Saying Goodbye

All week cutie face said she wanted to go to the old house (apartment). When we asked why, she said because all her toys are there. We told her they are all at the new house. We didn't close last week, so we took her to the old empty apartment to say goodbye.

Goodbye to another Upper West Side tradition. I've lived on the UWS for 17 years. I read in the NYT today that the Claremont Riding Academy is closing. I used to walk passed it all the time and made me smile. I was proud to live so close to it. I always thought that one day I would rent a horse to ride in Central Park. I never did. Now we can't. Say goodbye to the horses.

So I'm guessing there will be more new coops are expected on the UWS.

So Much Stuff

Unpacking. That's what we do every night. Repacking. Putting things like knick knacks back in boxes to store in the garage. We can't manage to part with our history and we think we may need it in the future. How do we manage to accumulate so much crap? I have clothes I haven't worn in 10 years. But I can't throw out. Maybe my daughter will want them in 20 years. Be real. She won't want them.

The Princess Thing

It’s official. My 2½ yo daughter is hooked on the princess thing. She only wants to wear dresses – party dresses. She won’t wear sneakers because princesses don’t wear sneakers. She told her preschool she was a princess.
We had a talk this morning. Princesses are princesses no matter what they wear. Princesses say please and thank you. Princesses say “good morning” to people. Princesses say “nice to meet you” She wan’t buying it. She thought for a while and decided she wants to be a king who wears a party dress and sparkle shoes.
Gotta love it.

The Commute

Yesterday was the first time I took the train home from Grand Central Station. The train was a pleasant ride. Sat next to another new commuter who moved to Ossening last year. I also had to take the bus across the Tappen zee bridge. Then I had to walk over a mile home. It was 2 hours door-to-door. I missed American Idol.

What I learned. I'm so out of fashion. According to WWD, the skinny jean is in. Saks is doing well (Jim Cramer agrees - it may be a private equity buyout thing). Being pregnant is in. Mainly because of the high profile babies.

Finally

Roman Catholic Church has effectively buried the concept of limbo, the place where centuries of tradition and teaching held that babies who die without baptism went.

It's Time To Go

Wow. Who would have thought this possible. It's really time for me to move from the Upper West Side land of the liberal AMT, to Nyackland.
For the past few months things have happened in the city that make it possible for me to happily leave.
1. The number of new apartment building going up will put such a stress on the neighborhood and subway system - I don't even want to speculate what will happen. There is a rumor saying they will be fixing the broadway and 96th street station, but when and for how long. Whole Foods coming to the neighborhood is another rumor.
2. There's a pit bull and obnoxious owner in the 97th and riverside playground who refused to leave with her dog. The dog was inside the swing area, blocking the entrance. I don't think she actually lived on the UWS.
3. The panhandlers are back.
4. Car drivers think it's a right to drive through a red light and block traffic.
5. They closed the West Side Highway entrance on 97th street. Now you have to drive 1/4 mile in WEA morning traffic to get on the highway.
6. The subway system is filled with mold.
7. My daughter is actually really smart. At 2-1/2 she is doing 35 piece jigsaw puzzles. The thought of having to "Play the game" to get her into a school appropriate for her growth is really stupid. She'll get into an ivy league (if that's what she wants to do) no matter which school she goes to.
8. What's with the $1,000,000 mediocre 2-bedroom 1100 square foot apartment. I've lived in it for the past few years. It's time for more space. For $2,000,000 you can't get much more. So most people just get a vacation house.

It's time. I'm happy to go. We will be living in our vacation house.
My commute for work will be annoying. We will see how long it lasts.

IT'S TIME TO GO

Wow. Who would have thought this possible. It's really time for me to move from the Upper West Side land of the liberal AMT, to Nyackland.
For the past few months things have happened in the city that make it possible for me to happily leave.
1. The number of new apartment building going up will put such a stress on the neighborhood and subway system - I don't even want to speculate what will happen. There is a rumor saying they will be fixing the broadway and 96th street station, but when and for how long. Whole Foods coming to the neighborhood is another rumor.
2. There's a pit bull and obnoxious owner in the 97th and riverside playground who refused to leave with her dog. The dog was inside the swing area, blocking the entrance. I don't think she actually lived on the UWS.
3. The panhandlers are back.
4. Car drivers think it's a right to drive through a red light and block traffic.
5. They closed the West Side Highway entrance on 97th street. Now you have to drive 1/4 mile in WEA morning traffic to get on the highway.
6. The subway system is filled with mold.
7. My daughter is actually really smart. At 2-1/2 she is doing 35 piece jigsaw puzzles. The thought of having to "Play the game" to get her into a school appropriate for her growth is really stupid. She'll get into an ivy league (if that's what she wants to do) no matter which school she goes to.
8. What's with the $1,000,000 mediocre 2-bedroom 1100 square foot apartment. I've lived in it for the past few years. It's time for more space. For $2,000,000 you can't get much more. So most people just get a vacation house.

It's time. I'm happy to go. My commute for work will be annoying. We will see how long it lasts.