I didn't meant to be quite so harsh on SF and NY in my last post. I was really just pointing out the immediate livability that DC presented me with. It was definitely more of a "feel" than anything else - I think it's just somewhere that I think could really fit me. (Now I'm planning a long-term career path ending as a White House correspondent for the ABC. Or some other reputable paper/magazine/broadcaster. I've never actually had an endgame I thought I might enjoy before.) I wish summer internships worked the way they do in the States in Aus. Over our summer the whole country shuts down for Christmas, then starts up again in the New Year. There's no continuity the way things run in the summer here. It's just holidays for schoolkids, and maybe a long weekend or a week off for those in the "real world." I'd like to actually work in journalism for a while to see if I could actually cope with it. I don't know if I could cope with working for a local paper or the Courier Fail though - I mean, I know you don't start at the top, but I'd have to have an idea of what I would be working towards. I'm sure my idea of what it would be like isn't 100% accurate - I want to see if I think I'd enjoy it, and if I think I could cut it. This is the first "job" that I've felt like this about: actually wanting to investigate the possibilities it presents instead of regarding it with apathy.
I'll have to think about it a little more. I'm hoping this isn't one of those ideas that comes and goes though. I feel like this could be different. We'll see.
Hm. This post was meant to be about Bronvxille and Brooklyn, but it seemed to turn into a musing on my future career. Basically, we went to Brooklyn today (walked across the bridge, which was fun) and had AMAZING pizza at Grimaldi's, under the Bridge. It was pretty fantastic, and yes Gina, I now feel that Australian pizzas are eternally sub-standard. You've ruined me. Happy?
Tonight we had dinner at the Field Club and then had coffee with some of Gina's friends who are home from College. It's a completely different atmosphere than home is - the neighbourhood and the proximity of everything is really sweet. It's not just on TV that people walk over to each other's house just because they can - it's actually done here. I like it.
Mm, definitely time to sleep now.
Lx
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
These Alliterative Titles are Becoming Difficult
Finally back at Gina's house outside of NYC. Tomorrow is definitely a designated rest day - for the past two weeks it's just been all on all the time. (Tomorrow is the 14th, and I left on the 1st. TWO WEEKS down already? Not possible.)
Washington DC was fantastic. It was definitely my favourite place so far. I mean - I really loved San Francisco and the one day I've spent in NYC so far, but DC really felt like somewhere I could live, if I wanted.
San Francisco was amazing - although the weather seemed determined to show me a horrid time - but I definitely felt like a tourist there. The public transport was expensive (cable cars) and not so easy to use without looking at three maps and then asking someone who looked local. I'm sure once you know the system it would be fine, but it definitely wasn't simple or intuitive. There were an enormous number of SOMOTD (see, I haven't forgotten, I've just seen NO strange old men!) and I never really found any "local" feeling areas in the city. (Of course it was very welcoming, comfortable and easy to live at Stephanie's house, but that was further out of SF proper.)
During the day I spent in NYC, and then this evening as Gina and I went from the bus to catch the train back to Bronxville, I was really overwhelmed. The City is amazing, and I'm definitely excited to see and explore more of it, but it was just too big. In every possible way. The buildings are all ridiculously tall, and they just don't stop. In any direction, it just keeps going and going and going. The subway is pretty, um, earthy - though the train system to the outer suburbs is as nice as, if not nicer than, Brisbane trains. Where in Brisbane I'd get the train from the city to Southbank to save a walk (Yes, I am lazy, this we know.) I would not use the subway in NYC to go the same distance. It's just not pleasant. I'm aware this is sounding a bit princessy, but I'm talking about features that make a city less inviting, and less livable, for me personally. I would definitely, definitely recommend visiting New York - it's amazing, and there are so many brilliant things to see. I just can't see myself living in the city at all.
