store called Porto Rico to purchase a pound of coffee. Today, they were running a special for their French Mocha for $3.99 per pound.

So, enough errands for the day, I was pooped from all of the walking and hauling the groceries. Next, on my list was my was the ever so dreaded laundry, which I do weekly (actually Jeff has done it once for us, although Jeff does take out the trash, which I have never done because I am scared to go down there... rat invested). Jeff and I have a laundry facility down the street on the 12th floor of this NYU dorm that we use, luckily they have an elevator. Today, I did two loads. Laundry takes about three hours to complete here. I also spent time doing a little Spring cleaning (vacuumed, dusted, hand mopped the floors). We have access to a vacuum down the street. I have not vacuumed since my Mom came to visit us.

Things people might take advantage of in Texas (that I never considered luxury things until I moved to New York City): supermarkets, dishwasher, washer/dryer, and a car (although as many of you know I am not a fan of driving)

This blog was not meant to be a pity party (I just wanted ya'll to get a feel for what we experience up here). This evening, Jeff, Katie (my cousin), Rob (her fiancee), and I had dinner at PJ Clarke's and then treated ourselves to ButterCup (where they have amazing cupcakes and cakes).

Off to subsitute teach tomorrow at 7:15...

PS I wanted to share this Pepsi commercial with ya'll... this commercial was filmed right outside our apartment. You can see the video in the first link, and if you notice, the picture we took was about 15 seconds into the video.
Video of commercial: http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=16631
Picture of Commercial (from 9/11/05 right after we got here): Click here for picture.

Spring is FINALLY Here!!!

2006-04-11T22:43:00.000-04:00

Today, while I was babysitting I took Jonas to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Below are some pictures that I took...

Grand Central Terminal, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Back

2006-04-11T21:32:00.000-04:00

What a weekend! I spent the weekend with my friends, Dee and Chris (originally from Texas), in Milford, CT, while Jeff was studying for his upcoming Tax finals. I boarded the Metro Rail North, a commuter train for the many, many suburbs of NYC. I did not realize how many people drank alcoholic beverages on this train... the gentleman behind me threw back four and his stop was before mine! On Friday evening, Dee showed me where she has lived while her hubby, Chris is getting a graduate degree in Business Psychology. Milford is a quaint little Northeast town outside of the city of New Haven.

On Saturday, Dee and I toured Boston on the famous Boston Duck tours. The "DUCK" is an authentic, renovated World War II amphibious landing vehicle (codenamed-DUKW) that drives on the road and can also sustain itself as a boat in the water. We visted the golden-domed State House, Bunker Hill, the Fleet Center, Boston Common and Copley Square to the Big Dig, Government Center to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more... it was especially fun taking a dip in the Charles River. Dee also took me on a walking tour, so I could take some better pictures. She showed me the "Boston Green" home of the Frog Pond and Washington's statue, Boston's Public Library, Old City Hall (where I found this statue of a liberal donkey with footprints that read "Stand in Opposition" with the GOP Elephant... I knew then I was in blue territory and was a minority (without recognition!)), place of the Boston Massacre, and Granary Burying Ground (established in 1660). We ate at Legal Seafood in the Prudential shopping mall and had treats at Mike's Pastry on the North end. I am still dreaming about the Pistachio Macaroon I ate... I knew I should have ordered more than one!

On Sunday, we went sightseeing in Newport, Rhode Island. I loved seeing the We did an audio tour of the Marble House, a "cottage" built for Mrs. Alva Vanderbilt for her 39th birthday. I wonder if Jeff will purchase a house like this for my 39th birthday??? We also walked the grounds of the Breaker's, another Vanderbilt empire that has 70 rooms! Dee and I didn't have time to see this one.

Thank you, Dee and Chris for your true "Southern Hospitality." My trip was very memorable!

Snow in April???

2006-04-05T23:24:00.000-04:00

Spring is here... so, I thought!!!

Today, the weather man predicted snow flurries. Sure enough, this time he was accurate, but in April??? Around 11am it began to rain while I was at the park, then within a few minutes it started to snow! Massive flakes fell for about an hour. Unfortunately, the snow was unable to stick because it was in the mid 40s. After the snow, the sky turned to a crystal clear blue without any clouds. And I thought that Texas weather was bizarre???

Weekend Wrap-Up inTexas

2006-04-05T22:27:00.000-04:00

This past Thursday, I went to Dallas to watch my Daddy get Knighted (Pictured above with my family minus Jeff, Amanda (my other sister) and her Jeffrey (fiancee)). Yes, my Dad is now Sir James Richard Reese better known as "Sir Dick." He is also the President General of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. I am so proud of him!

I also went to Dallas for an interview with Highland Park ISD, which went very well. The interview turned out to be more of a screening because they like to weed people out before sending them to their Principals. I guess I passed that test because my resume is going to be sent to their Principals. Unfortunately, there is not a wonderful chance of being hired because I did get an Alternative Teaching Certificate instead of majoring in Education and I have no "teaching" experience. However, I am excited about the fantastic contact that I have with Highland Park ISD... she knows the majority of the school district's Director of Human Resources. Hopefully, one school district will reel me in, so I can complete an internship vs. student teaching.

My el cheapo rental car in Dallas... I would never want to own one of these! I hit a Texas sized pothole and it felt like the car split in two.

PS Jeff spent the weekend studying and venturing to Hammacher Schlemmer because my Father-in-law "Dad" wanted to purchase an IJoy massage chair along with the massage ottoman. During the Slades trip to NYC, we discovered the deep tissue massage chair while we were browsing Hammacher Schlemmer and none of us wanted to take turns!

My Mom in "The City"

2006-03-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

It all started last Tuesday when my Mom went on her first official flight all by herself and then a week later having the desire to venture in NYC all by herself (literally). What a week... I am so proud of her!

We had such a great time together! On Thursday, we woke up late (because my Mom did not get any sleep the first night she was here (too excited I guess)) and had every intention of getting my Bridesmaid dress for my sister, Amanda's wedding, however because Jeff and I are moving back to Texas I would be unable to have my fitting in NYC, so I am going to have to purchase the dress in Dallas. Luckily, I am headed there this weekend because my Dad is being Knighted with the Sons of the Republic of Texas (yes, he will be known as "Sir James Richard Reese"). Thursday evening, we went to the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Broadway, which was so original and witty!

On Friday, my Mom and I started the morning with a bagel and cappuccino from Murray's Bagel. Yummy... much better than H & H Bagels! Then we went to The Metropolitan Museum of Art (see the picture of us in the Temple of Dendur), antique shopping at New York's finest antique stores (where you cannot find anything under 20K), strolled up and down the Upper East Side window shopping on Madison Avenue, tempted ourselves in the largest candy store that I have ever seen, Dylan's Candy Store, finally gave into our temptation at Butter Cup (fantastic local cupcakes). Jeff joined us to learn more
about antiques since my Mom is practically an expert on them... I really love antiques too and hope to have several "investment" pieces in my lifetime!

This dog-walker strolling along Park Avenue beat the record of the previous 8 dogs and we had to capture the moment. Do your own math... you will count 12 dogs! This guy is dog-walking in a very prestigious area, but can you imagine having to pick up the poop of 12 dogs?

Saturday, we all went to brunch, shopped til' we dropped, and then explored at the local GreenMarket in Union Square. We ended the day at our favorite restaurant in Little Italy, Da Nico's. We love all of the pampering that we receive there because the managers know us!

