wanderings and ramblings

Last night, we got the unpleasant, unwelcome news that absolutely nobody else was available to cover the Saturday night bar shift, so Ian was roped into working. Lately his weekly schedule consists of four nights in a row, so I really only see him on weekends. Needless to say, this was a big disappointment for both of us, but we had a nice morning together, and when Ian left for work, I decided to get a manicure, pedicure, and massage.

On my way to the spa, I had a sudden craving for an iced latte, so I stopped at the cafe across the street. It is, in my mind, the essence of what a coffee shop should be. Guns N' Roses was blasting on the stereo and the two baristas were singing along at full volume. They looked the part: One had several tattoos, including an extremely lifelike tattoo of a pineapple spanning from her elbow to her collar bone, and the other looked like she just stepped out of the '50s beat scene. I loved the eclectic assortment of hanging glass light fixtures with exposed bulbs -- the kind with the oversized, old-school filaments -- and the penny tiles, which are sure to make an appearance in our home once we give up on this pseudo-itinerant lifestyle and buy a place. Most importantly, the latte was uber-tasty (undoubtedly because I forgot to ask for no fat, no sugar). And bonus: The place didn't smell like Starbucks. What is that smell? It's rank. And they all have it. Blech.

If I'm not careful, this could be habit-forming. And I have to walk by the place every single day. Good thing I walk by my gym every single day too.

sunday, rainy sunday

It's been a nice, relaxing Sunday here on Columbus Avenue. This afternoon, we walked down to the flea market to look for a few more pieces of furniture (including desk chairs for both of us -- I'm sitting on a side table right now!). We found a couple of gorgeous pieces, but they would have needed to be refinished. No deal. We also pored through loads of vintage lithographs of maps and artwork. (Yesterday at Housing Works -- a popular thrift store whose proceeds go to end AIDS and homelessness -- we found an amazing drawing of a scene from the Revolutionary War that would have gone perfectly in our colonial-themed bedroom. The frame was hideous, though, so we decided to keep looking. Now I'm obsessed!) When we left the flea market, it was raining. Again. We're making the best of it, and thankfully there hasn't been any flooding (which could be disastrous given the population density), but I can't think of one day when it hasn't rained since we moved into our new apartment! Our umbrellas have become our favorite accessories.

I know I said I'd post photos of the new space, but it's not quite done yet. This week, we'll hang our artwork and shelve the piles of books and DVDs which are littering the perimeter of our great room, and then we'll be all set. Talk soon!

PS You may be wondering why I'm able to post today when Time-Warner told us they'd postponed our installation until Wednesday. So are we. Perhaps it was the combined five hours Ian and I spent on the phone with them last week...

surfacing

I'm proud to report that we've successfully completed our move! (We've moved four times in four years, and are still pack rats...) Every last box has been unpacked, and Ian, bless him, got rid of our huge pile of cardboard this morning via Craigslist -- here it's abominable to throw away, or even recycle, your moving boxes. Someone else always needs them, no matter how crumpled or flimsy or written-on or dirty they are. So we're just waiting for our couch, which will be delivered (and lugged up four flights of stairs by some poor, unsuspecting deliveryfolk) tomorrow, and cable/Internet/phone, to be hooked up on Saturday (perhaps even more exciting than getting the couch).

This year we're saving on postage and paper by sending "We've Moved" e-notices. So if you want one, please email, call one of our cell phones, or send a message on Facebook. You could also comment on the blog and I'll receive it as an email -- I promise not to post it.

Thanks for bearing with me during the Great Move of 2009. I'm resolving to make posting a priority this summer. Stay tuned!

Update: I'm so angry, I'm near to tears. Time-Warner made a mistake when they set up our installation appointment and has to push it back to the middle of next week. Guess that means I'll be spending part of the weekend editing photos so I have a huge batch ready to post. Sorry.