Introducing: Put This on Your List

Photo courtesy of Mattox (stock.xchng) 

I’m a big fan of features. When I lived in Chicago I wrote about date spots and that was a pretty big hit. Also, when I first moved here I started a little something called “Things I Want To Do This Month”. It was a lot of fun because it helped me share all of my new adventures and helped me figure out all of the things I wanted to do in NYC. I’d also like to think it gave other people some ideas too. But it was problematic because it didn’t allow for much randomness. And let’s face it, if you have ever lived/visited NYC you know there is all kinds of random experiences here.

But, as I was hanging around with Mr. T over the weekend I realized how much I missed the awesome parts of that feature. So, I’ve decided to start a new one that gives me the stuff I liked and allows me to do a whole lot more.

Allow me to introduce a little something I’d like to call “Put This on Your List” where each week I will bring you a little something that you need to add to your life’s to-do list. It might be a spot to visit, a great date idea, a recipe, a beauty product, or really just anything else that I think is fantastic and worth checking out.

Be on the lookout for the first one next week!

Five Things I Want To Do This Month: October

I am a slacker. True Story.

OK. Correction. I feel like a slacker. And that’s the true story. I mean, let’s be honest here. On any given day I am doing 40 things on top of maintaining a social life. I do a pretty good job and I’d say that’s pretty far from slacker.

But, for some reason the list of all the things I want to do always gets shoved aside. In my defense, though, it’s usually for a good reason and it’s totally not on purpose. For instance, I am usually doing one of the 40 things or something that’s not on my to-do list that someone suggests I should do.

If you remember, last month I was supposed to:

Go to a zoo

Visit the Farmer's Market in Union Square

Go to Brooklyn Bridge Park

Visit the Museum of Sex

And, well, I did none of them.

However. I did walk the highline. 

I also found a fantastic new breakfast place with a bakery near my apartment. And ate pancakes. I love pancakes.

And, I checked out five or so new bars that I am a huge fan of. One that inspired this amazing night. I also went to a bar where there was karaoke and magic tricks (on a date!). Seriously, you can’t get better than that, can you?

And then I played tourist in Battery Park.

I would love (really, I would) to tell you that I will complete my list this month, but I will be in the Midwest for several days and when I get back the month will be almost over. Plus it’s my birthday and fall so there are so many other things I could add to that list. But, I am going to try.

And, I guess at the end of the day I shouldn’t pressure myself so much about this whole list thing. After all, I am having a blast in New York so that means I am totally achieving my goal.

Five Things I Want To Do This Month: September

My mom is coming to visit in a couple of weeks, so I thought it was a good time to revisit my "things I want to do this month." I know, I know, I have been slacking and I am sorry about that. But, if you remember, I started the lists to help me do all the things I want to do around NYC.

And, since I have been slacking, I am just going to go ahead and make a new list. I also know I am a little late to the game this month, but I was in Chicago for most of the first week. So, enough of my babbling, here are the things I want to do this month:

Go to a zoo -- When I lived in Chicago I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo all the time and I loved it. And, since moving here, I haven't been to a single zoo and I think that's just crazy. Yes, I am 31, don't judge.

Visit the Farmer's Market in Union Square -- I've seen it many times when coming off the subway, but I never really have the time to actually stop and check it out. Actually, it was near there that the guy tried to sell me the weed lollipop (it's totally legal I swear). So, now I am going to make the time to actually stop and explore.

Go to Brooklyn Bridge Park -- I've done the Brooklyn Bridge, so I think it's time to do this.

Explore Little Italy and eat at a restaurant there -- I've been to Little Italy and eaten at restaurants there, but I have never taken the time to actually walk through it and explore. My mom is a huge Italian food fan so I figured it would be fun for both of us. And, I added eating at a restaurant even though I already have because you can't go to Little Italy and not eat the food.

Visit the Museum of Sex -- I've wanted to go there since I moved here. Possibly even before.

Happy Anniversary: One Whole Year in New York City

Exactly one year ago today, I arrived in New York. The night before, my mom and I packed all we could in her car in the middle of a rainstorm. I cried a lot that night. Partially for the belongings that I left behind. Partially out of fear. Partially out of excitement.

We came  to Brooklyn, from Chicago, by way of a 14-hour drive. Overnight. I seriously have never eaten that many gas station hot dogs in my whole life. But we made it without much of a hitch. We only managed to get lost once. Seriously Google Maps, you have to make directions to the Holland Tunnel a little clearer. This is the second time I’ve had to guess my way through it. Did I mention it was also raining here?

So here I am, a year later and I honestly can’t believe it’s been a year. And, I have to say that I am pretty darn happy. I’ve had some fun times and some not so fun times. But, Brooklyn feels like home. I feel like my life is here (that’s still really hard for me to say).

All in all, I think moving here was a lot like how I expected it to be. And, you’re stuck with me for another year Brooklyn (and I’m pretty sure I’ll be here a lot longer). So, with all that, let’s take a happy anniversary stroll down memory lane. Shall we?

• A few days after moving here, I met up with a guy from OkCupid. A few days after that, the guy came over to my apartment, touched my boobs, and then left. True story.  

• I discovered a tattoo place near my apartment that only has a $40 minimum -- that's a rare gem in NYC. Really lots of places for that matter. But I also discovered that I have no self-control when it comes to visiting said tattoo shop. 

• I dealt with a couple of crazies from OkCupid. One who, after I rejected him, said he was just taking one for the team anyway. And the other who said he'd like to have sex with me, but I might make his penis look too small.
  

• I dated a freegan who liked to dig things out of the trash who also ended up in the psych ward just after I ended things with him.  Though, I don't think being a freegan had anything to do with that and I am not sure if ending things with him did either. That's a story that I haven't had the courage to share yet. Another time, another place.

• I tried fried pickles. Then, went to Hoboken and had them again. And made a little trip to the Brooklyn Bridge.

• I went to The Strand where I found cheap copies of Are You There God? It's Me Margaret, Silence of the Lambs, and that book about men and women being from different planets -- whatever it's called. Something about Mars and Venus. It was $1.

• I discovered that Brooklyn is a pretty amazing place to live. In fact, I really love it here. And, no, it has nothing to do with that damn hologram Jesus. I am pretty sure they have those everywhere. 

• And let's not forget about the Badoo Project.

• I also realized that Mr. BST can suck it (am I allowed to say stuff like that when I'm almost 32?). I'm not technically sure if that has anything to do with being here, but I think it helped some.

• I've made trips to Central Park and Prospect Park. And, had more than my fair share of drunken nights (not in the park). One where I didn't get home until 7am after making out with some guy in the bar and being proposed to by the cab driver. Though he was the only one after three cabs who would actually take me to Brooklyn, so maybe I should have married him. Also, the guy at the bar wanted to take me home but Taylor wouldn't let him because she said (and I quote) "he's going to murder you."

• I met a guy who I actually considered seriously dating. It didn't work out, but we've managed a friendship. It's a good friendship and he's actually becoming one of my most favorite people to hang out with. And that's not because he has a car and took me to Ikea (and bought me two hot dogs). He's also super creative so we are working on a really cool project together. Stay tuned for all of that.

• I met the most amazing hairstylist named Rocio who works at a salon called Rare in Tribeca. Seriously, she does awesome things to my hair. And I'm not just saying that because she tells me how cool I am and how much she loves when I come in for a hair cut. She also did not pay me to say that.

• I met a guy off of OkCupid locals. He was a refugee from hurricane Katrina. He took me to all these crazy old man type of clubs (and was also a little offended when said old men kept checking me out). We ended up going back to his place and it was the scariest thing I have ever seen in my life. I didn't stay very long.

• I finally had the courage to rock red lipstick. And, figured out that it suits me pretty well.

• I've also met many amazing people and made lots of friends. There are too many of them to name in this post (especially since it's already 994 words long). But, they know who they are. And, they are largely responsible for all the awesome experiences I've listed on here.

Five Things I Want To Do This Month: July

I realized last month that I kind of slacked on my list of things to do. I really have no good excuse – I guess life just got in the way. Funny since that’s the whole reason I started the list in the first place.

Anyway, I am starting it back up again. I kind of went a little crazy last week since I was taking a little staycation. Normally around the 4^th of July I am with my family, but this year I decided to stay in New York. It was mostly because flights are expensive and I am planning on heading back to the Midwest in the fall, but also because I wanted a week where I could just wander the streets of New York.

I started the week off right…

Then, that weekend I finally had fried pickles. I love pickles and I love (mostly) anything fried, but I was a little nervous about trying them since I am a little weird about textures of food. But, they were beyond delicious and now I have decided I need to try fried pickles anytime that I find them.

I also wandered to Central Park for a few hours one day. And I’ve heard I need to go there when it’s dark to see all the lightning bugs.

Then, on the 4^th, I made my very first trip to Hoboken.  It was something I had planned on doing for some time, but Hoboken seems so far away – I think it’s that whole being in another state thing. But, I think I was being a whiney Brooklynite because it’s actually super close and easy to get to. In fact, there are places that are harder to get to in Manhattan.

I also had fried pickles there.

And, had the most amazing view of the fireworks.

The rest of the week I just spent bumming around Brooklyn.  I found some really fun random things along the street.

And a hologram picture of Jesus.

I ended my staycation with bottomless mimosas.

And then a trip to the Met where I found the furniture I want for my place someday.

I didn’t do as many touristy things as I wanted, but wandering was far more fun and relaxing – it was just what I needed. There are still a couple things left on my list that I plan to do later this month and I will pick back up with a whole new list next month.

Five Things I want To Do This Month: May

Alright, I have to be totally honest here, until this past Sunday I thought I was going to have to say that I completely failed with everything on my list from last month. But, I took a trip to Prospect Park so I was able to check that off. And, I have to say that it was really pretty. I also need to explore it far more. Seriously, New York City parks are huge.

I was also busy with a lot of other fun stuff. There was Chowbunga events and day drinking/working with Miss Taylor Cast. Though, to be technical, our day of fun was almost like bottomless mimosa brunch just instead we had sangria and then $2 PBRs (that's kind of bottomless alcohol, right?).

I also took about a week to visit my family back in the Midwest. And there was my visit to the gorgeous piers.

So, instead of making a new list, I am just going to repeat last months. Here’s to hoping I am a little better this month.

Here it goes…

Go up in the Empire State Building – I failed. I didn’t do it last month or the month before. <Gasp> I actually had plans to do it but I walked the bridge instead.

Visit the fried pickle place -- I love pickles and apparently fried pickles are the most amazing thing ever. Clearly I owe it to myself to try this.

Learn all the bridges in NYC – The only one I can spot without a doubt is the Brooklyn Bridge. I figure if you live in New York, you should know the bridges. It’s time to learn.

Have bottomless mimosa brunch – I’ve attempted this a few times but it hasn’t happened. Let me back up, I’ve done the bottomless mimosas thing but not since I moved here. I’ve also had brunch a handful of times since moving here but not with bottomless mimosas. Why does it matter? Because there aren’t many things better than sitting with your friends and having someone continue to fill your empty cup with more alcohol. Seriously it’s one of the best things about the weekend. So, it’s going on the list.

Go to Arthur Ave in the Bronx for Italian -- I've been all over New York City and its boroughs and restaurants. And with the recommendation of Miss Taylor Cast, I need to go here. So it's now on the list.