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Wordless Wednesday: “Strolling Through The City With Matti”

October 27, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

Yesterday I had the opportunity to be a tourist in my new home of New York City. One of my former students Matti P is visiting and we had a lot of fun checking out Downtown, Chelsea and Midtown.  Here are some of the pics from our day. Enjoy!

Starting the day off with a cup of Joe and Lady Liberty-- way off in the distance

Some Tall Majestic Building in the Financial District

Cityscape from Battery Park

The Sphere rescued from Ground Zero

Shadow Fun!

Working on the Freedom Tower (World Trade Centre Site)

St. Paul's Chapel

One of the First Original Oil Paintings of the Great Seal of the United States 1785

Peace Be With You

On Location in Greenwich Village

A Gorgeous Townhouse in the Village

Come on in...

Enter at your own risk...

Halloween at Chelsea Marketplace

Creepy...

Marilyn

Parking Prices in Manhattan

Yep, it's that expensive!!

Start of rush hour getting to the Tunnel (Bridge and Tunnel Traffic)

Finale!! A DRIVE THRU in Manhattan!!!!!

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Sunday Morning- NYC Can Be Yours Alone

October 25, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

NYC is often categorized as the city that never sleeps. In truth, there really is always something going on and rarely do you find yourself walking down a street by yourself.  However, I found that there is one exception and that is early Sunday morning.  There is something truly magical about walking out of your apartment early on Sunday morning in Manhattan.

The Sun Beginning to Peak Over the Buildings

For one, it is quiet. Now, don’t get me wrong, it is not country living quiet, but there is a softness to the sounds.  As if the whole city is a bit sleepy. In the distance you can hear the gentle rumble of the subway and the occasional honk of a horn but there is no urgency.  It is as if NYC becomes a bit kinder and gentler on Sunday mornings. Almost as if Manhattan is nursing one big hangover… and I am sure many people are.  This really is the only time when you can walk down the street and feel like you have room to breathe.  You can meander and no one will bump into you and swear at you under their breath 😉  Sure, there are a few other people on the street- the groggy eyed dog owner out for the morning “duty”, the over-achieving fitness fanatic, the insomniac, dads with young children, the local homeless person rifling through the garbage and of course, the “walk of shamers” scrambling to get to the subway with last night’s clothes on hoping not too many people will see them =). But a lot of the time the streets are virtually empty.  There is no line in Starbucks and it is the perfect time of day to grab your caffeine beverage of choice and explore.

Waiting outside while his "human" gets a much needed coffee

The reason I like this time of the morning is that this is when you truly get to see the city come alive.  Store fronts start opening up, sidewalks are being washed, fruit stands are replenished, deliveries are being made and the smell of fresh bread and pastries fill the streets. The sun creeps out over the buildings, the architecture gleams and everything seems brand new.  The possibilities seem endless.  The whole day is ahead of you. It is quiet enough to actually hear yourself think.

West End Collegiate Church (@77th and Broadway)

Ahh, Sunday morning… a little peace and quiet before the reality of the day hits and the city regains the hustle and bustle of back to work/school grocery shopping, impossible to get brunch reservations, play dates, birthday parties, sports games, family dinners, shoe shopping, homework, housework, work-work… the list that never ends.  Sometimes it is a lot of work to drag yourself out of a warm Sunday morning bed but the little joy of Manhattan alone time is worth every minute.

The Guirguis Family heading to church on Sunday morning =)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In Search of the Big Apple!

October 22, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

Today was a big day in our household.  For the first time ever, I was able to go on a field trip with my daughter’s class.  When I was teaching high school I never had the opportunity to chaperone the girl’s trips as I was always working at the same time.  I have chaperoned many high school trips but I have never had the opportunity to hang out with the little ones. BIG day!!!

So, I headed on over to Starbucks to fuel myself with the much needed caffeine and then met the rest of the mom and dad volunteers in the school lobby.  The excited and energetic five year olds descended upon us and we headed on out to our big adventure.