On Sunday, we had planned on spending the entire day in Central Park touring and going ice skating, however it rained the majority of the afternoon. In fact, we were on an interesting tour called "Views from the Past" when the rain began. Luckily, we were towards the end of it! We ended up shopping close to our apartment instead. Later that evening, we took Mom to our Church, The Redeemer, and went out with my cousin, Katie, to Cafe Lalo (where the movie You've Got Mail was filmed) for coffee and dessert.

Monday was jam packed full of things to do because that was my Mom's official last day in NYC. We started the day going on an apparent tour of the John J. Harvey Fireboat (the fireboat that pumped water to Firefighters during 9/11... one of the world's oldest and fastest fireboat), but little did we know one of the engines was shot, so we were unable to tour the Hudson River on it. We had a detour because Jeff wanted to see the Chelsea Piers golf... golfing in Manhattan can be very difficult (and expensive). After the detour, we continued our day as planned having the opportunity to ice skate in Central Park at the Wolman Rink with Trump's name all over it. While Jeff was studying, my Mom and I went to SoHo to do some boutique shopping. The three of us got together one last time for dinner in "The City," which was an adventure in itself because we ended up having dinner at three different restaurants!!!

Spring is Near...

2006-03-22T22:40:00.000-05:00

My Mom is in town for the week visiting us in the City. Today, she and I (while Jeff was in classes) went to Central Park, a few antique stores, and a couple of resale shops on the Upper East Side (meaning that a Chanel suit is a common find there).

While shopping, I found a brand new (original Burberry tags still on it) Ice Blue Burberry Raincoat that I am still pondering. The raincoat is not exactly a steal, but it is less than the retail price of $695.00 (see picture stole from EBay)! Jeff calls my current Gap raincoat the "Michelin Tire Girl Coat" last seen on Letterman wearing it (David Letterman coveniently keep his studio under 40 degrees)! Any thoughts?

PS Looking forward to transfering to the Dallas Junior League (the largest Junior League in the internationally)!!! :)

NYJL Wedding Day

2006-03-19T21:24:00.000-05:00

I had my first New York Junior League volunteer experience... Wedding Day!!! The League Headquarters is now open once again after completing a four million dollar renovation. My volunteer experience was making beauty appointments for Trish Mcevoy. At the end of my shift, I had someone make me up too... the Make-Up Artist used Trish Mcevoy's The Power of Make-Up... it was so much fun and looked great!

Wedding Day was super fabulous!!!

Time in Texas

2006-03-19T13:04:00.000-05:00

This past week in Texas was so much fun, but also kinda stressful! Jeff and I ended up not signing a lease for a loft or apartment. The Post Wilson building's floor plan that we fell in love with is not available at the time that we would need it. It would be fun to live in Downtown Dallas in a loft! Possibly one of the Village properties northeast of Uptown. We don't know where we are going to end up living??? On Sunday, we visited several open houses. We were going to make an offer on this one house in the desired "M-Street" area, but we decided it would be smart to rent (and save) for at least one year. The open houses did tempt us a little!

We had an opportunity to vist a lot of family while we were there, which was a lot of fun! We stayed with two of Jeff's second cousins in Flower Mound and Coppell and then house-sat for my Aunt and Uncle in Bedford.

While we were house-sitting we were wrapped with TP by some people my two cousins must know (they are in middle school and high school).
Troy the cat also found a temporary bed on Jeff's luggage!

Jeff had his first victory over his brother, Doug, in a round of golf... the elder Slade routing the younger Slade 87 to 88! I also had a victory beating Jeff in a bowling game by two pins (Jeff used to be on the Cornell bowling team).Jeff's second cousin, James, took us to my first Dallas Mavericks game and they won... what an exciting game. I spy Billionaire Mark Cuban... Go Mavs!!!

We will be back home soon!!!

Barefoot in the Park Broadway Review

2006-03-10T08:09:00.000-05:00

Last night, Jeff and I went to Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park Broadway. We had third row Orchestra seats and were able to see Amanda Peet and Patrick Wilson up close and personal. I cannot believe how thin she is... smaller than a rail (I now believe that the camera really does add ten pounds)!!! Although the scenes really don't change much, for the most part, we thought that it was adorable (even though the critics have not given them great reviews)! There was several times I would look over my shoulder and see Jeff laughing hysterically!

Today, Jeff and I are headed to our future home, Dallas, Texas!!! We have been anticipating this trip for a while now. Really looking forward to finding an apartment within Downtown Dallas (I would love to see us in a loft... hey, you are only young once) and we will also be scouting out all of the various open houses within several neighborhoods Jeff and I were looking into to purchase our first home within a year... very exciting!!! We are also really excited about getting back to some warmer weather too!

Slade's Visit to "The Big Apple"

2006-03-06T13:35:00.000-05:00

We welcomed them to New York City with snow and a "wintry mix." It was just enough snow to cover the City with a white blanket.

On Thursday, we had a family-style dinner at Carmine's restaurant in Times Square and then coveniently walked across the street to The Phantom of the Opera Broadway, which was fantastic even the second time!

Unfortunately, on Friday I missed going across the Staten Island Ferry because I was not feeling well. However, I met up with them in the Financial District. We visited Wall Street, Ground Zero, and Dad had the opportunity to kick the Wall Street Bull in the balls. Dad also found two new suits to add to his wardrobe. Later that evening, we had dinner at John's Pizza in Times Square then once again conveniently walked across the street to the Spamolot Broadway, which was hilarious!

On Saturday, we went shopping on Madison Avenue. I still have yet to find my perfect LongChamp Le Pilage bag and Dad ended up not wanting to purchase the $74,000 shotgun at the Beretta store. We also ventured in Chinatown and Little Italy making our last stop at Da Nicos restaurant, which Jeff and I ate at when my parents were in town in November. It was especially funny when the manager remembered us!

On Sunday, we shared some spiritual and cultural experiences. The started the morning at The Redeemer Church service, then took a taxi over the The Metropolitian Museum of Art. I did not realize how it really caters to all sorts of people... having such a variety of exhibits. Later that evening, we went to the Gramercy Tavern's main dining room for dinner. It was absolutely exquisite! Then we ventured to The Rainbow Room on the top of Rockefeller Center for a night-cap. What an extrodinary view of the City as well as the Empire State Building!

Today, we just piddled around Greenwich Village to show Mom and Dad Slade our neighborhood. Then, while I was updating the blog I turned around and Jeff was curled up like a little baby. I woke him up because I wanted to sleep too (and as you can see our bed does not really accomodate a person curled up... we slept for two hours!

PS I cannot wait to buy new sheets... I have had the leopard look since Freshman year in College!

Round 2

2006-03-01T21:37:00.000-05:00

Well, so a snow storm is coming back for a second round vs. the Slades. We're locked and loaded and full of warm clothes ready for this storm. We don't think it is going to be near as bad as the first one, but we are supposed to be getting 5-7" of snow. Also, my parents are flying up and into NYC around mid-afternoon. We are hoping that they are able to land and that we will be able to the Gramercy Tavern (NYC's #1 rated popularity restaurant) for dinner and to the Phantom of the Opera Broadway tomorrow night!

Well, stay tuned and we'll have pictures soon!

March Madness

2006-02-26T12:37:00.000-05:00

Reviewing my schedule over the next month was a little overwhelming, although a lot of fun things are going on. Mom and Dad Slade are coming to visit next week, there is a week where Jeff and I are going down to Dallas to find an apartment/loft in the downtown area (we decided to wait a year to buy a house because we would like to get familiar with the Dallas housing market), my Mom is coming up for a week, I have a lot of NYJL commitments and baby-sitting jobs as well. Basically, looking at my schedule I noticed only four nights of the entire month that I have open. Yikes!!!