I say all this, you see, because Washington was totally different. In DC, none of the buildings can be built taller than the Capitol, which is fairly tall but by no means a skyscraper. This made the city quite low set and comfortable, at least in my mind. It was definitely busy, and there were (obviously) far too many things to see than could be seen in 4 days - but it felt like a place where I could very easily fall in to a rhythm of actually living. Just day-to-day existing. The metro (subway system) was clean, safe and easy to use. There are lots of things in walking distance to Colleges (GW and Georgetown) and from landmarks/areas of business. Not to mention, of course, the fascinating things that go on there on a daily basis. There were areas that felt homey and local 20 minutes walk from where the most important political decisions of the nation are made. Plus the weather in DC was gorgeous pretty much the whole time I was there.
I always said that America was somewhere I'd love to visit, but not live. Washington DC may have changed my mind.
Lx
Washington DC was fantastic. It was definitely my favourite place so far. I mean - I really loved San Francisco and the one day I've spent in NYC so far, but DC really felt like somewhere I could live, if I wanted.
San Francisco was amazing - although the weather seemed determined to show me a horrid time - but I definitely felt like a tourist there. The public transport was expensive (cable cars) and not so easy to use without looking at three maps and then asking someone who looked local. I'm sure once you know the system it would be fine, but it definitely wasn't simple or intuitive. There were an enormous number of SOMOTD (see, I haven't forgotten, I've just seen NO strange old men!) and I never really found any "local" feeling areas in the city. (Of course it was very welcoming, comfortable and easy to live at Stephanie's house, but that was further out of SF proper.)
During the day I spent in NYC, and then this evening as Gina and I went from the bus to catch the train back to Bronxville, I was really overwhelmed. The City is amazing, and I'm definitely excited to see and explore more of it, but it was just too big. In every possible way. The buildings are all ridiculously tall, and they just don't stop. In any direction, it just keeps going and going and going. The subway is pretty, um, earthy - though the train system to the outer suburbs is as nice as, if not nicer than, Brisbane trains. Where in Brisbane I'd get the train from the city to Southbank to save a walk (Yes, I am lazy, this we know.) I would not use the subway in NYC to go the same distance. It's just not pleasant. I'm aware this is sounding a bit princessy, but I'm talking about features that make a city less inviting, and less livable, for me personally. I would definitely, definitely recommend visiting New York - it's amazing, and there are so many brilliant things to see. I just can't see myself living in the city at all.
I say all this, you see, because Washington was totally different. In DC, none of the buildings can be built taller than the Capitol, which is fairly tall but by no means a skyscraper. This made the city quite low set and comfortable, at least in my mind. It was definitely busy, and there were (obviously) far too many things to see than could be seen in 4 days - but it felt like a place where I could very easily fall in to a rhythm of actually living. Just day-to-day existing. The metro (subway system) was clean, safe and easy to use. There are lots of things in walking distance to Colleges (GW and Georgetown) and from landmarks/areas of business. Not to mention, of course, the fascinating things that go on there on a daily basis. There were areas that felt homey and local 20 minutes walk from where the most important political decisions of the nation are made. Plus the weather in DC was gorgeous pretty much the whole time I was there.
I always said that America was somewhere I'd love to visit, but not live. Washington DC may have changed my mind.
Lx
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Congress and the Capitol
Nerdtastic.
Today Gina and I roamed around DC. We saw the National Cathedral, which was amazing. Last night we watched the episode of the West Wing with Mrs Landingham's funeral, so we were all psyched.
The National Cathedral was amazing. It's enormous, and the stained glass and marble were phenomenal. After exhausting ourselves with religiosity, we walked towards the Metro to go to the Capitol. After commenting that DC seemed like the only city that liked me, because the weather was gorgeous (all the other places I've gone have been damp and cold and rainy) I proceeded to stub my toe on the footpath. Not just a little bit, either. Like, we had to go into the chemist (which was conveniently across the road) and get bandaids and tissues. Then we sat in a bus shelter while I cleaned and dressed my toe... it was ever so classy.
After finally making it to the Capitol, we went on some tours of the Library of Congress and the actual Capitol, as well as walking past the Supreme Court. All the buildings here are absolutely enormous - it's ridiculous.
