We started off today with a plan, which I believe was a good one and executed to the best of our abilities. We wanted to explore the Manhattan neighborhoods of Chelsea and the Upper West Side. There are lots and lots of neighborhoods in the borough of Manhattan, all with their own distinct feel. Finding an apartment has as much to do with the people you share a neighborhood with as it does the amenities of the space you choose.
We really have given a lot of thought about who we are, and who "our people" are since we've come to New York. Who do we identify with? Edgy, angsty punk rocker kids in the East Village? Or the quiet, mature, theatre & restaurant district in the Upper West side? Perhaps the stoops, bagel shops, strollers and parks in Brooklyn suits us best? Who do we want to walk around the neighborhood with every day and share our lives with, make new friends, buy our goods from, do our laundry with, and interact with every day?
Then there is the commute to work. That really has to be given serious consideration since it is by train or on foot. You really want to live near a useful subway line for work. For us, that means the west side of Manhattan. A commute from the UWS (upper west side) to Soho, that is on the 1 train, and takes about 30 minutes. From Brooklyn's Park slope, that is a whole other situation that depends on how close you are to the train, and there will be switching involved. Could be 40 minutes. And the trains are a story by themselves which I will delve into later.
Today started on the F train to Chelsea. We stopped at Union Square and got a copy of "Not For Tourists" Manhattan edition - the Brooklyn one was so helpful! Then we walked to Le petit bistro for brunch. Good coffee, I got crepes. Not exciting. Walked around Chelsea. This is not for us. I had heard such great things but I didn't see anything adorable about it.
We walked to the A train and hopped off at 86th. This is the Upper Upper west side (above the bottom of central park) and as soon as we stepped out we were immediately wow'd by all the beautiful brownstones! And that stop is literally next to the middle of Central Park. So amazing. Walking around we loved the architecture of the homes, but not so much the people or the going out options.
We walked to the A train and hopped off at 86th. This is the Upper Upper west side (above the bottom of central park) and as soon as we stepped out we were immediately wow'd by all the beautiful brownstones! And that stop is literally next to the middle of Central Park. So amazing. Walking around we loved the architecture of the homes, but not so much the people or the going out options.
We walked over to the other train line and hopped on the 1 back down a couple stops to 79th. This seemed more interesting and had the same cool places to live. We were crossing the street and saw benches in the boulevard - I thought, that's an odd place for a bench - I mean, who's going to want to sit and relax in traffic? We went to the famous H&H bagel and were impressed. But the thing is, they sell bagels fresh with no toppings and nowhere to enjoy them. You order your flavor and get out. So we are standing with our bagels on the main drag looking for a place to sit. Those benches were looking mighty inviting now. So we enjoyed our yummy bagels in the surreal surroundings of cars. At one point X said he saw a car go by and wanted to catch a look at the back, so he glanced down to look in his rear view mirror. That wasn't there. The experience was just like sitting in traffic. Wierd.
So we are exhausted now. It's 3:30pm and we decide to head home. Here's where New York isn't fun: Train schedule changes.
There is a TON of construction on all the train lines. There are always signs posted with the schedule changes. The train you need is running on another train's line. It's very confusing. At one point, we got through all our train changes to get home, and the train we were on literally became a different train.
It stopped at 14th street, like a train does. The announcer came on, and it was like straight out of a Charlie Brown special, only from the Bronx. X & I just looked at each other and said, did you understand anything she said? Suddenly half the riders leap out of the train & I'm left wondering what happened. Next thing I know the doors close & the next stop is not on the F line!?! It switched tracks! The F train is now running on the A line! Grr. So we get off at the next stop and are consulting maps (which do NOT help when the conductors are making shit up as they go) trying to figure out how to get home. We run upstairs, catch a train uptown 1 stop & its packed. Literally standing room only. Totally leaning against people for bracing. Hilarious. We get off and listen for new directing, this time we can understand the announcer on the platform. He gives a series of instructions depending on what stop people are trying to get to. We hear ours and then wait another 4 trains & 30 mins to go the one stop that only takes us partway home. After all this we still have a 15 minute walk home. I already hit the wall. It should have taken 25 mins *max* to get back to the apartment.
We walk in the door at 5pm and I passed out on the couch with little B, X passed out with the babies.
