Weekend Fun

This week was very busy at work. But things are going very well there. In a few weeks once critiques begin in the courses I will observe some of the student's classes. After a busy week it was nice to relax over the weekend and of course explore my new hometown a bit more.

Michael (Esther's) boyfriend is in for a long weekend so to celebrate their anniversary which is tomorrow and to celebrate my first big girl paycheck, I took Michael, Esther, and our friend Linda out for dinner. We went to The LOFT where none of us had ever been before. It was very cool a sort of French/Moroccan Fusion restaurant with two for one martinis all night (how can one complain). It has a large movie screen in the front of the restaurant where they play classic movies (Some Like It Hot was on that evening). The back room where we opted to sit was a little more private. The benches are fitted with Moroccan cushions and global club music played. The basement has lots of private rooms. They do have a really interesting bathroom though. The toilets are separate but the sinks are in a common area.

Since it is Michael and Esther's anniversary and I am still living with her, alternative arrangements needed to be made. Michael usually travels Monday-Thursday so staying in a hotel is not always fun for him since he does it so much. Instead Esther and Michael were generous and sent yours truly to the Lucerne Hotel which is only 17 blocks from Esther's apartment. It is a very lovely hotel which I would recommend to anyone visiting NYC. You are on the Upper West Side so things are not as crazy as they would be if you stayed downtown or near Times Square but it is only a 5-10 minute subway ride to get to those neighbourhoods. There is also a really great French Bistro called Nice Matin attached to the hotel.

Yesterday Esther, Michael, and I ran some errands on the East Side of town. We got Michael's glasses repaired at this really cool designer store on Madison Avenue. It was cool because they have the wall of special customers and Michael's picture is near Steve Martin's. We then went to PINK which is a Men's designer store from the UK. Then it was back to the West Side for lunch at the Museum of Modern Art and the Richard Serra exhibit. Esther's friend Mark met us after lunch and then we ran into their mutual friend Thomas and his boyfriend (whose name I am blanking on). Thomas treated us to Sundays and then it was off to check in to my hotel room. I was going to go see a one act play festival in the East Village since Daniel (one of the playwrights) is an acquaintance of mine but unfortunately it had sold out before I got there (you couldn't buy tickets in advance). So I went to St. Mark's Place which is this stretch of grunge and punk inspired stores and restaurants. This area is essentially the only area of the East Village that has remained true to what the East Village was 20 years ago. Then it was a quick bite back on the Upper West Side before turning in early to watch some tv and read a bit.

Today Esther, Michael, and I went to visit his cousin Sandy and her partner Terry in Brooklyn. They showed me the progress on my apartment (I will either move in next weekend or the weekend after). The five of us had dinner at Sahara, a Middle Eastern restaurant in what will be my new neighbour hood. It was very tasty and I recommend Pistachio Rolls if you have never tried them. Then we looked at the house that is across the street from Sandy and Terry because there was an open house. It is amazing. Why would you spend 1.3 million on a small two bedroom apartment that would cost you an additional 500,000 to renovate when you could get a three floor home that has been newly renovated for the same price (yes that is how much it costs to buy a place in NYC). After that we all parted ways. I went to the Lincoln Center Fall Fair and bought some cute handwarmers that I am wearing now as I type.

So things are good. Aren't you sad I am not there to rub it in that U of M is 0-2 and my OSU is 2-0? I thought you would be. :)