lessons learned, volume one.

in case you ever decide to move to new york {if you don't already live here} i thought maybe there were a few things you'd like to know. and so, i present to you my first rendition of lessons learned {in my first month living in new york city}.

there is static electricity everywhere. you. will. constantly. be. shocked. i think this is the universe's way of shocking you back to reality. did i really just move here? really?

the subways are truly unlike any other form of public transportation in an other city on earth {except maybe london}. you will be enthralled at first. navigating them correctly is the biggest feat you'll make in the first few weeks upon moving. take every successful trip as a win, and remember it the next time you get lost. turns out, the subway is a little bit like a metaphor for life... sometimes it's confusing and convoluted. you may even head in the wrong direction, or look up and be totally unsure where you are {and before you know it you'll be at a hundred and twenty fifth street far too late on a sunday night thinking to yourself, something doesn't feel right here}. but eventually you get back on in the right direction and end up exactly where you need to be. and so, such is life. we always seem to end up where we need to be. and while we're on the topic of subways, you might notice it's quite annoying that there is no cell phone service down under. so plan your route in advance, and don't think that your commute hour will be full of catching up on your correspondence.

speaking of, the three hour time difference with the west coast is tough. no ifs ands or buts about that one. but, eventually you'll figure it out. don't try too hard like i first did. you'll talk to the people you're supposed to, and that is that.

google maps will be your best friend. so will hop stop.

people work a lot here. excuse me, did you get that? people work a lot here. and. so. will. you. it's best to get used to that reality now. 

you will need an apartment. and quickly. you will panic. so you'll hire a broker and set your maximum budget at an amount that you believe is already out of your price range. then you'll see a few places and before you know it you'll be upping your budget again because then and only then will you find an apartment you actually want to live in. don't settle. just know, that in a matter of days upon moving here, your bank account will seem dangerously low. how much is that fee again? the thing is, you just might get distracted by your broker's subtle southern accent and be calculating his age, not his fee.

if you keep thinking you'll run into natalie holbrook and her little huck, don't. give. up. hope. it'll happen, eventually. there's always next month. and same rule goes for taza and her sweet little clan. someday, oh someday. 

just when you think it's not really as cold as people say it is here, it will be. but colder. and, if you happen to experience your very first snow storm on your very first weekend here, just know it's not going to be as bad as the media makes it out to be. but hunker down with a bottle of red just the same.

if you are a deli lover then, new york is your city. deli's. on. every. corner. with every food item you could possibly imagine. eat your heart out.

you tell yourself you're not the type of person who needs things delivered. delivery, really? come on. being a bag lady up and down the steep hills of san francisco prepared me for this you think to yourself. but then you try lugging two surprisingly heavy whole foods bags {i swear i was in the ten items or less line!} home on the subway a mere two stops, and you realize that no amount of preparation will make you ready. it's that moment you'll reconsider the art of delivery.

late. late. late. late. everything is late. people stay up late. eat late. workout late. attend meetings late. you have to be one step ahead, but while everyone is so busy being ahead of the game, they end up being late for everything else.

oh, and you must be okay with aloneness in all of its glory. embrace it for everything it's worth. and become your own best friend. but, see, you already were before you moved, weren't you? so you've got this one in the bag.

and those are your lessons learned from little 'ol me. more to come as i learn to navigate this great big city. until then, thanks. for. putting. up. with. my. one. word. non. sentences. i. don't. know. where. that. came. from. xoxo.

*all photos courtesy of my iphone and edited with picfx. i haven't been all that good at taking pictures in my first month here, but i did manage to snap a few gems. i made them extra large this post, just because.