Applications Are In!!!

2006-02-26T12:28:00.000-05:00

I have applied to the following school districts within the Dallas area: Richardson ISD, Dallas ISD, Mesquite ISD, Irving ISD, Coppell ISD, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Highland Park ISD, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, and Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. I would like to teach Kindergarten through Second grade, but as a new teacher would be very flexible! I am looking forward to hearing back from the school districts and will keep yall posted on my job search!!!

Too Cold for Us Texans

2006-02-19T13:01:00.000-05:00

This weekend reached an all-time low (during the time that we have been here) regarding the temperatures.

Thankfully, Jeff and I were indoors baby-sitting last night because the actual temperature was 14 degrees with a real feel of 0 degrees... yikes!

Today, everything is still frozen because the high is 30 degrees (although windy and blue skies). The only people that are out and about today must be the locals!

At least we did not get this kind of freeze (see below)...

(The FoxNews caption said: "Feb. 17: Wind blown ice forms on a fence along Lake Erie in Hamburg, N.Y. Schools were closed from Buffalo to Rochester.")

Looking forward to getting back to warmer weather!!!

Oops...Jeff Forgot to ShareThis One (he he)

2006-02-15T20:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day

2006-02-14T23:25:00.000-05:00

We hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day. The Empire State Building was completely red tonight and there were still some remnants of the snow. Although, as time has passed, it is beginning to get pretty nasty. There is nothing better than slushy, sloppy black (and in some places, yellow) snow getting sloshed around.

Yesterday, we went uptown to Central Park and saw all of the snow that was dumped on the City. Thomas, a friend of mine from class, went with us. It is still crazy to think that all of this was done in the span of about 12-18 hours. While we were there, we ran across this snow fellow having a little rest and relaxation!!!

As you can see, we made an attempt to do some sledding on pieces of cardboard. However, I think it was a little bit easier said than done. Also, in response to a request from a certain man in Houston, Kimberly took a dive into the snow and made a Snow Angel.

We Made History!!!

2006-02-12T21:48:00.000-05:00

The numbers are in and we set a new record for a New York City snowfall! At least 26.9" of snow fell from about 6:00pm on Saturday and about 4:00pm today(Sunday). As you can see from our earlier post(below), the snow was absolutely amazing. At one point during the day, 10" of snow fell in a 2 hour period of time!!!

When Kimberly went to work this morning, and later when I left, the stairs leading up to our apartment were completely covered with snow. You couldn't even make out where the steps were, and we jumped over to the other side of the handrail to walk down another set of steps that were at least partially uncovered. Later during the afternoon, I took a stroll through Washington Square Park while Kimberly was babysitting.

Washington Square Park was packed full with kids sledding, dogs jumping through the snow, and a lot of big eyes wondering what on earth had just hit New York City. There were SO many cars that were completely covered in snow, many of which you could not even tell it was a car other than a vague shape of snow.

We were starting to feel that we were a little cheated having not gotten any true winter weather. Well, we made up for lost time pretty quickly! As you can tell from some of the pictures of the cars, some people will be getting to work a little more slowly tomorrow as they are literally digging themselves out of a hole!! Tomorrow, Kimberly and I will be going to Central Park get some good snapshots. We are really looking forward to seeing how everything in the park looks, covered over with snow.

Speechless!

2006-02-12T09:54:00.000-05:00

We are utterly speechless right now. We expected a snowstorm, but nothing like this!!! As of 10:00 this morning, I believe there is still about three more hours of constant snow, and then it will be periodically coming down throughout the rest of the afternoon. This has been absolutely awesome. The poor man across the street that opens up Caffe Reggio had to shovel the snow away from the front door. By the time he had shoveled about 5 feet down the sidewalk, everything he had just done was completely covered over.

Either later today or tomorrow we hope to journey up to Central Park to take a look around. It should be a truly amazing sight up there. This is the kind of dumping that we were wanting to see, and by mid-afternoon, I am sure we will be eager for it all to be over!!

IT'S COMING!!!!!!!

2006-02-11T08:44:00.000-05:00

I think Kimberly and I are about to pay for the early Spring weather we have been experiencing over the past month. I am sure you have seen some on the news about the storm that is coming, but they are expecting that there should be an average of 6-12 inches of snow for NYC. I checked the weather report and there is a 100% chance of snow from midnight until 11:00am Sunday morning.

So we are, after all, going to get to use some of our winter gear. It should be exciting! Stay tuned for the pictures!

Weekend Wrap-Up

2006-02-06T21:16:00.000-05:00

Jeff and I celebrated an early Valentine's Day and celebrated his acceptance on Friday at Artisanal on the East side. We took advantage of the Prix-Fixe menu.... the food and service was impeccable!

On Saturday, Dee and Lori came to the city to hang out. Besides the cold, wet weather, we had a blast! We ventured to the Diamond District to see all of the bling that NYC has to offer, then we ate a slice of pie at Famous Ray's Pizzaria. What a hunk! I could hardly contain myself in the new soon to be hit broadway The Pajama Game starring Harry Connick, Jr. The broadway utilizes all of his known talents singing, dancing, and playing the piano. This is a MUST-SEE!!! Sneaky, sneaky Dee snapped some pictures before the curtain fell for the final time. We ended our day dining at Eatery with some great comfort food... their signature Mac and Jack (they improved the original Mac and Cheese). Jeff caught up with his studies the majority of this weekend (missing an entire week of tax law can be tough).

Sunday was spent searching the Internet for the perfect house... we are thinking the "M-Streets" area in Dallas would be a good starter home for us! It is an area that is to the east of Highland Park and University Park. We have been advised by many that it is "the most appreciating area in Dallas." We also went to the 7pm service at our church, The Redeemer, but there was very low attendance due to the SuperBowl. Yes, we missed seeing it this year!

Moving Back to Texas!!!

2006-02-01T21:49:00.000-05:00

God is SO amazing!!!

I just wanted to share so fantastic news with yall! As most of you know, Jeff received an offer from Waller Lansden a law firm in Nashville, TN a couple of weeks ago. We visited this past weekend and Nashville is just lovely! Jeff had not accepted the offer with Nashville because he was ultimately interested in moving us back to Texas, so he had interviews still lined up in Dallas and Houston. Jeff had flown to Dallas, Houston, and Nashville in less than a weeks time period... missing a week of school! BUT, it was all worth it because at the beginning of this week, he received an offer with Haynes and Boone (Dallas), Thompson & Knight (Dallas), and Bracewell and Giuliani (Houston). Each firm was able to meet the deadline that Waller had for us, which is a blessing in itself. He has not accepted with either of them yet, but I will definitely keep yall posted.

Jeff and I are constantly praying that we will make a decision that will be based on God's will for our life! Thank you for your prayers... we certainly appreciate it!

Nashville, TN

2006-01-29T00:34:00.000-05:00

Jeff and I arrived in Nashville yesterday afternoon. The Hermitage, our hotel, is exquisite! It is Nashville's only five diamond hotel and the oldest hotel in the area (1910). The hotel recently completed an 18 million dollar renovation. My favorite aspect of this hotel besides the fact that it is amazing is the nightly bath experience. All of the hotel's products are Molton Brown. The bubble bath was a relaxing yuan zhi. We visited Tennessee's Capitol building (pictured). The picture featured below is Nashville's BellSouth building, known as the bat building. Jeff and I took pictures of the Korean War Memorial and of the Vietnam Park. Venturing in downtown Nashville was a lot of fun. Nashville has a lot of history and great nightlife. We ended up having dinner at BB King's and listening to some local live jazz/blues music.