Tonight we had dinner with Rox at a fantastic thai place called "Thai Place." I was full to the point of bursting, but it was worth it. OH AND yesterday Gina and I went shopping in Georgetown (and I got a really cute pair of jeans) and when we went to get lunch, the manager gave it to us FOR FREE. Just because I was from Australia. It was kind of amazing.
Okay, I think that's all.
Lx
Today Gina and I roamed around DC. We saw the National Cathedral, which was amazing. Last night we watched the episode of the West Wing with Mrs Landingham's funeral, so we were all psyched.
The National Cathedral was amazing. It's enormous, and the stained glass and marble were phenomenal. After exhausting ourselves with religiosity, we walked towards the Metro to go to the Capitol. After commenting that DC seemed like the only city that liked me, because the weather was gorgeous (all the other places I've gone have been damp and cold and rainy) I proceeded to stub my toe on the footpath. Not just a little bit, either. Like, we had to go into the chemist (which was conveniently across the road) and get bandaids and tissues. Then we sat in a bus shelter while I cleaned and dressed my toe... it was ever so classy.
After finally making it to the Capitol, we went on some tours of the Library of Congress and the actual Capitol, as well as walking past the Supreme Court. All the buildings here are absolutely enormous - it's ridiculous.
Tonight we had dinner with Rox at a fantastic thai place called "Thai Place." I was full to the point of bursting, but it was worth it. OH AND yesterday Gina and I went shopping in Georgetown (and I got a really cute pair of jeans) and when we went to get lunch, the manager gave it to us FOR FREE. Just because I was from Australia. It was kind of amazing.
Okay, I think that's all.
Lx
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Overwhelmedness and Obamas
This one's going to be quick and list-y because we're going out for dinner soon and I'm already a day off and I need to get it out of my head and onto a page.
Went into New York City yesterday.
Went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Had lunch on the steps of the Met.
Saw the REAL Monet's Waterlilies. (Which I've had on my wall since I was a kid.)
Saw a ton of Van Gogh as well.
Walked across Central Park.
Got cupcakes at Magnolia's Bakery.
Caught the Subway.
It was intense and a little overwhelming. And SO BIG. Like... I know that it's big. But we walked and walked and went a TINY TINY WAY. If we'd walked that far in Brisbane we would have walked out of the city.
Today Gina and I took the bus to Washington DC.
5 hours of US highway is all the same, sadly.
We met Roxie at the bus station and walked around to see some landmarks. We saw the Whitehouse from the front, and then walked around to the back, and then police were making people get off the footpath and then we SAW THE OBAMA GIRLS RIDING THEIR BIKES AROUND THE BACKYARD. WITH BO. (THEIR DOG) It was very, very exciting. We also saw Michelle (we think) but it may have also not been Michelle.
We also walked to the Washington Monument, the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial. They were also very large and famous looking, but we were still mostly thinking about seeing Malia and Sasha on their bikes.
Okay! Going to dinner with Roxie & friends now.
(Look Rox! Mentioned you in the blog! Get excited.)
Lovee.
Lx
Went into New York City yesterday.
Went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Had lunch on the steps of the Met.
Saw the REAL Monet's Waterlilies. (Which I've had on my wall since I was a kid.)
Saw a ton of Van Gogh as well.
Walked across Central Park.
Got cupcakes at Magnolia's Bakery.
Caught the Subway.
It was intense and a little overwhelming. And SO BIG. Like... I know that it's big. But we walked and walked and went a TINY TINY WAY. If we'd walked that far in Brisbane we would have walked out of the city.
Today Gina and I took the bus to Washington DC.
5 hours of US highway is all the same, sadly.
We met Roxie at the bus station and walked around to see some landmarks. We saw the Whitehouse from the front, and then walked around to the back, and then police were making people get off the footpath and then we SAW THE OBAMA GIRLS RIDING THEIR BIKES AROUND THE BACKYARD. WITH BO. (THEIR DOG) It was very, very exciting. We also saw Michelle (we think) but it may have also not been Michelle.
We also walked to the Washington Monument, the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial. They were also very large and famous looking, but we were still mostly thinking about seeing Malia and Sasha on their bikes.