Organized Chaos in the Lobby

So, what exactly was this incredible adventure that we were embarking on? Alright all you Ottawans- NO laughing.  We headed out into the Big Apple to go to the Farmer’s Market to talk to an apple farmer and purchase apples.  Yep.  That was the trip. Lets put it into perspective.  This is Manhattan, we can’t just hop onto a bus and go to a local apple orchard, so we did the next best thing. We hopped on the subway and went to talk to a real live farmer at the farmer’s market (on 97th street) about apple orchards, farming, apple picking, types of apples and of course, what kind of trucks they have on the farm.  The kids loved it.  My favourite question of the day was “Are the apples kosher?”.

City Kids Going On A Field Trip

Our local farmer (his farm is an hour and half outside of Manhattan on the river) Matt, was extremely patient with the children and answered every single question.  The kids handled themselves beautifully, raising hands and remembering please and thank yous.

Farmer Matt fielding the tough questions...

The highlight of the trip for the students was picking out their very own apple from all of the many apple choices and paying for it with their own money.  R insisted that she wanted a ‘golden delicious’ apple and that it had to be the perfect one.  We searched and searched for the right apple.  She was happy to note that there were no bees.  One time while apple picking in the Ottawa Valley she was stung by a bee and apparently has been traumatized by the experience ever since =).  Finally… success!

R with her apple in the Big Apple!

The whole trip from start to finish took approximately an hour and a half.  The kids were back in school in time for snack and reading buddies.  The carefully picked apples will be used to make apple sauce and cider. Sounds like a great way to spend the day to me. I went home to warm my toes and clean the apartment. Makes me wish I was back in kindergarten.

The highlight of the day for me? Holding the hands of my “buddies” and watching the learning moments through their eyes- the inspection of fallen leaves, the excitement of the subway ride, noticing a stuffed monkey up in a tree, picking out the perfect apple, wanting to know what a farmhouse looks like, recognizing the steps they have sat on in front of the museum, the shapes of the clouds, how tall the buildings are, the painted tiles and the list goes on…

Life moves so fast and it was fun to slow down (or speed up) and enjoy the view from a 5 year old’s perspective.  The big question is can I have a nap now?? 😉

My buddies- S & R

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Wordless Wednesday- A Walk Down 28th Street

October 20, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

Yesterday I was meeting a friend for lunch.  I was a bit early so I got off the subway at 28th Street at 7th Avenue and walked across town to Lexington Avenue. Here are my photos as I walked along 28th Street on a crisp October Tuesday at noon.  A little slice of NYC life.  Enjoy.

 

Come take a walk with me...

 

 

Large Plants for Sale on the Sidewalk

 

 

Bamboo or other random wood for sale!

 

 

The Empire State Building from Broadway & 28th

 

 

Local Dudes

 

 

Beautiful new building being built at 28th and 5th

 

 

Streetscape with the Flatiron building in the background

 

 

Cars and Drivers 28th btwn 5th Ave and Madison

 

 

The Mighty Vespa- Easy to park!!

 

 

The Uptown 6 Train

 

 

Just another day on the streets...

 

 

Chrysler Building

 

 

Bollywood Corner

 

 

The walk continues to the...

 

 

PERFECT finish!!!!

 

 

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up! I LOVE NYC!! =)

 

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Date Night In The City

October 18, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

 

Times Square on a Saturday Night

 

NYC is a glamorous city.  It is the city that never sleeps… entertainment is offered on every corner.  There are fabulous bars, restaurants, museums, plays, concerts, sporting events, art openings and the list goes on and on and on.  There is always something to do every day, every hour of the day, so much so that is can become overwhelming.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining. It is one of the things I love most about this city. Manhattan is alive with energy, spontaneity, freshness- things happen here.  But it can be a little bit daunting if you just want to go out for an evening on the town with your spouse.

First of all there is that little thing called a babysitter. Babysitters are not cheap in Manhattan.  The going rate is $15.oo an hour (minimum 4 hours) and that doesn’t include the cab fare to get your sitter home safely. Also, good sitters are like gold. Once you have a wonderful caregiver, treat them well because it can be hard to find one that both you and your children love. Once you have found the sitter it is now time to figure out what to do.

