DAY 2 - This is New York!

Day 2 was a Monday. I woke up in my comfy hotel/hostel bed and looked outside. It was raining. Damn. I was supposed to  meet my friends for breakfast and then head to the apartment. My luggage was delayed so I had my mountaineer back-pack. I've heard about New York's packed streets in rush-hour and since it was 8:30 A.M., I prepared myself for the battle. Boots on, hood on, back-pack tightly adjusted to my body. Gucci purse secured close to my body and let's do this.

I walked out of the hotel and was in a hurry, I already had a 10 minute delay. So perfect situation. Every New Yorker is in a hurry right? That's what pumps them. I got into the 103rd St. subway and got in line to purchase the MTA pass. I heard a yell and shuffling feet and all of sudden there were cops everywhere. "Oh-oh, this is not good." flew through my head. 6 - 7 police officers were surrounding a shaking afro-american guy. He looked like he was high on something - his body was thrusting itself in the air and he was very aggressive. My heart started to pound. I looked around and noticed that no one cared. They all had that oh-not-again-and-this-is-annoying look. To look cool as them, I focused on the MTA machine. There was a cute couple in front of me - probably from the Midwest (they're always cute) and they were struggling with the machine. HOOOOOWWWWW can you struggle with that? It's simple. You choose your language - English, Spanish, Francais and even Italian! Then you choose the type of MTA card - Unlimited, Day, Week, Discount, One Trip etc. EASY. I was already running 15 mins late. They turned around and apologized for the delay and that they've already figured it out. "Fucking tourists" I thought. And then I started to smile and a feeling of utter happiness came to me. I had my first New York "fucking tourists" moment!!!! I'm adjusting fast!!!!

I arrived to 42nd St station. It was 9:00 AM. The station was quite full but I've expected more. However when I got out, the first thing that hit me was my anxiety. It was really REALLY raining, which I hate and especially on a Monday morning - it just makes it really a Monday. But there was a pack, a herd of umbrellas crashing into themselves and turning and moving in different directions. Like cells in a blood stream, not stopping. To calm myself down, I lit up a ciggy. Dumb me. I secured my back-pack and pretended I'm a warrior in Sparta with his sword up in the air and just went. I just started walking a straight line towards the Pennsylvania Hotel with my cigarette delicately in front of me, holding my Gucci and an angry strict Don't-mess-with-me! face. And it worked. It did. But once I got into the hotel, I was like a chicken - wet and shaking and my eyes popping out. I didn't want to go back! Is this going to be my everyday morning? Actually yes, because my job is on 36th St. So every morning and evening I shall be a warrior. Think of me when you ride the subway in Prague at 7:30 A.M. and you're squeezed to the red nice clean doors. I'd be kissing them now. I would.

Due to rain, I didn't take much pictures, can't ruin my new iPhone (ahahahahaaaaa). However on the way to my apartment after breakfast (we were at Tim Horton's - nothing special) I took just a moment pic from the inside of the subway - I don't want to look too touristy.

You can see the rain. It was quite warm actually. This is taken from my so far favorite station - 125th. I don't know why it's my favorite, the neighborhood actually does not look safe, but I guess I like it because it's outside. Once I get a tantalizer - taizer (however you spell it), I'll go and explore.

I got home - I meet my roommate the previous day - and was ready to unpack. Now, my room to me is typical and classic New York. Teeny tiny - 7m2, built it closest, window facing the main street and a fire escape. People, it is fabulous and I love it. It includes an IKEA bed and dresser, so I got a bit of Europe here, which I am the most delighted about. But the fire escape I am most happy about. It's sooo classy and sooooo New Yorky, I can't just help it. Once spring hits, I am sitting on it, huffing and puffing and enjoying my cosmopolitans and watching the street.

 The neighborhood is called Washington Heights. Now, from Chicago I know that most things that have a Washington in it are prolly a hood. This neighborhood isn't a hood, even though it used to be on of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city and notorious for drug dealing. Today, it's a Dominican neighborhood, the west part is even Jewish. Throughout the day, the neighborhood is super loud. My window is closed but it feels like an open window by the Magistrala in Prague. And when I open it ... You don't really feel like you're in the U.S. Spanish is everywhere or Dominican. People, language, signs, culture, music blasting out of cars and shops. I just wish it had the Dominican weather. People are very friendly here. They throw you a bit of a stare, but that's just maybe my paranoia and plus, I'm the new girl on the block - the new Blankita.

I have two roomies - Amy and Stephanie. Stephanie is beautiful and has this calm nature. When you are around her, you just calm down. You can be stressed, sad, overjoyed. You look at her and you're completely calm. She's a lifeguard (see? haha) and studies medicine. Amy ... ach muj boze Amy. She is the opposite. She charges you. She is like a charger. When you come home and you're dead and tired, she smiles, laughs, greets you (the whole street hears it) and you're up. Amy is like a mama. She shall take care of you. She's very warm. When I moved in, I didn't feel like I was moving in with total complete strangers. I felt like I was moving in with a cousin I haven't seen since I was 3. That's how you feel here. It's very natural.

Amy took me around the neighborhood after work. She showed me shops, supermarkets, fresh food stores, shoe stores, hood-rat clothes boutiques, bars, pizza joints, Chinese places. My favorite is the Falafel-Sushi place (I'll take a picture of it, haven't had a chance). I don't think I'll ever go there, unless I want to get H01 Gastroenteritis and commit suicide. But I just love the combination. It's also a sign, that you really got to make your money here and it's tough. It's so hard that you have to sell falafel and sushi together!!!!

We stopped by a bar called 181 Cabrini located on 181st and Cabrini (duh). The bar is gorgeous, reminded me a bars in Prague. Something like the upper floor of Coco by Staromestska. I ordered a cosmopolitan and mozzarella sticks. What I've received was the most fancy-schmancy plate of mozzarella sticks in my life.

I mean - do you see that??? It's amazing! And the cosmo? It was my first New York proper cosmopolitan people. After 10 years of dreaming about it through Sex and The City, it finally came. And it was delicious, swell, mind-blowing, sweet, smooth and it got you hammered. I don't even know how many I had but they just kept coming in. Remember me sipping my drinks for an hour? Nope, not with this baby. It's addictive. I couldn't stop. However that's not it. This hot cosmo isn't hot just by itself. It was hot because it's creator was hot. The bartender - Peter. The first New York man I fell in love with. And exactly my type - glasses, nose and small built. But, as life goes, he has a girlfriend. Moving on!