Okay! Going to dinner with Roxie & friends now.
(Look Rox! Mentioned you in the blog! Get excited.)
Lovee.
Lx
Friday, May 8, 2009
Airlines and Exhaustion
United Airlines = RUBBISH.
And are the reason why I didn't blog yesterday. Both times I've flown with them I have had delays of over two hours. I didn't get to my hotel until 1.30am last night. I was terrified that I slept in, actually, and rushed to the airport, making contingency plans in my head. But the Qantas people? I just glided on through and we actually got going early. I love Australians.
I'm at Gina's now - we went into Bronxville (NOT the Bronx) for ice cream tonight, then went to her friend Megan's house to bake cookies and watch Mean Girls. It was a good time.
I'm tired now. There were no Strange Old Men to speak of, these past couple of days. We're going into New York City (!!!) tomorrow, so I'm sure I'll meet someone there.
Love.
Lx
And are the reason why I didn't blog yesterday. Both times I've flown with them I have had delays of over two hours. I didn't get to my hotel until 1.30am last night. I was terrified that I slept in, actually, and rushed to the airport, making contingency plans in my head. But the Qantas people? I just glided on through and we actually got going early. I love Australians.
I'm at Gina's now - we went into Bronxville (NOT the Bronx) for ice cream tonight, then went to her friend Megan's house to bake cookies and watch Mean Girls. It was a good time.
I'm tired now. There were no Strange Old Men to speak of, these past couple of days. We're going into New York City (!!!) tomorrow, so I'm sure I'll meet someone there.
Love.
Lx
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Cairn Terriers and Celebrities
Stephanie and I dropped Gina at the airport this morning, had lunch at a fantastic place called Comforts, then went to the Marin Human Society, where she volunteers.
I saw a dog/dog introduction for some people looking to adopt, which didn't work out. Their Cairn terrier kind of ate the other little Jack Russell cross, when she tried to get a tennis ball. So that was sad. The little girl who wanted to adopt the Jack Russell was crying. Aw.
BUT the point of this entry that I'm trying to spit out is that while at the Human Society, I kind of ran into Robin Williams. As in, Patch Adams, Bicentennial Man, Flubber, Mrs Doubtfire. We petted the same Chihuahua and talked about puppy mills. It took up every ounce of my self-control to not gush. He was kind of my favourite ever actor from about the ages of 5-13.(He experienced a brief loss of popularity to Leo Dicaprio circa 1998, and did slide down the scale after Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean.) Instead we just exchanged sadness about how the cute little chihuahuas came to be here, and I strolled off before I said something stupid.
Apparently in California, no one is fazed by seeing celebrities. And instead of a SOMOTD, I have Robin Williams. So I think that's more than sufficient.
Lx
I saw a dog/dog introduction for some people looking to adopt, which didn't work out. Their Cairn terrier kind of ate the other little Jack Russell cross, when she tried to get a tennis ball. So that was sad. The little girl who wanted to adopt the Jack Russell was crying. Aw.
BUT the point of this entry that I'm trying to spit out is that while at the Human Society, I kind of ran into Robin Williams. As in, Patch Adams, Bicentennial Man, Flubber, Mrs Doubtfire. We petted the same Chihuahua and talked about puppy mills. It took up every ounce of my self-control to not gush. He was kind of my favourite ever actor from about the ages of 5-13.(He experienced a brief loss of popularity to Leo Dicaprio circa 1998, and did slide down the scale after Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean.) Instead we just exchanged sadness about how the cute little chihuahuas came to be here, and I strolled off before I said something stupid.
Apparently in California, no one is fazed by seeing celebrities. And instead of a SOMOTD, I have Robin Williams. So I think that's more than sufficient.
Lx
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Kitchenware and Cookiedough
Today was another "eat your way around town" day.
Gina and I didn't get up until 11, which was fabulous. We had the morning at home, and then Stephanie took us into Union Square, in town. Leaving her house was slightly cloudy, but blue skies and sunny. Driving towards and over the Golden Gate bridge was completely foggy. You couldn't see past the guardrails, there was that much fog. Then, when we got to the city, it was once again blue and sunny. Apparently this kind of microcosmic weather is not uncommon in Northern California...