On Saturday night, Ron and I had the opportunity to be fortunate enough to acquire a sitter (sometimes getting a sitter feels like winning the lottery) and we were also generously given theatre tickets to see the show “Lombardi” , on Broadway. DATE NIGHT- wooohooo!!! Our big decision of the evening would now have to be where we would go for dinner.  Believe it or not, this question has been causing tension lately.  There are a gazillion restaurants to go to in Manhattan, but that can make it extremely difficult to choose just one.  Especially when there are numerous websites such as Yelp, Open Table and Zagat that offer customer reviews, critic reviews as well as menus and photos. Choosing a restaurant can become almost as stressful as finding an elementary school (I know, bad joke!) Ron and I poured through reviews of restaurants in the Theatre District until they all started sounding the same and the only thing that I was really sure of was that I was starving. Our eventual choice was a Cuban restaurant called Victor’s Cafe. Finally, our date night arranged, we left pajama clad children happily watching a movie and jumped onto the subway and headed to Times Square for a little night out on the town.

Every time I have a grown up night out I am struck by two thoughts.  One, I really enjoy my husband’s company.  And two, we should really find the time to do this more often as I always feel rejuvenated after an evening of good food, culture and excellent company.  Our dinner at Victor’s Cafe was an extremely enjoyable experience.  The restaurant ambience was warm and inviting and the pre-show service was efficient but not rushed.  The real treat was the food.  The numerous Cuban dishes were tasty and creative.  We left the restaurant pleasantly full with plenty of time to spare to get to the Circle In the Square Theatre where “Lombardi” was playing.

 

"Lombardi" on Broadway (Circle in the Square Theatre)

 

To say that Ron and I enjoyed “Lombardi” by Eric Simonson would be a gross understatement.  We were both swept away by this incredible play.  It is staged in the intimate “theatre in the round” style and from the moment the magnificent Dan Lauria walks on stage as Vincent Lombardi you are carried away into the story of the complex and fascinating man and football coach.  There was not a weak moment or actor in the show.  Judith Light as Lombardi’s wife, Marie and Keith Nobbs as the reporter, Michael McCormick gave emotional, heart felt performances.  The rest of the small supporting cast delivered powerful performances and there was not a single time in the show where I felt like I wasn’t totally engrossed in what was going on. Whether you are a football fan or not you will be entranced by the power of this incredibly raw human story of strength and relationships.  It was a magical night for both of us, a great night of theatre.

 

"Lombardi" Theatre Lobby

 

I’d like to say that after the theatre we went to a crazy all night bar and danced the night away but hey, let’s not push it. The meter was running on the babysitter, we were fully aware that the kids would have us up at the crack of dawn the next day and we were yawning.  A night of intense theatre, great food and fascinating conversation will do that to you 😉  Like any good New York married couple with kids on a date night we snuggled on the subway home, stopped at the bank to get cash for the babysitter, passed another couple in the elevator coming home from their date night, walked the sitter to the cab, checked on the kids and hopped into bed with the reassuring sound of the hissing radiator, the glow of the street lights and the firetruck sirens lulling us to sleep.  Ahh, the romance… =)

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So, I started this little running class…

October 15, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

And it is kicking my butt, literally.  My glutes are killing me.  Why? Because for the first time in my life, I am actually doing hill and interval training.  Coach Clancy would be proud.  I however, am not sure if I am going to make it through 9 more weeks of it 😉

I signed up for this running class through the New York Road Runners Club because I felt like I needed to motivate myself and kick start my running program.  Let’s just say that it has definitely taken my running to a new level and I have only been to two classes.  I thought the class would start at a gradual pace and we would work our way up to the hard stuff.  Not so, especially if you (meaning me) foolishly signed up for the intermediate class.

