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November 30, 2005

Times Square: Five-Dollar Admission

Today was the first day working at the new job... it's pretty quiet (read: bored off my ass) here, but production should speed up next week for the Winter 06 collection. The working atmosphere reminds me of my time with the city: a bright office with laid-back coworkers, although here everyone is meticulously coiffed and plucked and sitting in Aeron chairs. I think I'm gonna like it here.

Anyway, the subject of this post isn't to talk about work, but rather the location that the building is in, which is Times Square. Now in the month that I've been here I've managed to avoid the area, but now I have no choice but to push my way through the throngs of tourists everyday in order to get to work. Wow. This place is so not like what I had in my mind when picturing New York. Times Square is a definite visual bombardment. Signs, huge television screens, advertisements, suburban-friendly food chains, and lights are everywhere. I am reminded of Universal City in LA. Or Disney Land. It's like someone took a piece of New York City and sugar-coated it -- it's the theme park that Manhattan never had yet never wanted.

There's a Red Lobster down the street. Anyone wanna come with me?

Posted by Charlie at 04:07 PM | Comments (2)

November 29, 2005

Bedbugs Biting

You know of all those news reports about the supposed impending bedbug infestation that's going to happen in New York City anytime soon? Well, guess what: they're all true. Some of my friends (whom shall remain nameless for their social life's sake) have begun to get the obvious signs of not being the only ones sleeping in their beds. The welts on their arms are gross, and I am seriously considering disassociating myself with some of them until the epidemic is over, since bedbugs are known to travel in people's clothing. The New York Times says that a bedbug can live for up to one year without feeding, and that they can hide in cracks in the wall the width of a sheet of paper. Luckily I'm spared any sort of insect invasion so I can satisfy my entomological curiosities from far far far away.

Posted by Charlie at 08:17 PM | Comments (2)

November 28, 2005

Belated Turkey Day Pictures

I ate so much last week, but I don't feel like I had enough. I spent the first Thanksgiving Day dinner at a friend's place in Park Slope. She lives in this amazing condo, beautifully designed and decorated partly because her roommates are set decorators and art directors. We had our dinner on a table that was suspended by wire. It was an interesting experience, holding the table to keep it from swaying while trying to hold in that twentieth bite of mashed potatoes. I wasn't able to stay out late though because I had work on Friday.

I had my second (you're traditionally supposed to have two dinners, right?) dinner at Queens, with JoeyMac's crew. I'm still trying to get used to the whole I'm-not-the-token-Asian thing. Amazing food all around this past week though. Once I get pictures from the second outing I'll probably post them up here, for my own memory's sake. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving feast!

Posted by Charlie at 10:49 PM | Comments (1)

It's Warm Out

People are out wearing t-shirts. What's up with that? It's almost December, for goodness sake.

Posted by Charlie at 02:52 PM | Comments (1)

Inconsistent Messages

Weird NYC weather, I tell you. Freezing temperatures one moment, semi-tolerable climate the next. When will the madness end and when can we just get to the blizzards?!

Posted by Charlie at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)

November 24, 2005

Great Coasting

I really like him, although he seems so much like me it's scary. I'm usually used to being with someone completely different than me. I can't stop thinking about him: at work, at home, on the subway, on the street. He seems to occupy my mind all the time. His ex-boyfriend is right: he is very comfortable to be around. His friends are probably the biggest obstacle to getting to really like him, as they pretty much know everything about me. They're pretty tight, his circle of friends, and it's like I have to be in a relationship with them as well as him. His family, on the other hand, are awesome. Jack and Chiyomi are so chill and down to earth that I totally feel like family whenever I'm over at his place. This is totally a guy I can see settling down with for a while...

Posted by Charlie at 08:34 PM | Comments (0)

November 23, 2005

Clockwatching

Bored at work, with no access to any of my email accounts. Poo. Three hours and counting. I'm recalling the scene in Clockwatchers when the three temps, on their last hour of work, do nothing but stare intently at the clock and wait for the hands to reach 5 o'clock. I'm doing the same thing, except I have three hours more to go.

Posted by Charlie at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)

Winter in NYC

The winters in Seattle are dismal; for pretty much the entire season the skies are filled with layers upon layers of dark clouds, and rarely a day goes by where one can see sunshine. Of course, however, the clouds serve as a sort of blanket upon the city, keeping any heat produced by the earth trapped, and as a result winters in Seattle are relatively warm. Last winter in fact, it was so warm that people were wearing short-sleeved shirts.

I miss those winters. Even though we're still at the tail-end of autumn here in NYC, the temperature has gotten so low that my teeth are starting to hurt. Sure the skies are clear and the sun is shining, but goddamn, making my way to work this morning has been a trek in itself.

It's going to be a long day.

