Monday, March 30, 2009

In a New York State of Mind

Whenever I have to get up exceptionally early for anything work related, I’m always so damn paranoid that the alarm clock is suddenly going to break in the middle of the night, or that I didn’t set the wake-up time correctly, so I usually sleep with one eye open staring at the clock; barely getting any rest.

Such as it was on Wednesday evening, before I had to be in NYC the following morning for a 10:00 meeting.

But I’m happy to report that the alarm clock DID go off as set - 5AM.

(and I am so NOT a morning person)

I was driving in with my boss that day, and she left more than enough time to get to NYC as scheduled. In fact, we left so early, I think we could have driven to Miami Beach and back, and still had time left over to arrive in NYC for a knish with mustard before our meeting.

However, the turnpike was not cooperating with us that day, because as we got closer to the Lincoln Tunnel, we suddenly bottlenecked and then sat in bumper to bumper traffic for over an hour. And even though I DETEST cell phones, this was one of those times when that little instrument of torture came in handy. Thank god my boss was able to contact the NY office and explain our dilemma. They told her it was no big deal and that they would push the meeting back thirty minutes. We got into the city just before 10:30.

After we parked the car, we had to speed-walk several blocks to get to office, and the whole time we’re walking, I was looking around the city like a wide-eyed child; reminded of how much I missed it.

There’s something about NYC that has always felt akin to my soul. Maybe it’s the manic energy or the bigger-than-life visuals, but I LOVE that city. And even though I was slightly tired that morning, just being there filled me with a magical power.

Just before we got to the office, we walked past the famous Plaza Hotel, and of course being the drama queen that I am…I said to my boss, “ooooh, let’s go stand infront and reenact the final scene from the movie "The Way We Were." You can be Robert Redford and I’ll be Barbra Streisand.”

She responded, “Um, I don‘t think so Barbra…keep walking”

Anyway, our company meeting went very well, so my boss and I were really jazzed as it concluded around 6:30. We said our goodbyes (kiss, hug, kiss, hug) and then left the office. When we got to the street level, we discovered that it was pouring rain and yet neither one of us had an umbrella, so we RAN back to the parking lot. However, I asked my boss if she wouldn’t mind making a quick stop into Bergdorf Goodman, because in all the years I lived in NYC, I had never been inside.




I know that some of my readers are originally from the city, so am I NOT overly exaggerating about Bergdorf’s when I say, “HOLY SHIT and MAMA MIA?” It didn’t even feel like I was walking through a store, it felt like I was visiting the Queen of England for some Earl Grey and finger sandwiches. I got so excited that I actually produced a hard-on.

If you ever visit NYC please don’t miss a trip into Bergdorf’s. I mean, not that you’ll be tempted to max out your Platinum Visa card or anything, but just the experience of walking through the store will make your blood turn into liquid gold.

We arrived back in Philly at about 9:00, tired and hungry, so the minute I got into my apartment I ate everything in my refrigerator, took a shower and then crashed into a coma.

Within the next few months I will be going into NYC frequently for work, and I am so looking forward to it.

Lately, I’ve been sensing a change coming on in my life.

So, who knows what the future will bring….

…I may even get a laptop and start blogging from the Big Apple!