I arrived for the first class on Tuesday, anxious, excited and definitely nervous.  I really had no idea what to expect.  We met on the East Side, at P.S. 6 in the school’s auditorium.  There were about 200 plus people in various outfits ready to get their run on. We were soon divided into our various levels ranging from Beginner to Advanced Competitive and headed on up to the gym to stretch.  After our group stretch we made our way outside and were further divided into groups based on our 5K run time.  At this point we headed out to do interval, hill training.  During the interval training we were running two minutes faster than our normal 1 mile pace time. If you are not a runner this really means nothing- let me put it in perspective.  For me, it was definitely a cry or puke moment.  Back in the day (let’s say, in my early 20’s) when I was in really good shape and my friends and I used to work out and push ourselves for fun, we had a saying; when things got too hard that it was either a “cry or puke moment”.  You were allowed to do one or the other, but not both. On Tuesday as I was finishing my last interval and dragging my butt up the hill I was sure that there were tears in my eyes and I probably could have upchucked on my sneakers.

Last night was even more fun, it was hill training.  This means that in the pouring rain we got to run repeatedly up and down the “Boathouse Hill” at a fairly decent pace.  Again, I contemplated a few tears, no one would have noticed, as the rain was splashing down our faces. I arrived home exhausted and soaked.  A hot bath never felt so good.

Many of you may be asking yourself, why they hell do I do it?  I mean I really haven’t painted a very pretty picture of the running class so far.  I will tell you exactly why I do it- It makes me feel like I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. Last night, as I finished the last hill and I was running a nice steady pace back to the school, rain dripping off my nose and socks squishing in my shoes, I felt like a rockstar.  I had survived.  I really do feel that running, no matter how far you do it, really is a bit about survival.  It is just you against yourself and the pavement.  It is a mind game.  How far will you push yourself this time?

What else do I love about running?  I love that good tired feeling you get after a run.  I love that I sleep like a baby.  I love that I don’t have to feel guilty when I go home and crash on the couch.  I love that runners come in all shapes and sizes, speeds and distances.  I love that last night there were first time runners and marathoners all struggling up the same hill.  I love the way it makes me feel.  I love the running community and how supportive of each other they are.

I LOVE RUNNING.

“I always loved running…it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.”
Jesse Owens

Now, I just have to remember that the next time I feel too lazy to lace up.  Because for me, that really IS the battle.  And yes, I will survive the next nine weeks and I am secretly (not anymore) excited to challenge myself.  I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I KNOW I can.  Oh ya, and there is that last little motivational push- I get to run in Central Park and past a little building called The Metropolitan Museum of Art and that doesn’t suck 🙂

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Wordless Wednesday: Moments In Manhattan

October 13, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

 

This Barista Makes a New Hat For Every Season- Beyond Awesome!!

 

 

Taking Time Out to Write in Central Park

 

 

Catching Some Rays at the Dog Park

 

 

Patriotic Pee Post (aka Fire Hydrant)

 

 

Cupcakes to Go!

 

 

Did Someone Say Candy?!

 

 

No, YOU are!

 

 

Peace in the City

 

 

The Cathedral Church of St. John of the Divine

 

 

A & R Climbing the Trees NOT the Walls

 

 

NYC

 

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Being The New Kid

October 12, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

 

Wanna Be My Friend?

 

It has been three months since our BIG move to New York City and every once in awhile it hits me that this is real, that this is our new home.  I know, I am a slow learner 😉  I have been extremely busy making sure that the children are adjusting to their new school, that they are meeting people and are involved in various activities.  As a parent, it is my first priority to look out for my children. They were our number one concern when Ron and I started talking about the move in the first place.  The thoughts that kept running through my head were “Would they fit in?”, “Would they find friends?”, “Would they adjust to city life?”- And they are doing fine.  Better than fine. They love their new school, have had play dates and birthday parties. We are getting organized and settling in.  I can stop worrying about them, well, as much as a mother ever really stops worrying…

Maybe it is time to worry about me.  Or at least, think about me.

 

Did someone mention cupcakes??!!