Posted by Charlie at 09:16 AM | Comments (0)

November 22, 2005

Crystal Chandeliers

After my sister bought her first house (at the age of 22 no less) last summer, my family helped pitch in with the renovation and redecorating. Among the things that were lost in the reinvention process was a really cute crystal chandelier from the dining room, a mid-1970's kitschy piece that would've totally looked cool in a present-day bathroom. It didn't really fit my sister's style, so it had to go. But I totally think that fake-crystal chandeliers are in right now, at least in terms of interior design trends. Urban Outfitters is selling some really inexpensive chandeliers of the faux-crystal kind, and they're priced just low enough to be somewhat of an impulse purchase. Rockin',

Posted by Charlie at 09:35 PM

Busy Busy Busenfreund

I'm running around the island of Manhattan like a headless chicken. Countless job interviews aside (well, actually only two), I think I've settled on something a little more permanent, a contract position with a well-known fashion company. I was nervous about not being able to find anything substantial before my savings ran out, but I guess things just worked out in the end. I continue to have the worst timing, however, as soon I accepted the contract position was I contacted by this ad firm for some possible freelance work. Eck. What to do, Charlie, what to do.

Posted by Charlie at 06:25 PM | Comments (0)

November 17, 2005

I Heart New York

Gosh, has it really been a month since I've landed here? Where has time gone I wonder... I can think of a few nice things.

I'm listening to Madonna's song I Love New York and even though it's admittedly a pretty dorky song I can't help but get chills whenever it comes on because, let's face it, I really like being here. I haven't yet caught the homesickness bug, and other than sporadic emails, my friends are still for the most part waiting for my phone calls (or are they not...?). The abundance of options in food, music, art, movies, shopping, playing, etc. is so great; I love it! I'm always finding some small dessert place or corner bakery with awesome bites. I haven't seen any shows or gone clubbing yet, but I'm in no real rush to do any of that. Methinks this winter nights will just be spent mostly cozying up to a good book or a hot body. Or a hot toddy, I dunno.

Posted by Charlie at 10:19 PM | Comments (0)

November 15, 2005

Good Grief

Since I'm probably gonna be the only one of the Seattle kids to spend the holiday season in New York, all by my lonesome, something like this replica of the A Charlie Brown Christmas Christmas tree from Urban Outfitters looks like the perfect compliment to the upcoming month.

Posted by Charlie at 04:39 PM | Comments (0)

November 13, 2005

Random Subway Sign

Posted by Charlie at 06:26 PM | Comments (3)

Coasting

I'm still alive, though without internet access. I've been staying over at JoeyMac's place so much that some of my groceries have gotten spoiled. Not that I mind it, of course. Not that I mind it at all. My roommates probably think I'm dead or something, since I never see them when I'm home. I'm ready for things to get a little routine, now. My countless resume send-outs are starting to finally payoff, and I have gotten some callbacks. Finally! First interview is with a television network, and I'm going to spend the rest of the weekend preparing mad-ass for it. If I don't get offered the position at least I can write it off as really good practice and a chance to whip out my new suit.

Posted by Charlie at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)

November 09, 2005

R.I.P. Emigre 1984-2005

Wow, this is big news. Emigre Magazine is closing shop after 21 years of redefining the landscape of American graphic design. Long Live Emigre.

Posted by Charlie at 05:13 PM | Comments (1)

November 06, 2005

Settled... Kinda

Everything's moved in, mattress is laid out, and the pillows are set. I'm sitting next to the living room window with my laptop halfway outside in hopes of getting the weak wireless signal for internet. Only half of the electrical outlets are working. Only half of my room is furnished. I don't even know how to open the window. But I love it; I am home... for now.

Posted by Charlie at 11:20 PM | Comments (1)

November 05, 2005

Confessions On A Dance Floor

Friday. 3AM. At Decibel. On my third lychee martini. I'm blabbing on and on about Madonna without shame or embarrassment, a woman whose intellect I unabashedly admire.

Saturday. 10PM. On the futon. Listening to her latest album, and totally freaking out because this is the strongest work she's come out in a while. My ears are so happy right now.

Posted by Charlie at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)

November 04, 2005

Electric Footwear Dryers

Perfect for winter, these electric footwear dryers dry your wet shoes from the inside out, or warm them for the impending snowy trek to the subway station. Nice.

Posted by Charlie at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)

November 03, 2005

A Movin' A Movin'

Eck. Again, things are slowly coming together. Slowly. Got a really nice rug and some wonderful accent pillows, as well as shelving from DWR & MUJI, and all that's left is a table, some lamps, and a bed. I've been looking at CB2 lately for the rest of my wares since there are reasonably priced and since I still need money for food.

Posted by Charlie at 10:41 PM | Comments (0)

November 01, 2005

Halloween

Eck. Got stuck downtown due to the Halloween parade, and between the blocked off streets, hordes of drunken nineteen-year-olds, and the slow moving traffic, it took me close to an hour to walk the ten blocks to the subway stop.

Posted by Charlie at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)