Brunching Philosophical

I think that brunch is my favorite shift of the week. I get to make lots of really strong breakfast drinks, serve the most delicious looking food on the planet, and talk with a lot of really interesting people- not to mention the whole crazy tips part. Today at brunch I chatted with a fellow runner. She is training for a marathon and takes “classes” with a running store around the corner from Bistro Nora. They aren't really classes, I guess, but it is a big group of people that all gets together and does big runs together and people notice if you aren't there- which she says keeps her motivated. And Bistro Nora's brunch keeps her protein-ated. And full. Also among the brunchers today were a group of seriously hungover adults- and when I say adults, I mean people older than the typical hangover crowd- who ordered bloody marys and the greasiest meals on the menu. They were really funny and really nice, despite the fact that they had obviously had a rough night- and an even rougher morning. And then there was a reservation for lunch for twelve. They were some kind of travel group, and Danny, the owner, had worked out a fixed menu for them. I was a little worried that this was going to be a stressful situation for me. However, this group of twelve had traveled all the way from France, and out of the twelve of them, only one spoke a word of english. He kept count of who wanted what, I used tally marks, and the kitchen brought everything out. (As Danny says) Piece of cake! As far as french goes, I can understand it pretty well, but I am no good at making my own sentences and speaking. However, I could hear everybody talking about how delicious their food was and how sweet their waitress was as well[o:)]. I'm feeling like today was a pretty good day.

In spite of the fast pace and really wonderful customers, today was super long. And I got to thinking about the future, and what sort of job I'd like to have once it's time for babies. I told Ben that I was liking the idea of being a “stay at home mom” more and more. His response? “I think you'd get really bored.”

I thought about it. And I think he's right. Once my kids were in school, I would be desperate for things to do all day. We came up with a list of things I might entertain myself with....

-get REALLY into Soap Operas

-run a SUPER DUPER marathon

-alphabetize Chandler's funny lines throughout the Friends series

-bake every pastry possible for every single neighbor, even the grouches

-plant a humongous garden

-take in zillions of stray animals (which Ben alleges that he will “put his foot down” about, but I don't think he will be able to resist their sweet faces once I get them in the house....)

-knit and/or crochet matching hats, mittens, sweaters, scarves, and socks for my entire extended family and all close friends. And acquaintances.

I'm sure there are more. Anyone have any suggestions?

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!!

I Happen To Like New York

I've always known that Manhattan is all of my favorite things in the world, smushed together and dumped on an island between the Hudson and the East River. But it wasn't until I moved here that I realized the degree to which this place has my very favorite things pegged- not just the big obvious things like Broadway Shows, a huge dance scene, and- yeah- Krispy Kreme Donuts- but the little things. Tiny things. Minutiae. New York- I LOVE YOU!

For starters, there's Central Park. Now, I know that this one seems pretty big and obvious, but I have been able to approach the park in a way that I never have before- like a runner. My sister, cousin, and I will be running THIS RACE in February- which, yes, we picked almost entirely because of it's location and our ability to plan a vacation around it, but even so, we have to train in order to finish the damn thing and still be able to have said vacation without hiring people to push us around in wheelchairs. Long(er) story short- I have been running! I'm nowhere near 13.1 miles yet, but I found out last weekend that I CAN run 5 and ½!! For me, that is huge. There are trails everywhere- through the woods, around bodies of water, and there's even a road that is closed to vehicles for the majority of the day so that people can walk, run, bike, or rollerblade across the park. I've been trying to make a new route for myself every day and take trails or turns that I haven't before, and I always end up in a wild new place- sometimes I even find myself thinking, 'Well, CRAP, this is really really far away from 97th street...'. It's awesome to have so much to look at while running- the museums, the playgrounds, statues and sculptures, the puppeteers on Sunday mornings, the entrance to the zoo...which actually brings me to my next point...

People watching in New York is the best I have seen anywhere. This is due, in part, to the sheer volume of people per capita- there are people everywhere- talking on cell phones, crossing the street, chatting with their friends, shopping, laughing, crying, eating- all the time. I'm a huge fan of any cell-phone conversation that I am within earshot of, mostly because you WOULD NOT believe the types of things that people will talk about on cell phones- from what they did or did not do in Stephanie's bed last night to the fight they are having with their father to- jeesh- all kids of other stuff, it never fails to keep me interested for the duration of my walk near them. I also love watching children in the city- the pudgy toddlers who are trying to keep up with the foot traffic on Lexington Avenue sidewalks, children riding their scooters and shouting to their nannies about how close they are to their school, and, my personal favorite, children having tantrums. In the number one position to date is a little girl that Ben and I observed recently as we walked home from one of the Upper East Side Goodwill locations (I know what you're thinking, and it is actually SHOCKING how disappointing their stuff is- every single time we go!). This little girl was crying and screaming that her mother was wrong as they walked down the sidewalk, but the best part was, she was screaming and arguing IN FRENCH. “La maison n'est pas la!” (“the house is not there!”) she kept insisting, and while I'm sure it would have been stressful if it were my child, I couldn't help but chuckle as we passed them. I'm not sure if they were on their way to the alleged house that would not be there, or maybe if it was brought up from a previous disagreement in her obviously tired state. But it was funny and endearing. Poor little thing. I hope she got a nap soon. She really needed it.

waitress/waitress

My friend Joe lives in LA, and has been coming into some great success with television work. Just recently, he did background work for “New Girl.” Look for him in the premiere if you know him! And if you don't, he's an indie-awesome looking guy with chuck taylors and a great pair of glasses. Look for him!

Anyway, Joe tweeted something the other day- I imagine while he was on set (!!)- that I really liked. “I'll put it this way:” he wrote, “I've never been anywhere I've wanted to arm-wrestle less than right here.” It was fun to imagine Joe on a real television set, living the dream, surrounded by many a douchey- looking actor/model with a too-tight t-shirt and scary arm muscles. And after a recent experience at a Mount Sinai “mixer,” I can honestly say that I understand the sentiment. In a big way.

I wasn't so much worried about the arm-wrestling thing. I usually hope to escape most places without having to arm-wrestle. But when Ben and I were mingling with soon-to-be med students (and munching on these really delicious coconut chicken-nugget things), I realized that I had never been anywhere I wanted to discuss my college major and current occupation less. I could feel my whole upper body turn red when I would tell someone that no, I am not in the program, I am actually a waitress. I had never felt like less of a success- with anything. I was surrounded by people going into one of the top medical schools in the country, and suddenly felt like my brain must be broken.

Afterwards, I had to take some time to remind myself that I am NOT “just a waitress.” I have a great many strokes to go with the whole waitress thing- waitress/dancer, waitress/writer, waitress/seamstress, waitress/actress, waitress/half marathon trainee, waitress/craft guru... I have a great many projects that being a waitress allows me to embrace in my down time, and I like my hobbies! I'm LIVING THE DREAM!

And that even if I was JUST a waitress, I'm sort of glad to be. I am very pleased with my new job- good money, flexible hours, everybody is SO nice, and the food is unbelievably good. All of it! The more I think about it, the more I realize how fortunate I am that everything has come together in this way, because being a waitress is exactly what I want to be right now.

Arm-wrestling, on the other hand, will continue to be something I avoid at all costs.

little girl, BIG CITY!!

I've never really been clear on what it takes to be able to call yourself a “New Yorker.” I know that in Maine, you're only ever REALLY considered a Mainer if you were born there, your parents were born there, and you feel comfortable using downeast jargon (“yeah bub,” “wicked,” “cold enough for yeh?”) in everyday life. I imagine that there is some sort of similar code for the city of New York, so for the time being, I will refrain from calling myself a New Yorker. Instead, I will simply say that I live in New York now. I LIVE IN NEW YORK NOW!!

Ben and I are now the proud tenants of a sixth-floor, one bedroom apartment on the upper east side. The whole thing was pretty simple, actually. We just had to open a joint bank account, provide proof of prior cohabitation, sign over power of attorney to each other and, oh yeah, schlep over to city hall and become domestic partners (shockingly easy, with the exception of the clerk making awkward jokes about when the proposal would happen...) And now, POOF!! We're officially recognized by the school as a “couple.” Awesome!

As I'm sure you are all dying to know, Babs is getting along quite swimmingly in the new place. She was stress-shedding a lot when we first brought her up here, but I think she's come into her own. She's chasing her toy mice and meowing at her food bowl and putting herself in inconvenient places. All is well.

I'll admit that I was a having a bit of anxiety about finding a job/things to do with myself while Ben is examining cadavers and studying embryology (his very first class- uplifting, I know). I spend a full eight hours earlier this week applying for jobs- mostly administrative, but a few serving- and, POOF! I may have one already...?! It seems almost too good to be true, but tonight I have my first training shift at a tiny bistro on 2nd Avenue. The co-owners, two very sweet brothers, seemed satisfied with my previous casino experience and winning smile, and, since I “seemed pretty easy going,” they offered me a job about 5 minutes into my “interview.” They also seem perfectly chill with the fact that I will be using this job to finance my walk-on role on All My Children. Or my best-seller. Whichever comes first.

Dare to dream, Mandy.