Today, we had breakfast with two of the partners from Waller Lansden at Province and met with two local Realtors that gave us a tour of the area. Nashville has beautiful countryside. Almost all of the homes have a lot of land and are located on a rolling hill. The Realtors took us to lunch at Jackson's, a local new hot spot. Jeff and I also met with an associate and partner along with their spouses at the Acorn for dinner. Dinner was fabulous! Overall, we have had a very positive experience with Nashville, TN.

Addiction Ending

2006-01-27T11:34:00.000-05:00

The culprit is a 16oz plastic jar that I have fell in love with since the day I discover Peanut Butter & Company, which is conveniently located in a "cozy little sandwich shop in Greenwich Village" only three blocks from our apartment. The peanut butter blended with rich dark chocolate is called Dark Chocolate Dreams. A really good dream! It is all natural with no trans fats or cholesterol. I have been addicted and recently topped off an entire container in one day (confession time), so I am going to go cold turkey and going to stop purchasing it! Thats 2,380 calories and 182 grams of fat I consumed, which is enough calories and fat for an entire day! Besides paying up to $6.99 per container can become expensive too, so I am even saving money in the process!

Jeff and I are headed to tour Nashville, TN this weekend on the law firm. We will keep you posted...

Broadway's Galore

2006-01-22T11:17:00.000-05:00

Jeff and I are so excited to announce our Broadway plans over the next few months. Thank you to many of you for the "Broadway money" to afford us to be able to go to some Broadway shows our last couple of months in NYC. We really appreciate your generosity! I predict the following three Broadway shows are going to be the most talked about shows on Broadway. Since last year, I have been dying to see all three of them!!!

In February, I am going with my girlfriends, Dee and Lori to "The Pajama Game" starring Harry Connick, Jr. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I am such a fan... Jeff told me that he would rather me go see this one without him! The girls and I have Orchestra box seats to see Harry up close and personal!

In March, Jeff and I are going to see "the hottie (as Doug calls her)," Amanda Peet, in "Barefoot in the Park." This is the classic romantic comedy by Neil Simon. The setting is in a small walk-up Greenwich Village apartment in NYC, sound familiar? The best part is that we have third row Orchestra tickets I paid equivalent to Rear Mezzanine for them! I have finally learned ways to get great discount tickets for most broadways.

In May, Jeff and I are going to see "Three Days of Rain" starring my favorite actress, Julia Roberts! I know many of you don't like her off the big screen, which I can understand, but she is a very talented actress. This is her first Broadway debut and is a strictly limited engagement show, which is only twelve weeks long! The box office opens at the end of this month, but we got to buy tickets early thanks to American Express. We have Orchestra seats in Row L, which are the best we could get for what we wanted to pay. Due to the popularity of this Broadway, I have this theory that most ticket brokers and American Express holders would have already purchased all of the available tickets by the time the box office opens. Brokers and individuals have already begun posting tickets on Craig’s List and EBay for astronomical prices! This will be a sold out show!!!

We will keep you posted on any other upcoming broadways that we schedule on our calendar! On the radar we have Monty Python's Spamalot, the romantic musical, Light in the Piazza, Phantom of the Opera (just one more time before we leave NYC), and possibly Blue Man Group. We wanted to see Fiddler on the Roof but Rosie O' Donnell would never step off the stage.

Busy, Busy

2006-01-17T08:39:00.000-05:00

Since Jeff and I have returned to NYC it has been a whirlwind. The good news is that both Jeff and I have finally caught up on our sleep!

A week ago, Wednesday - Saturday, Doug, Jeff's brother came to visit us. On Wednesday, Jeff and Doug went to a Mavericks vs. Knicks game at Madison Square Gardens (Mavericks unfortuately lost) while I had my first New York Junior League meeting. We all met up at ESPN Zone to watch a couple of sports games. On Thursday, Jeff and Doug went to view Fox and Friends, then we all met up to attend the live Fox News show, DaySide. We had a blast touring Chinatown (I found a mouse that I wanted to ride for fun) and Little Italy. Our day ended with a lot of carbs in Little Italy! On Friday, Jeff and Doug toured Lower Manhattan (Wall Street, Ground Zero, and Bull (Doug pictured below was really interested in taking a closer look at the bull) together. We explored Central Park together for a good chunk of the day. Then we had Mac and Jack at the Eatery on 9th Avenue for dinner. It is the largest mac and cheese known to man! James and Marcy Hering, the Slade's boys second cousins, called us to meet up, while they were in town. All of us attempted to go to the Top of the Rock, but the visibility was only a half of a mile meaning that we would not have even seen the Empire State Building! We ended up eating dessert with them at Rocco's Bakery. Be sure to ask Doug about his experience with "The Rock" at the bus stop!

Best of all, last Wednesday Jeff received an offer with a large law firm in Nashville, TN. It is such a great opportunity for his career. We have to make a decision by February 6th. We will keep you posted...

Our Time In Texas

2006-01-08T16:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we got back home from being in Texas December 22 - January 7! It is great to be back in the City (we kinda missed it). NYC is such a unique place, however we do have our roots in Texas!!!

Wrap-Up of Good Ole Texas:

We had a very busy vacation attempting to spend time with all of our family and friends. It was wonderful seeing everyone! We visited Houston, Longview, and Dallas. We were shocked by the weather... forgetting that in Texas there are no seasons. It got up to 80 degrees a couple of days! Jeff even got to play golf in shorts and a polo! He also had his best score ever, which was an 86... the first day he played!

Here is a picture of all my girls at our annual PJ party... what fun we had! This year, I received the best pink (my signature color) PJs I have ever had, thanks to Kristen (my secret Santa). During our time in Texas, we celebrated both of our parent's anniversaries and Doug's (Jeff's brother) birthday. My sister, Amanda, got engaged to her Jeff while they were visiting his family in Spain.

My cousin, Natalie Alyssa Reese, was born on December 28th. She is SO precious. Our friends, Sarah & Brian, had little Dylan and our friends, Jenna & Thomas, announced they are having a baby boy! Congratulations to them all...very exciting times! Jeff and I also celebrated our three year anniversary on January 4th. Hopefully, we will be able to get away after Jeff graduates to celebrate. We are contemplating a European excursion, but it just depends on where the offer will be because if it is not in Texas we might forfeit the getaway to see our family and friends!

Greeting from Texas

2006-01-03T19:54:00.000-05:00

Jeff and I are still visiting family and friends in Texas until Saturday. It has been heaven! I spoke with several of my friends in NYC and they told me that I should stay in the 70 degree blue sky weather because in NYC it is raining ice and really yucky! Wrap-up of our Texas visit coming soon...

Stupid Unions in New York

2005-12-20T09:51:00.000-05:00

What on earth? I wake up and feel like I live in France. Part of it felt good, I suddenly found my soap box in the middle of exams. An average of around $50,000 per year isn't enough? The best benefits of any subway/transit union in the United States. My gosh, they get paid more on average than the NYPD and NYFD. The average starting salary for a police officer is apparently $33,000.

They want a 24% increase over 3 years?! That would bring the average salary up to close, if not over, $60,000 per year!