 

I am feeling a bit nervous today because I am starting a running class tonight.  I have two reasons that I am feeling anxious.  One, I am worried that it is going to be a killer work out and that my ass will be handed to me. But that is the exact reason why I signed up in the first place, so I should just suck it up and stop thinking about it.  The second reason I am nervous is that I am branching out and starting something new where I know no one. This may surprise some of you but sometimes I get a bit freaked out when I have to meet new people.  The old insecurities from high school creep in and I just hope that someone there will “like me”.  This is when it hit me- that like my daughters, I am the NEW KID.

I have been soo worried about the kid’s transitions that at some point along the way I kind of forgot that I was transitioning too.  I have been very fortunate to meet some wonderful people in this city. I am also incredibly lucky to have already had some friends in New York.  I did not have to move here, totally on my own with no one to reach out to.  However, that being said, I am one of the “new” mommies on the playground and that can be extremely stressful.  The other night I went to a social/fundraising event for the school.  I arrived a bit early and walked into the lobby where a group of women who clearly all, already knew each other were standing.  They turned and looked at me (gave me that up and down look) and then turned and continued on with their conversation.  Not a great way to start the evening.  I mean really, I have taught 13 years of high school and way back when actually attended myself, when will women stop being evil to one another?  At this point I was tempted to leave but the mature woman in me reminded myself that I wouldn’t want to be friends with women like this anyway and waited patiently for other people to arrive.  Sure enough, soon after, other women arrived and were friendly and reached out to make me feel welcome.  In fact, I ended up having a great time.

 

Oh girls, why can't we all just get along?

 

It is tough being the new kid, it is not always sunshine and lollipops.  I am not going to lie, while I am having fun meeting new people, it can be exhausting.  There is something to be said about that friend that already knows you, that you don’t have to hope beyond hope will like you, because they have already seen you at your worst and still love you for it.  Don’t get me wrong, I am still going to talk to everyone I can, even if inside, my stomach is doing little nervous flips, that is just who I am.  And hey, unlike my high school self, I also realize that life is too short to try and make everyone like you.  Some people aren’t really worth the effort anyway. This new kid is going to be a-okay.  This afternoon I am heading out for my own play date at Starbucks… just the way I like it 😉

 

True Friends =)

 

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A Little Canadian Turkey Day Celebration in Manhattan

October 10, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

I am writing this post as the incredible aroma of a cooking turkey is wafting through the apartment.  Ron is making a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on the Sunday before Columbus Day.  Why?  Because even though we have moved to the United States we are having a bit of a tough time giving up some of our old customs and traditions, Canadian Thanksgiving being one of them.

A & R are getting really excited about Hallowe’en.  Last week they asked if they could start putting up the Hallowe’en decorations.  We pulled out the box and found our Hallowe’en decorations and our Fall Harvest decorations packed in together.  The topic of Thanksgiving came up and Ron and I explained that there was a long weekend coming up and that it was for Columbus Day NOT Thanksgiving.  A big long discussion began about US Thanksgiving, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and of course the age old question- “just who the heck IS Christopher Columbus?”  Luckily, a library book on good ole’ Christopher helped us answer the last one 😉

Ron and I talked and we decided to go for it and celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving.  It would be a nice touch for the girls and we could have a lot of fun by inviting and including our ex-pat Canadian friends. We ordered the Turkey from Fairway, where the butcher politely asked if we were perhaps a month early and then extended the invite to friends who laughingly loved the idea.

So, here I am, sitting writing this post feeling a little nostalgic but also incredibly thankful.  The apartment is clean, we have layed out the decorations, guests will be arriving soon and a new tradition is born. We have had the extreme good fortune to start out on this new adventure and experience brand new things but sometimes it is okay to carry on with the traditions that we hold so dear to our hearts.

This is a new chapter in our lives and I look forward to starting to develop our New York family traditions. Even if it is a bit ironic that the first one is Canadian, eh?

