Thursday, January 27, 2011

In which you spend your day in a hotel ballroom taking notes on risk tolerance and end it with a Reuben as big as your head

New York is the kind of place where people will offer you random compliments and ask you if you like comedy, because of course the club is just up the street, and also, everything is very flashy and shiny and sparkly and you know I get fixated on that kind of thing and then walk into holes.

The fact is that I have mostly done a whole lot of working in the hotel. So this afternoon when my duties were done, a colleague and I headed to the half-price booth and got tickets to Billy Elliot.

Which we saw this evening and which was spectacular.

After the tickets I was so happy to be out! In the air! That I braved the clumps of snow and giant slush puddles and just walked.

On my path I got compliments on my new glasses (from a man), my coat (a woman), and an offer to be my sex slave (different man). I also got random eye contact and hellos from a couple cute men.

None of these things happen to me on the streets of our nation's capital.

Are New Yorkers just friendlier? Like, should I have moved here when I was single? I mean, this is moot, but as we all know, New York is full of uptight workaholic men in suits, which are totally my type.

I think Nick is my best-case scenario on this one. And of course things having panned out re: the dying alone, I'm glad I didn't move.

But in any case, I think I'm a fan. I mean of New York. That I am of my husband goes without saying.

And you guys, I cannot wait to go home. Nick put Jordan on the phone this morning, and he said his funny little, "Hallaaaaw Mama!" and my heart nearly fell out of my chest and clunked on the floor.

Anyway, after the theatre my colleagues and I stopped at Carnegie Deli and got sandwiches, and while I thought the sandwich was kind of pricey, I didn't realize it was because it was as big as my head.

You could solve the starvation in Bangladesh problem with one of these. Plus pickles!

And now I'm very tired and clearly kind of punchy and I have to sleep. Although I've set the alarm for later tomorrow because I figure that if you eat half a cow this late at night you probably will still be full at breakfast. No?

I have other stories and thoughts on truth and lies and fancy dinners but the current fact is that in a matter of hours I'm going to be up and trying to make myself look presentable and then taking notes on all kinds of over-my-head financial stuff.

These new glasses make me feel really smart, though. Totally helpful.

9 comments:

  1. i want to see these new glasses! and i agree with you on people being friendly in new york. compared to philadelphia anyway, where people yell at you for no reason, new york feels like the midwest to me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've never been to NYC. Until now I've never considered them friendly either. Just a weird preconception I've had, based on, well, nothing much.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm from Long Island NY, been living in SW FL for about 12 years now. Maybe it is a NY thing, but I noticed I have a tendency to compliment complete strangers on everything from their hair color to their handbags. It annoys me that people have preconceived ideas about NY'ers and that NY is just the city. Glad you had a good time and maybe you could post a pic of the new glasses..?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad you got to see Billy Elliot and are having a great time in NYC :) It's been my experience that New Yorkers are nice, too. And it's definitely a shiny, sparkly place. Travel safely home.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I want to see the new glasses! And I would like a pickle, please.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hmmmm... I spent nine lovely months working in Manhattan and staying at The Palace and, man, it was the life. But I never once had anyone offer to be my sex slave. So I clearly missed out, or maybe you are just way hotter than me. ;-)

    Happy weekend homecoming!

    ReplyDelete
  7. For friendliness in the US I love NY.
    In Canada, it has to be Montreal.

    Oh dear, I remember hearing my son on the phone from 3,000 mi. away, when his only words were "Hi mum" which he said about 20 times while I tried not to cry, but to sound all cheery. After the phone call I got so drunk. Even now it makes me cry just to think of.

    On the bright side, we'll be seeing you in your new glasses sometime next week, I exspectacle!

    ReplyDelete
  8. carly - I am getting my hair snipped and reblonded tomorrow and then I'll be willing to take a pic in the new glasses.

    And I've always loved Philly when I've visited, but my visits were always brief.

    Anonymous - I will soon! And it's a great city. Totally friendly. And of course shiny and sparkly!

    Just Plain Tired - I think NYers have a bad reputation, so you're not alone. But I really felt good there.

    HKW - I didn't get anywhere on your list. But I enjoyed my moments of free time nonetheless!

    Hillary - Glasses soon. Pickles weren't that great. I was disappointed.

    Keenie Beanie - I was staying somewhere normal, not swank, alas. And I think it's the glasses, I really do. They're kind of magic or something.

    tamater - I love the expectacle! Yes, it's very hard to be far and have your child actually be able to communicate, and you know he's aware of your absence and commenting on it. I could not WAIT to get home this evening and kiss his sweet face.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm thinkin' you looked especially hot in your new glasses, and I just read some poll where DC was one of the rudest cities in the nation, up there with L.A., Vegas and Orlando.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me about it.