Mayor Bloomberg says it will cost the city somewhere between $400 and $600 million dollars per day. I swear the only reasons unions exist these days is to exploit and extract extra money from the government and corporations. Now we have people who commute from hours away stranded in the city or out of the city, we're in one of the busiest times of the year for shopping, and of course tax students who have to get to their exams too (although it helps only being 1/2 a block away). Thankfully, Kimberly took off work today and tomorrow to prepare us for the big vacation to Texas!

If they want to complain so much, I'm sure they would be much more welcome in France...

Only in New York Moments...

2005-12-19T19:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, while I was at church this lady in front of me was knitting. Yes, knitting...can we say distracting! Now that is something that you would never see in Texas! Even Southern Belles know to leave their needlepointing at home! Then, on the way to work today I saw a dog (medium size) with a down "puffy" coat with fur (not faux) around the collar. I said to myself both times...only in New York!

I know it has been a while since Jeff or I have written on our blog, but there has been really nothing going on lately with the exception of studying and working. We are very excited to say that we are headed to Texas for two weeks though. Christmastime & New Year's Eve in Texas is priceless and we would not miss it for anything!!!

Winter Wonderland

2005-12-10T21:47:00.000-05:00

Today, I went venturing in Central Park to take in all that God dropped on us Friday while my hubby studied again all day. I love the wintertime and all of the snow!!! Central Park had some of the most breathtaking views! This time of the year is my absolute favorite and I have concluded that New York City is the best place to be during the holidays Among all of the holiday madness going on in the city, Central Park is a place to escape where at times it was only you and nature.

This is funny...Jeff told me when I got home that the picture to the left that has holes in the frozen lake are possibly where ducks have hit the ice thinking it was water. Ouch!!!

PS We have received a comment about the snow animals posted below in the "Brooklyn Bound & Macy's Madness" post a couple of days ago. If you have any questions or confusion, please ask Doug (Jeff's immature brother).

Good Morning New York City

2005-12-09T07:44:00.000-05:00

We woke up this morning to a Snow shower, which makes going to work and getting to and from the library to study for exams all that much more fun! I think winter has officially begun up here now. We just thought we would share what we woke up to this morning.

Back to studying!

Brooklyn Bound & Macy's Madness

2005-12-07T10:20:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I went to Brooklyn to baby-sit, which was exciting because it snowed Monday night. Brooklyn ended up getting a little more snow than we did and I always go to Prospect Park to go for a walk. I love this time of the year! Snow is so amazing! Have you ever taken the time to actually see the intricate detail of a snowflake? Several people created little creatures all around the park that I stopped to take pictures of. Hope that you enjoy!

Today, Macy's was madness!!! Way too many aggressive shoppers to deal with. I ended up shopping in the same coat department for four hours attempting to find the perfect "puffy" coat. Macy's is definitely not a place to grab something and go...the selection of coats is ridiculous! I assume that is why they call it the largest store in the world! The verdict is that I now have purchased four "puffy" coats, so the final decision will be made later this week!

Snowy Days

2005-12-05T20:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we saw the beginning of it all...winter has come (Brrrrr...). This evening, it is snowing again and it is predicted to fall up to six inches. Tonight, one of my good friends, Jessica took me out for my birthday and I dropped off my Junior League application. Jeff studied the majority of the day preparing for his exams in a week (yikes)! While we were coming home a nice gentleman snapped a couple of pictures for us in the snow. Tomorrow morning I am going to go play in the snow!!!

Birthday Bliss

2005-12-04T21:24:00.000-05:00

We woke up to snow on my birthday! It was the first day that it has snowed this winter. This picture was taken in the Washington Square Park close to our home in Greenwich Village. Jeff did not realize how bad he needed snow boots until today. Imagine a light snow and then the sun heating up the roadways and sidewalks making slush. It is thick and messy... I have never been anywhere where the slush is this bad! Jeff made me a snowball for my birthday present... he mentioned that not a lot of hubbys would be able to give thier wives a snowball for their birthday. He also ended up buying me some Laundry by Shelli Segal shoes, which were very special to me because I have wanted them for quite sometime!
Jeff and I celebrated at Serendipity 3. Luckily he had made reservations... the wait was four hours long! What a great place to celebrate a birthday! They put a candle in their signature Frrrozen Hot Chocolate and everyone in the restaurant sung Happy Birthday to me! This is the remains of the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate...

Christmastime in the City

2005-12-03T23:02:00.000-05:00

Jeff just had another interview yesterday in Nashville, TN. Everything went well! Jeff was really excited about the five diamond hotel that they put him up in for the evening...very exclusive! Today, I went to a Christmas party and made some holiday cards with friends from church. My friend, Dee from CT also came into town with her hubby, Chris and a couple from CT. We went to dinner and to Saks to look at the window displays. Each window display has a different theme and are so incredible! I took them to the fourth floor of Saks to show them the best view of Rockefeller center (see pictures). On Wednesday, I discovered the view attempting to watch the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree ceremony at 9pm, but Saks made an announcement over their speaker system that mentioned that they would be closing the store at 8:30 (not fair)! Due to the crowd and the NYPD barricades that evening my friend, Jessica, and I thought that it would be best to get a hot drink at Starbucks instead. It did not take a lot of convincing for me to have an opportunity to drink my Chantico (Chocolate Drink made from the Cacao Bean). It is supposed to snow on my birthday tomorrow...I am very excited about that! Jeff is taking me to Serendipity for lunch! We will keep you posted...

Family Time

2005-11-29T09:11:00.000-05:00

The past couple of weeks we have had several family members come visit us, which has been so nice! It was so wonderful to actually spend time with them in the city. Mom Slade was the first to visit over a weekend. We saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels & The Lion King broadways and ate at some fantastic restaurants. One if by Land, Two if by Sea was our favorite! We also went to the 8th Annual Chocolate Show, Top of the Rock (which has a better view than the Empire State Building because you can actually see the Empire State Building in the view), and walked around Central Park to view the last of the fall foliage.

Mom & Dad Reese and my sister, Emily, came to visit us over the Thanksgiving holidays. They were able to stay six and a half days! Emily had never been to New York before, so we had a rather large itinerary, which was great because she was able to get a good feel of the city. I gave my parents a tour of the Lower Manhattan area, which was very difficult for us all because it was below freezing that day. We rode the Staten Island ferry, which shows the most fantastic views of the city and went to the Top of the Rock again, but this time we were unable to go to the very top because of the 60mph wind gusts that apparently would have blown us away (pretty scary).

We went to see the balloons being blown up for the parade in Central Park and of course went to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Broadway with the millions of people in the city. We were very thankful to be able to have a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal provided by the NYU law school. Many of the city's restaurants were not serving the traditional Thanksgiving meal (go figure)! What a great time to be in the city on the largest shopping day of the year and the Christmas window shopping was fun too.

My family got a great feel of what it is like to be a local here. We went to the Greenmarkets, our many grocery stores (the grocery stores are so small that you have to go to about three to get everything that you need), and several 9th Avenue gourmet shops, which Jeff and I discovered only a couple of weeks ago. The last evening, we went to the off-broadway, Stomp, which was fantastic! My family definitely padded us for the winter eating at all the great restaurants that we did! Although the Christmas season is so exciting in the city, Jeff and I are looking forward to coming home for the holidays!

Update coming soon!!

2005-11-17T00:47:00.000-05:00

Kimberly and I have been extremely busy lately, but we are definitely going to update our blog soon with some pictures. My mom came up last week and we had an excellent time and will have some great pictures. Without a doubt, we will have the blog updated by this weekend!

