snapshots

My commute this morning started off with one of those times where even yes I, Sarah Rosenblatt, hate New York and the subway. I had carefully picked out great-looking sections from the Times to read on the train, only to be greeted by a totally packed platform. Once I got on the subway, it was one of those days where I barely had room to move my legs or arms...let alone unfold and hold out the paper. *Sigh*. It's okay, I really didn't need to hold onto a pole or anything, cause there was literally no room to fall over.

Whatever. It makes me grumpy, but at least it was a quick ride.

My day was perked up during my transfer though, by the people handing out the free daily papers (the Metro and the AM New York). The poor woman with the AM seems to be so disenheartened...people pass her by as if she's invisible. All the while she's trying to hand out papers, saying things like "A smile goes a long way, people. It wouldn't kill you to smile!" So even though I don't take one, I now make a point to wave and say "no thank you." I did the same for the Metro guy, and as I walked past him, he called out "That's okay! You're still my friend!" It was so cute that I turned around and grinned back at him. He then told me to have a nice day, and I wished him the same.

See? New Yorkers are friendly! You just have to remember that everyone else around you's human, too.

After I get out of the subway on the Upper West Side to walk to the Met, I always walk past this gorgeous flower shop...they're positively overflowing onto the sidewalk, with hanging baskets all over the place, box planters, and all sorts of other things on stands....even mini venus fly traps! I'll always take a chance for some greenery in this concrete/terra cotta jungle :D

Fast forward to lunch...Eleanor (my co-intern) and I have been heading up to the rooftop cafe now that it's finally not raining every day. It's a great place for people watching, because you get all sorts of accents, languages, and people from every walk of life. Tourists with fanny packs, families, posh cosmopolitan gay couples (I eavesdropped as they sat next to us...they were talking about the Alexander McQueen show, then all of their expensive jewelry, much of which was from Tiffany's...too funny), and school groups of all ages.

After an afternoon of cleaning 1606-era Swiss glass, I headed home for a dinner on my own (Potter was out) and got supplies for my latest easy-yet-tasty favorite dinner: spaghetti with matchstick carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, tofu, peanuts, and a spicy peanut dressing (thanks, Trader Joe's). There's a little produce shop a block down from our usual grocery store, and I went there and happily munched on my purchase of a container of $1 blackberries when I got home...I love this neighborhood. We're staying put for a while :) The streets are always bustling with wonderful Indian-like activity, and I love that tourists are starting to explore now that it's getting warmer (not that I love tourists, but I love living in a destination-worthy, but still off-the-beaten-path neighborhood!).