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This Week’s Random NYC Observations

October 8, 2010 by Sandra Guirguis

New Yorker’s love to share, in fact sometimes there is a little something called the over-share.  If you have ever walked down a crowded Manhattan street stuck behind a woman in a heated conversation with her delinquent boyfriend you will know exactly what I am talking about.  There is very little privacy in this city but that doesn’t mean that you have to share EVERYTHING.  The bedrooms of our apartment look out into the various rooms of the apartments across from us. There is a small gap between the windows. Picture a U shape.  An extremely tiny U shape.  There really is only about a distance of 10 feet between the windows.  Thus, the importance of CURTAINS. Especially, if the neighbour directly across from your (meaning our) bedroom has a very healthy porn habit and a HUGE computer monitor.  Dude, I don’t care if you watch porn, but really, why don’t you get curtains?  HE doesn’t seem to mind that every apartment building along our wall can watch him, watching porn.  Ewww.  I mean all I really want to do is open and close my window in peace.  I guess if he doesn’t mind, I shouldn’t, right??

While I am on the topic of over-sharing I also learned this week that you should always tip your limo driver WELL.  Yesterday, at a street corner I watched a woman exit a super -stretch white limo and proceed into a fancy, schmancy door man building.  The driver who was still recovering from carrying in her numerous large travel bags proceeded back to the limo yelling “Hey everyone, Miss Rich Bitch just gave me a $7 tip, oooo… a whole $7, what could I possibly do with that much money??”.  Yikes, I guess they didn’t teach that woman proper tipping etiquette at her private school OR the driver any tact in “limo driving 101”.

Hallowe’en is right around the corner.  Apparently NYC takes this festivity extremely seriously.  I guess this is the day where it is acceptable to be as crazy and outlandish as you want to be without any consequences.  However, I am not really sure how this differs from the other days of the year 😉  In NYC Hallowe’en is definitely NOT just for kids, in fact, there seems to be more events for adults being advertised than for children. Costume shops are sprouting up all over the city.  The other night on the way to yoga, I had a disturbing experience where a large gentlemen dressed as bunny tried to lure me into a store.  It was definitely a “my mother told me never to take candy from strangers” moment.

 

Costumes for whom exactly??!!

 

The City of Ottawa could learn a thing or two from the road workers of New York.  This week we have had to endure the re-paving of the street outside of our apartment.  I say endure because they re-pave at night.  Hear that Ottawa?  In the middle of the night, so they do not have to disrupt millions of commuters during the day.  So, needless to say, it has been a bit loud but hey, what’s one more thing to get used to listening to as you try and lull yourself to sleep at night? On the sleep note, I have learned that the city of New York DOES sleep.  But only during the hours of 4:00 and 6:30 am.  If you happen to find yourself awake at that time (damn bladder) it is actually very peaceful and almost eerily quiet.

The BEST thing that I found out about this week is that you can buy beer -to -go at Grand Central Station.  So, if you are a commuter that takes the train, you can grab a beer and settle into your seat, pull our your book and casually sip away during the trip home. How incredibly civilized. It almost (ALMOST) makes me want to move out of the city 😉

 

I'll take two please...

 

Oh ya, that also means that I visited Grand Central Station on the way to go and see Ron at work.  I absolutely LOVE this building and every time I walk in I am awestruck by its incredible beauty.  It really is a wild experience to just stand there and let the people pass you.  Everyone is on a journey to somewhere.  No wonder soo many movies have been filmed in this amazing building.

 

Grand Central Station

 

I finally visited Ron’s office building this week and I have to say I am a little bit jealous.  No wonder he loves his job and is happy at work.  Who wouldn’t be want to come in and sit in an office with this view everyday?

 

Ron's view of the Chrysler Building

 

I have to admit I did have a “Holy F, I live in NYC” moment again this week.  I was walking down the street and it just hit me out of no where.  I am NOT visiting, this IS where I live.  All the crazy adventures are mine to own.   And hey, I might just be adding a little craziness of my own right back into the city. After all, I am the woman walking around taking random pictures and mumbling about the value of curtains. 😉

 

One of NYC most famous residents!

 

Enjoy the weekend! I wish all my Canadian friends a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

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