Next week, Kimberly's parents are coming into town, so we will have another busy week next week and lots of fun pictures after they spend some time up here with us as well!

We love everyone and will talk to you soon!!

Love,
Jeff & Kimberly

Belated Wrapup

2005-11-10T01:52:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been a very busy last few days and week for us! Jeff's mom is coming into town tomorrow(Thursday) and we are going to be out enjoying new parts of the City together.

Jeff is still in the midst of interviewing. He flew down to San Antonio a couple of weeks ago and has not heard any word yet, but we are praying that God's path for us leads back to Texas. Jeff will be flying to St. Louis and Nashville next week for interviews.

A week ago (last Thursday), we had the opportunity to see the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Theater. Although the costumes and the songs were nice, the ending had the best part. They truly had a Christian ending and portrayal of Christmas at the end of the show. About 20-30 minutes were dedicated to the actual Christmas story (scripture included!).

Last weekend, we went to Central Park and saw all of the fall foliage. The park is really beautiful right now and we have seen so many really need things. It was awesome to see all of the different colors in the park, and this weekend it should be changing even more!

While we have seen some very beautiful things, we have seen some very strange things! (See crazy Red-haired, yellow-bearded weirdo picture). For the record, this is the same man we have referred to as the pregnant yellow-haired man. He seems to have a crazy outfit for every occasion. This is the 4th time we have seen him!

Also, while we were in Central Park, we saw this fellow. This was once a bike that now has a motor on the back of it. When I asked him how fast it goes, he replied, "You know, it goes fast enough to go where I need to go, but slow enough to pick up the chicks!" In the background, he was leading a group of people that were dancing while on rollerblades or skates.

Halloween in NYC

2005-11-01T02:41:00.000-05:00

Wow, the freaks are out tonight! This evening, I went to the Village's Halloween Parade with my two friends and got some interesting pictures (Jeff was in class). Here are a couple of pictures from the parade, yes the one below is a drag queen (I probably saw at least a hundred at the parade). I just wish that I could have arrived a little earlier for a good standing spot, but I had to work until 6pm. Our street is conveniently located one block from 6th Avenue where the parade was held, so now our street is packed with the rather unique people from the parade.

I saw President Bush wanna-be's throughout the parade, but this particular look-a-like President Bush had to have been a liberal!

Currently, I am hearing someone screaming at the top of their lungs and a man dressed as a male reproductive organ just walked by our apartment!

Fall Report

2005-10-30T22:33:00.000-05:00

Today, the skies were blue and the temperature was in the mid 60s, which was a lot different from yesterday's brief snow flurries on 6th Avenue. The foliage is at mid-point in the city, hopefully by this weekend it should peak so that Jeff and I can spend some time in Central Park taking pictures. I have been very eagar for the city to peak because I do not think that it is going to be possible to escape the city to see it elsewhere. In fact, according to the folaige report a lot of New York is already past its peak time.

In the building next to us, which is another NYU dorm, I snapped a picture from our bedroom window. What a view! I also took a couple of pictures from the Terrace where I do my laundry of Furman Hall where a lot of Jeff's law school classes. This was the only good view I could get of Furman Hall...I am not even allowed in the building! Jeff has about half of his classes in there. The left hand corner building is called Vanderbilt Hall, which is where Jeff has the other half of his classes.

The picture is the very unique Jefferson Market library where I check-out books and DVDs from. It is the most unique library I have ever seen...it reminds me of an old European castle. The library is only a couple of blocks away from the Greenmarket that I go to at least once a week to get fresh vegetables and fruits (of course, the fruits are only for Jeff). Currently, the Greenmarket has every variety of squash available. We have been eating all different types including sweet dumpling, acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and striped squash lately. I really would like to purchase a banana squash, but it will not fit in my oven.

Work-Week and the Animal Adventure

2005-10-27T01:00:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the NE!

It is been a busy week thus far and I regret to say this, but I am looking forward to the end of it. This has been my first official week of work at my new job as a subsitute teacher and with the commute on the subway I have about a ten hour day not to mention my job as a house wife too. This week, has been a hard adjustment since I have taken basically the past three months off. Needless to say, I am welcoming the weekend with open arms!

Last Wednesday, I went with a friend that I met at church, Taryn, to the Bronx Zoo. Very interesting zoo, there is an initial admission fee and throughout the zoo there are several different exhibits and atractions that costs even more! The weather was an absolute dream though and the animals were out enjoying it too. The tiger sure does look like a beauty standing beneath the trees. This friendly peacock featured below came to say hello (I did not even have to zoom the camera). The peacock was literally an arm length away!

Still Here

2005-10-20T16:47:00.000-04:00

Yes, we are still alive up here!!! It has been a bit hectic the past few days, so we apologize for the delayed post! I am sure you all do nothing but hit the "Refresh" button for this web siteall day to see what we are doing (just kidding!). Kimberly is going to post an update soon with her trip to the zoo and some other things we have done.

I have been interviewing lately and will be coming down to San Antonio next week for a second round interview with a firm there. I am also interviewing with Houston firms today and next week. Also, in two weeks I will be flying to St. Louis for an interview with a firm there.

Please pray that God will show me the things He wants me to know about these firms so I can make an effective decision when it comes time.

We love you guys!

The Late Show

2005-10-15T19:28:00.000-04:00

Kimberly and I have had some fun and entertaining past few days. On Thursday evening, we were on the Late Show with David Letterman. We stood in line to get our reserved tickets and we got an invitation to participate in the Current Events quiz. Kimberly had the opportunity to talk with Letterman on the air and it was overall a pretty fun experience.

On Friday, it was a pretty nasty day, so we hung out at the apartment and went over to a friend's apartment to hang out and talk. Over the past week, the weather has been awful, as I am sure you have seen. There has been a lot of flooding in the northeast. Finally, the weather got a lot better today. Kimberly has been out walking around and enjoying the day today while I have been trying to study some. Tonight we are meeting some of my old fraternity brothers from Cornell for a birthday party for one of them... and Kimberly is happy because she is going to get to eat the raw fish she loves so much at the restaurant!

Have a good weekend! Go Astros and Cowboys!

Wicked

2005-10-12T01:35:00.000-04:00

Two broadways within a week. Tonight we saw Wicked. For those who do not know, Wicked is the untold story of the Wizard of Oz of how the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch became themselves. It had spurts of comedy throughout and they gave an alternative explanation of how the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow came about.

Today, Kimberly babysat for someone that is in several of my courses. The family lives in Brooklyn, so she got to see another part of the city today. Tomorrow, she is planning on going to the Bronx Zoo with someone she met at the Beth Moore conference last weekend.

We have finally found a church that we think we are going to continue to attend. It is called the Redeemer, and we have found that there are some other people our age in the congregation and the pastor does an excellent job of making you think.

The Phantom of the Opera

2005-10-07T21:32:00.000-04:00

Last night, Kimberly and I went to see The Phantom of the Opera. Of all of the broadways and musicals we have seen, it was by far the best that we have ever seen. The fact that it has been on-going for 18 years in the theatre, everything was so awesome. The entire theatre looked like it was part of the set.

About 10-15 minutes into it, we each thought that we definitely needed to come see it again before we head back to Texas! So if anyone is coming up (hint hint!), it is definitely worth seeing it!

Today, I had three interviews with Texas firms (from Dallas and San Antonio). The interviews went well, but I will not know anything for another couple of weeks. In the mean time, more interviews are to come.

