Recently in I Heart New York Category

Today marks the beginning of my second year in New York! One year ago today I greeted my first morning as a full-time New Yorker. I actually moved a year ago yesterday, but since most of that day was spent driving down to NYC and unpacking (thanks again Jackie and Eric!) my apartment into a storage space, it almost doesn't count.

I spent the next several months convincing myself that this was indeed the real deal. Don't misunderstand: with only a few exceptions, I loved being here from the moment I alighted from the moving truck. However, it felt very, very strange. I was, indeed, living here full time, and not just on some kind of extended-stay visit. Then, I spent much of the next year trying to find my way around. I'm still trying. I don't remember Boston being this bewildering (except for Somerville and that whole Fresh Pond area in Cambridge--terra incognita). But Boston is a smaller city. And, although it's been an excruciatingly slow process, I am learning how the dots connect. Maybe within the next decade I'll be able to leave my maps at home. Watch, it'll be just in time to move to New Jersey, or something crazy like that.

Speaking of crazy, how's this for crazy cardigan-sleeve progress?

[To answer the question that question that many of you have: do I still miss Boston? Of course! There are lots of things and people to miss when you lived in a place for eight years. I haven't, however, had a "Wait. WHICH city am I in?" moment for a long time--and that's a relief. Frankly, those were momentarily disorienting. Much like the recent heat wave. And when I read this on Boston.com on Monday, I will admit that I longed for a sea breeze.]

Ah! Nothing beats a seat on the train and long rows of stockinette after a long day at the office. Okay, maybe a seat on the train, long rows of stockinette, and a beer. Or, maybe a seat in the garden, long rows of stockinette, a beer, and nice music playing softly in the background. Or, what about: a seat in the garden, long rows of stockinette, a beer, nice music playing softly in the background, and someone giving me a foot massage.

Oooh, yeah! I think that we've got it now.

Yesterday after work, I headed to Midtown to visit M&J Trimming. You see, I have a pair of shoes that will not stay on my feet. These things should not, technically, be called shoes. "Flingers," perhaps. But, "shoes"? I don't think so.

Besides the fact that they don't stay on my feet, these "shoes" (for lack of a better term) are quite cute. Patent leather ballet flats with a trim of grosgrain ribbon.

It was the trim that gave me the idea. What if I had a cobbler sew lengths of black ribbon to the shoes? Then I could tie a little bow that would a) look cute b) keep these damn things on my feet.

So, it was off to M&J I went in search of this ribbon.

Let me preface these pictures by writing that if you need any kind of trim for any reason M&J will have it. Trust me. My first thought when entering the store was "Holy guacamole!" [Especially appropriate for Cinco de Mayo, no?]

I spent about 15 seconds walking around looking dazed when someone (the manger?) approached.

"Can I help you?"
"Oh, yes. I need some grosgrain ribbon. But first, I need to soak in this place."
"Ok. The ribbon is right here. [Lead me to the 10-foot high Wall of Ribbon]. But take as much time as you need."
"Wow, uh, thanks!" I was totally dazed by the amount of ribbon.

Then I checked out the trim sections. Again, I was completely overwhelmed by the selection. And, again, I stood there for way under a minute before I was approached by an employee asking to assist me.

So, suffice it to say, the staff at M&J is all over helping out their customers. If you go, you will most definitely be taken care of.

More pictures:

Crystals, anyone?

Finally, I'll leave you with the biggest buttons that I've ever seen. Just to give you a sense of scale, those buttons below the large ones are probably about one inch in diameter.

These had to be about as big as the palm of my hand.

Catch y'all tomorrow, with a sweater update!

If I had met the Pope last weekend, I would have taught him to knit. Long hours on Shepherd I would be a good time to knit all of the Cardinals red scarves for Christmas. When you're the Pope, you've got to start your Christmas knitting early.

I'm most decidedly not Christmas knitting right now. I'm working up the back of Thea's fine cardigan (non Ravelry link here):

When I'm not busy knitting, I'm busy enjoying spring. Because we live in an apartment rather than a house, "enjoying spring" does not include yardwork (I think that I am the sworn enemy of yardwork). But you know, we city people still have it tough. I was in Midtown last week and noticed this project:

How many of you suburbanites are painting your skyscrapers this year? Hmmm?

Congratulations to everyone who ran the Boston Marathon yesterday! You Bostonians might not believe it, but yesterday in New York, people were going about their days as if it was just a regular Monday! I think that some New Yorkers were not even aware that there was anything the least bit special about the third Monday in April.

Go figure. I guess, however, that the city was still recovering from the Pope's visit. Geez Louise, you might have thought that the Pope's visit was The Most Important Thing Ever to have happened in the history of the city. [Now, I'm not getting down on anyone's religion. If you thought the Pope's coming was cool, then I'm genuinely happy for you. And after the whole Devil Mitten Debacle of 2008, some of you might have thought that he was here to see me personally (he was not).] But, this is New York City. Nothing that happens here is the most important thing ever.

You might know that he celebrated a Mass for many thousands of people at Yankee Stadium. Now, at first I was concerned that this might give the Yankees an unfair advantage. I mean, he is the Pope. But then I remembered that this is the last season for the current Yankee Stadium. Furthermore, although that Red Sox jersey was removed from the new concrete, there must be some lingering karma. I think that we're even-steven on this one.

Anyway, the Pope's visit gave me a chance to stop and reflect. I will never think of my subway rides in the same way again: