Thanksgiving at Mike's

Happy Thanksgiving!
There are many things that I am thankful for: my family, my friends, my health, the fact that I have a job, to name a few. Even though the history behind the holiday is morally questionable, I still appreciate the idea of having a day in which to give thanks. I'm a believer that you should be thankful everyday, but hey, not everyone thinks that way. My dinner (which of course was eaten around lunch time) proved rather unconventional, at least for me, but hey, not every year can be picture perfect.
My dad is in town, visiting me, which I am extremely happy about. Today would have been a rather depressing day if I were all alone. I had to work last night until 11:30 and we didn't get back home till around 1am so getting up and cooking really wasn't a practical option. (I'm not a very good cook anyways). Instead I watched the pros cook on "Top Chef" and we walked to 31st to a nice little place called "Mike's Diner." I'll be honest with you, my dad liked the food (or so he said) but I found it to be terrible. Good food is nice on Thanksgiving, but is not a requirement. That is not the point. I had food on my table, and some people don't, so I choked down as much of the food that I could, all the while smiling. Our waitress was a sweet woman who left her three children and husband at home to serve me subpar food. She commented about how cute it was that my dad and I were there together and generally enjoyed our Midwestern cheerfulness in a room full of cranky (and poor tipping) New Yorkers.
We left after paying our bill and tipping like people should on a holiday. My stomach has still not recovered, even though I barely ate my turkey and stuffing (want my leftovers?) but I'm so glad that I got to spend this time with my dad, healthy, safe and overall happy.
For those of you I wasn't with this holiday, I miss you, I love you, and I hope to see you at Christmas :)

In da club ; )

This past Saturday, I went out in Manhattan. It was only my second time going "out," with my first being about a month ago, when my sister and I saw "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" in Union Square. The movie was fantastic, by the way, but didn't really give me a feel for the social scene in the city except for the mass amount of people (but they are everywhere you go here). Even though I was tired from working all day, I decided I needed to go out and experience New York, because honestly, that's what I am here for.
Now before I describe my night, I want you to close your eyes and imagine a Saturday night out in New York City. Now open them. Whatever you imagined, was pretty much what I experienced. We went to a club in lower midtown called PS 340. It was dark, crowded, loud and full of singles. Men and women huddled together in their groups, with their overpriced drinks, waiting for an attractive man or woman to come up and strike up a conversation. Whether they were looking for a relationship or a one-night stand, I am not sure.
The night was fun though. The club was nicely decorated, although it did seriously lack chairs. I've also never been to a place with a bathroom monitor. I mainly chatted within my group, avoiding eye contact with all males and danced along to the music being djed off of a mac. I was proud of myself for successfully avoiding any awkward encounters.
I enjoyed being outside of Astoria, and if only for one night, behaving like a true New Yorker. The next time I go out, I expect it won't be to another club unless I have out of town visitors. I just dont have the desire to pay a ton of money to stand around and watch people look uncomfortable. Then again, that is one of my favorite activities...

Z-Baig

Seeing as this is my blog and I can do whatever I want to with it....Happy Birthday, Ms. Zairah Baig! I miss you, I love you! I'm sorry I couldn't be there for your birthday but I'll see you in 47 days!

YES WE CAN!

I have no doubt that if I were in Grant Park right now, I'd be sobbing like a little girl. I almost lost it when I saw the Reverend Jesse Jackson crying on tv, along with Oprah and many more across the nation. Tonight is a giant leap forward in American History, and I am glad to be (if just a tiny) part of it. Last February I waited in line for over 3 hours to listen to Senator Barack Obama speak at the Kohl Center in Madison. His speech was not only eloquent, but also inspiring. Listening to Obama speak solidified my support for this man. I saw someone who spoke to the disinfranchised and got people excited in politics again. I think that John McCain is a decent man. I find it unfortunate that McCain had to change so much from his views in order to please the far right. I appreciate his graciousness and the genuine look of disgust that crosses his face when his supporters boo Obama. (I have no comment on Palin, but I have an unfortunate feeling that this won't be the last we see of her.) It is not unpatriotic to believe in the freedom of choice, or talk with our enemies before sending our loved ones into war.
My sister and I spent the night sitting on our living room floor (we still lack a couch), waiting to hear the news of the next president. We watched as Obama gained more and more electoral votes, and as what once seemed impossible, become more and more likely. I always assumed that I would see a female president before a black one, and I never imagined I'd see anyone other than a white male in that position so soon. While I see so much progress from the days of the Civil Rights Movement and the Suffrage Movement, its no secret that Americans still hold many prejudices. It is my hope that with the election of Barack Obama, this nation can continue to move forward and that his election will inspire people to reach for their dreams, because anything is possible. My faith in mankind has been renewed as I see a country that is not as ignorant as I assumed, which is something I will gladly admit.
Congratulations Barack Obama :)

Welcome to Astoria

I am finally beginning to feel more like a resident of New York and less like a vacationer. The change from tourist to semi-New Yorker is thanks to my new apartment in Astoria (Queens). We do not have any furniture except for our beds, so I find myself sitting on a pillow in the middle of the living room watching "Gossip Girl." (Unintentionally hilarious show, by the way). My sister and I moved in last Wednesday and as of today have accumulated one pot, two bowls, and four plates. My mom will be sending us silverware this week, but until then all of our knives, spoons and forks will be made of plastic.
Although this may not seem ideal, I am ten-folds happier than I was in Brooklyn. I have my own room (that nobody has to walk-through) and a free living room that I can watch all the crappy tv I want to in. My sister is slowly trying to teach me how to use DVR which I find to be the world's greatest invention. The walk to the subway is longer but the actual subway ride is shorter and mostly above ground. Those of you who don't have to ride the subway regularly will not understand how amazing being above ground is, at least for me. Waiting in the dark, stale underground may be nice in the winter, or if you're homeless (no joke), but I'd much rather be in the fresh air and looking at buildings than the repetitious black walls.
In the upcoming weeks we hope to purchase (with the assistance of my dad) a sofa for our living room. As much as I love the simplicity of our place (complete with a tv stand made of boxes), I can't wait to have a comfortable place to sit on off of the floor.