Tonight, Kimberly is at a Beth Moore conference with one of her girlfriends and I am going to go watch the Yankees game with one of my old fraternity brothers that I have not seen since the wedding.

If anyone sees this post before Nancy's and Jason's wedding, tell them Congratulations from us!

Weekend Wrap-Up

2005-10-03T02:09:00.000-04:00

Saturday was filled with all kinds of excitement! The morning began with my whole wheat multi-grain pancakes that I make for Jeff every Saturday. We look forward to those every week! Then, we ventured all over "The City" with our friends from South Carolina, Jenna and Thomas. Our first stop was a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. The weather was perfect as you can see from the crystal clear blue sky featured in the picture along with a shot of us and the Brooklyn Bridge.

As most of you know, I am not the biggest fan of the nasty MTA (NYC public transportation aka "the subway."), but walking all the way from the Brooklyn Bridge to 112 street would eat up the majority of the day, so we rode the subway all the way to 112 street to eat at the diner featured on the very popular television series "Seinfeld." After we got inside, we noticed that the interior was not the same as they used on the show, but the exterior was the same, so we were in the right diner.

After a greasy, but good quick lunch we ventured around the top of Central Park. Central Park is an amazing place. The park encompasses rather large bodies of water, waterfalls, three formal gardens, sports fields, nature trails, two skating rinks in the winter, and even a zoo. It is the perfect place to getaway from "The City." In fact, while you are there it is hard to believe that you are even in "The City." We even met a really nice local named, Andy. Andy was an older man that shortly became our personal tour guide of the upper side of Central Park. He showed us so many different things and even gave us all of the historical facts on the park! I told him that he reminded me of my Dad. In fact, while he was giving us the tour he even went by and picked up somebody eles trash that they left in the park. That is so my Dad! Andy was a such a great man!

After our venture of Central Park and when we had gone through the iron gates of the Italian formal garden, I noticed a stretched F250 Ford Pick-up Limo and yelled..."Now that is Texas-sized." Sure enough the truck even had Texas license plates (the first ones we have seen in NYC)! I just had to snap a picture of my hubby and the Texas truck! Little did I know there was a man in the front seat laughing at me due to my enthusiam of the Texas-sized stretched F250 Ford Pick-up Limo and the Texas license plate! He was from Texas too. I miss Texas...home sweet home!

Friday Night in the City

2005-10-01T16:02:00.000-04:00

This evening, we went to my cousin, Ellie's 30th birthday party. It was so great to have a Reese cousin reunion! Jeff, Alexandra, and I all rode the yucky subway there and back. I am not a fan of the subway...I would much rather walk, but walking in heels in the rugged streets of NYC is not fun!

Brrrrrr...

2005-09-30T11:13:00.000-04:00

This morning, Kimberly and her friend, Jenna, went to see the Today show. As she was on her way, I checked the weather because it seemed to be pretty cool in the apartment. On AccuWeather, the temperature showed 48 Degrees!!! As a Texan, this is a little early to be having temperatures in the 40's!!

I have an interview with PricewaterhouseCoopers today and will be interviewing with several Texas-based firms next Friday. We have been very busy lately, but we are just out enjoying the city as much as we can! Although we miss being away from home, we have had a lot of blessings while being in New York.

Weekend Wrap-Up

2005-09-26T00:37:00.000-04:00

This was a pretty hectic weekend as we kept up with family and friends back in the Houston and East Texas area. At first glance, it appears that everyone was fine, with the exception of a bit of traffic.

Yesterday, Kimberly had a couple of friends in town and they went to Chinatown, Little Italy, and SoHo(South of Houston Street) to do some shopping. Jeff went down to the financial district near Wall Street to look at suits for some interviews that he has coming up over the next few weeks. Today, we went to church and then walked around a bit. We also waited in line for a lottery for cheap tickets to one of the broadways, Wicked. Unfortunately, we were not able to get tickets...better luck maybe next time.

Tonight, we were able to go out to dinner with Kimberly's cousin, Alexandra. Pretty crazy that these two girls have not seen each other for 15 or more years and now they live a few blocks away. Tomorrow, Kimberly has an interview for a substitute teacher position, so please pray that she has a peaceful and relaxed mind while she is in the interview.

Jeff & Kimberly

PS: Due to some confusion, the "Bring it Rita" photo below is not an actual photograph of Kimberly's family's house. We found this picture on a Houston news website and thought it would be appropriate to add to our blog.

Hurricane Rita

2005-09-23T23:06:00.000-04:00

Kimberly and I have been in touch with her family in Houston, and all of her family decided to stay it out. As of 7:00(EDT), they had lost cable and phone lines from wind, but they apparently still had power. We have been keeping in touch with them and will post any information that we have.

This weekend, two of Kimberly's friends are coming into town and they will be hanging out on Saturday.

Yankeeland

2005-09-21T02:06:00.000-04:00

This evening we ventured uptown to the Bronx (one of the five Boroughs of NYC) to visit the famous Yankee Stadium. Jeff and I had a really good time together although we missed out on having a "ballpark dinner." I never knew that people could be so into a game before! Everyone was sporting Yankee wear and some even had masks. It was quite an experience and of course, the Yankees won the game. Interesting fact: they have won 26 World Championships. Wow... what a team!

Love, Kimmie and Jeff

Weekend Wrap-Up

2005-09-19T02:06:00.000-04:00

We had a very exhausting and fun-filled weekend over the past few days! On Friday, we took a stroll up 5th Avenue to Midtown and Uptown where we saw three museums: the Museum of Modern Art; the Whitney Museum; and the Guggenheim Museum. As you can see by the picture, the Museum of Modern Art has some art that is not so artistic. On the other hand, the Guggenheim had a wonderful new Russia! exhibit that was spectacular. We saw a lot of paintings that were from the 14th Century, a few years before we were born. On our way back on Friday night, the Empire State Building had an eerie green glow.

Yesterday(Saturday), we walked up through Central Park with another couple, Thomas and Jenna, and got to see the park. Sometimes as you are standing in the middle of the park, you look around, and it is hard to believe that you are standing in the middle of New York City. A quarter of a mile away, there are buildings 50 and 60 stories high, but Central Park has a way of allowing you to get away from all of the mad rush of New York. We also got to see a couple of neat scenes that were filmed during the movie "Serendipity" while we were walking through the park. Also, before we got to Central Park, Kimberly was somehow able to sucker me into posing with the FAO Schwarz guard.

Today(Sunday), we first went to church in midtown, and it was a good experience, but we are still in search of a church. After we got home, we had tickets to the Blue Note Jazz Cafe and we were able to eat brunch while we listened to a band play jazz music for about an hour and a half. Later, we went on a Sunset Cruise, where we went on board a small cruise ship that took us around the outskirts of Manhattan. It was a beautiful night with only a couple of clouds in the sky. As you can see, the Statute of Liberty truly glows at night. However, it was still unfortunate to not be able to see the NYC skyline without the World Trade Center.

By the way, Congratulations to my Dad for placing 2nd Place in the Nation for Sporting Clays in the 410 Competition.

Love,
Jeff & Kimberly

People-Watching in Washington Square

2005-09-16T00:31:00.000-04:00

Tonight, we sat in Washington Square Park and listened to some free entertainment and just watched the crowd. It is so different here in New York. This city really never goes to sleep; at least this part of the city never sleeps. Every day of the week, but especially Thursday through Saturday, street performers are in Washington Square Park playing music. We have definitely tried to take advantage of the Park every time we are out walking at night. Tonight we had an extra treat and surprise as a rat decided to crawl across the sidewalk towards us!