In Union square, we went to Macy's - I bought some pretty fabulous DKNY heels - and then had lunch at a cafe. I had chilli, which is apparently quite common here. Like nothing I'd really seen before - think like, the stuff they put on top of Nachos, but soupier. That sounds disgusting. It wasn't.
After lunch we went to Williams Sonoma, which was the most phenomenal kitchen store in the world. It had THREE LEVELS full of all kinds of junk that I had no idea could even be used in a kitchen... I was trying to look more jaded, like I wasn't astounded by caketins, but I failed.
We also spent half an hour drooling in Tiffany's, but that was to be expected.
Gina also found a See's Candy, which was brilliant - it was in fact chocolate, not candy, and was delicious. We were also attacked by pigeons - and by "attacked by pigeons," I mean, "had a pigeon land on the table we were eating at, and make Gina scream." It was fairly amusing.
After an intense shopping day, where we pretty much only bought food, we then went out for dinner for pizza.
This pizza, however, was like no other pizza I've ever seen before in my life. It was called "deep dish" pizza, and was more like a pie. You had to eat it with a knife and fork. I took photos. It was delicious but strange. We finished up the evening with an enormous icecream sundae, with cookiedough and chocolate cookies and cookies and cream and chocolate sauce... which no one could finish.
I do realise that this blog appears to be just a glorified list of what I ate in America, but I actually do want to keep a fairly specific record of what I did. I figure I'll be old one day, and I want to make sure I've got plenty of annoying stories to tell bored grandchildren about my youth. So I need to keep a good record. I promise that I only blog when I'm at sitting in bed and just about to sleep. I'm not turning down outings to sit at home on my computer, I swear.
Seeing as it's 12.43am, I figure it's time for bed.
Lx
Gina and I didn't get up until 11, which was fabulous. We had the morning at home, and then Stephanie took us into Union Square, in town. Leaving her house was slightly cloudy, but blue skies and sunny. Driving towards and over the Golden Gate bridge was completely foggy. You couldn't see past the guardrails, there was that much fog. Then, when we got to the city, it was once again blue and sunny. Apparently this kind of microcosmic weather is not uncommon in Northern California...
In Union square, we went to Macy's - I bought some pretty fabulous DKNY heels - and then had lunch at a cafe. I had chilli, which is apparently quite common here. Like nothing I'd really seen before - think like, the stuff they put on top of Nachos, but soupier. That sounds disgusting. It wasn't.
After lunch we went to Williams Sonoma, which was the most phenomenal kitchen store in the world. It had THREE LEVELS full of all kinds of junk that I had no idea could even be used in a kitchen... I was trying to look more jaded, like I wasn't astounded by caketins, but I failed.
We also spent half an hour drooling in Tiffany's, but that was to be expected.
Gina also found a See's Candy, which was brilliant - it was in fact chocolate, not candy, and was delicious. We were also attacked by pigeons - and by "attacked by pigeons," I mean, "had a pigeon land on the table we were eating at, and make Gina scream." It was fairly amusing.
After an intense shopping day, where we pretty much only bought food, we then went out for dinner for pizza.
This pizza, however, was like no other pizza I've ever seen before in my life. It was called "deep dish" pizza, and was more like a pie. You had to eat it with a knife and fork. I took photos. It was delicious but strange. We finished up the evening with an enormous icecream sundae, with cookiedough and chocolate cookies and cookies and cream and chocolate sauce... which no one could finish.
I do realise that this blog appears to be just a glorified list of what I ate in America, but I actually do want to keep a fairly specific record of what I did. I figure I'll be old one day, and I want to make sure I've got plenty of annoying stories to tell bored grandchildren about my youth. So I need to keep a good record. I promise that I only blog when I'm at sitting in bed and just about to sleep. I'm not turning down outings to sit at home on my computer, I swear.
Seeing as it's 12.43am, I figure it's time for bed.
Lx
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