Today, we also got tickets to the Yankees game next Tuesday night. With the Yankees in the midst of a playoff run, it should be fun to watch them in action, even if we aren't the biggest Yankees fans.

Jeff & Kimberly

Update on the Pepsi Commercial

2005-09-15T00:31:00.000-04:00

Last weekend when Pepsi was filming the commercial, we noticed that the main guy in the commercial kept getting pampered in between shoots. So it turns out that it was Jimmy Fallon (from Saturday Night Live) and also Parker Posey (from You've Got Mail!, and others).

Everything is still going well. Although we are as close to eating Ramen noodles as you can get!!! We have found out some pretty neat history about our apartment. Email us and we will tell you everything about our home!

Also, on Sunday, we found a church that we attended that was much better than the first Sunday we were here. It was a contemporary service and there were many college students. Although the crowd we saw was a bit younger than us, the message was excellent.

Jeff & Kimberly

9/11 Memorial

2005-09-12T02:00:00.000-04:00

We received an email this evening that tonight might be the last night that there are two columns of light projecting from Ground Zero where the World Trade Center once stood. We took a stroll through Washington Square Park to take a couple of pictures for you to see.

Strange Encounters

2005-09-11T22:51:00.000-04:00

About a week ago, Kimberly and I were walking close to Times Square and we saw, what we thought, was a yellow-haired, pregnant man. Yes, that's right, a yellow-haired, pregnant MAN. We thought it was a once-in-a-NY-lifetime sight, but we found out that was not the case yesterday. Yesterday morning, we woke up to a raucus outside of our apartment. It turns out, Pepsi had closed down the street and was filming a commercial. If you email us, we will send you a video clip of the commercial! See the picture we took (Above Right).

Afterwards, we walked over 200 blocks as we were exploring new areas of the city in the historic Upper East Side of Manhattan. On our walk, we walked alongside a parade for union workers on Fifth Avenue, which itself was an interesting experience. We felt it was probably best to keep personal views to ourselves at that point.

As we kept walking along, we noticed everyone in the parade taking pictures of something. We glanced over and saw the yellow-haired man(Above Left). We couldn't believe it! But it confirmed our thoughts that it would probably not be the first, nor last, time we came across this person. This person obviously craved the attention that he (or she, as it appeared) was getting.

Later on our walk, we stopped by a delightful chocolate store, La Maison du Chocolat. I am sure all of you know which of the two of us requested this stop. We ordered a cup of their famous hot chocolate, which was so incredibly rich!

We had quite an interesting day on Saturday, much more than we thought we would have seen! However, we feel confident this is yet just another, of many, encounters we will have while in New York.

(Hint: If you don't know who requested the stop, see which person is closer to the cup of hot chocolate!)

Wall Street

2005-09-10T01:39:00.000-04:00

Today, we walked down to Wall Street and took a look around downtown Manhattan. We were able to stop by Century 21. We bought some rather discounted things to decorate the apartment.

We were right beside Ground Zero and were able to look at the area where the World Trade Center once stood. It is still amazing to see how big of an area those towers were built upon. In their place, the city has two bright spot lights shining straight up. From a distance, it looks like two towers of light extending into the sky.

After walking back, Kimberly and I walked through Washington Square and heard some free, live entertainment. Every night when we walk through, there is at least one person singing or playing music. Tonight, there was also someone impersonating Michael Jackson and MC Hammer.

Jeff & Kimberly

New York BBQ Experience

2005-09-08T02:09:00.000-04:00

Pictures from our trip last weekend to a New York "Southern" BBQ restaurant on the Upper West Side with some of our new friends in NYC.

Grocery Shopping is an Experience

2005-09-07T01:06:00.000-04:00

Today was a pretty plain day. Jeff contacted firms in Dallas and Houston and, overall, got a good response. Fall recruiting begins within the next month and will continue until the end of October.

Earlier tonight, we went shopping for groceries and as we walked through the store, a mouse ran across the floor. Keep in mind that this is more or less commonplace in some of these grocery stores. Food is out everywhere and mice are on the ground. Another grocery store has a reputation for selling food that is weeks past the expiration date.

On a bright note, Kimberly spoke with a girl that is in the Tax LL.M. program at NYU. The girl and her husband have a child and are looking for day care. This is a potential part-time employment opportunity for Kimberly that would allow her to do what she loves most: work with kids.

An Evening in Little Italy

2005-09-05T23:28:00.000-04:00

This was the fourth straight day of logging at least 80 blocks that we walked. Kimberly is starting to get some blisters from all of the walking she is doing, but she still insists on seeing every bit of NYC that we can see.

Tonight, we took a stroll through Little Italy and Chinatown. Little Italy has numerous restaurants that have tables bordering the streets. It was amazing to see the number of restaurants and shops that were crowded into the 4 or 5 main blocks through Little Italy. However, it soon became apparent the good versus bad restaurants. One restaurant would be completely packed, and the one beside it would be empty. We didn't think it was merely a coincidence!

After Little Italy, we walked through Chinatown and it was Jeff's first time to see all of the fish, chicken, duck, etc. that were just sitting out in the open. Not a good odor! But anyway... The adventure continues!

Jeff & Kimberly

Sundays Aren't What They Are In Texas

2005-09-04T22:56:00.000-04:00

We went to a local church today that was in Greenwich Village, and, well, church is not like church at home. This was a very "open-minded" church to say the least. But anyway, we'll give all the details to whoever calls. The rest of the day was much better. We went on a tour through mid-town and got an opportunity to see a Brazilian Festival and stopped off by Fox News on the way. It is amazing to see the number of festivals that are always taking place in New York.

We are out trying to enjoy the City as much as possible, because the semester is about to get pretty busy for Jeff, and we want to do as much as possible right now. We are off to dinner for the night with a group from the law school, but we will keep everyone up to date!

Jeff & Kimberly

Why We Didn't Bring Our Car

2005-09-04T01:56:00.000-04:00

The neighborhood parking "garage." Only in NYC!! Only for the low rate of $350-500/month!

Our Home

2005-09-04T01:17:00.000-04:00

Looks can be deceiving, so be sure you know that this is in fact 340 square feet! (We only wish you could hear the sound of the beating drums that we can hear outside of our apartment right now.)

Our study/dining room/living room.

This is our kitchen wall, which is part of the study/dining room/living room.

The bedroom, furnished with nothing better than a $9.95 lamp we bought at K-mart.

This closet has potential for growth.

No comment other than "Too small for one person, much less two!"

Survival!

2005-09-02T11:24:00.000-04:00

Hello Family & Friends,

Well, we made it to the Big Apple and have seemed to survive the move. There were many blessings when we arrived. At first, we thought we may have been walking into a complete dump, but were truly lucky when we found that the countertops had just been refurnished, new refrigerator, new carpet, etc.

In the days before coming to New York, we were packing bags and trying to meet the weight limit for the checked bags. We were each allowed 3 checked bags and 2 carry-on's. The checked bags were limited to 50 pounds (which is pretty hefty!). Well, after arriving at the airport, our 6 checked bags rang in at: 48, 48, 49, 49.5, 50, and 50.5 pounds! Definitely toeing the line!

I recently started class this past Wednesday, and we are out doing things to enjoy the city whenever possible. We will be posting our adventures in Yankeeland throughout the nine months! Also, we will soon post pictures of our apartment!

We love you guys, and look forward to seeing you soon (hopefully!!)

Jeff & Kimberly