SO!
I have been to New York and back! By the way, my brother got married in Lake George, NY while I was there! Mazel tov!
That was Part 1 of my New York adventures. I then took a hellish Megabus from Albany to NYC to start my apartment search. I'm not good at many things--but I'm damn good at apartment hunting. I nailed down a great 1BR on Riverside Drive in the Columbia area (and it's cool with dogs) within 3 days. Needless to say I take great joy in this bit of bragging. Not too shabby, eh?! Only 1 block away from all my classes! I am pleased. Anyway, I foolishly did not take any pictures of the actual building, but I have included a picture of the beautiful walkway across the street from me in Riverside Park.
Right now my apartment in Chicago is simply FILLED with boxes. I thought I would be moving circa around now, but alas it isn't so. So for a month, Bacchus and I will have to navigate the Labyrinth of boxes that is my apartment.
I have to say I take great pleasure in calling Bacchus to dinner ("Bacchus! Din din!") and watching him weave in and out of the boxed pathway in frenzied excitement! Here and there, occasionally skidding on his nails and slamming his pug body gently into a box of books (oh that won't stop him.) It's sort of like watching NASCAR--only I haven't, so I have no idea. You would think lately that I starve my dog. While it's true he's been on a diet, he is actually a healthy weight for a pug. However lately he's taken to eating through the bottoms of garbage bags that are on their short journey to the trash shoot. My only solution to this so far is to double baggy it. I fear that he will soon discover the mystery behind this trick--and then the jig will be up!
But enough about the dog. Lately I have been sitting in bed examining and memorizing facts and maps about New York City. My goal is to become ridiculously acquainted with the history and geography that is New York by the time classes start. I figure this is the time to do it when I have so much time on my hands. I'm doing most of the fact reading now, and then once I get there I plan on walking the walk. Basically over a series of days and weeks I will take myself to different neighborhoods and become acquainted with their history and street layout. For Instance: did you know that the land that Columbia University now sits on was a hill (still kinda is) in Manhattan. Before the turn of the century it was a French loony house called the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum (apparently they don't just sell hats.) When the now Columbia campus was sold to the then president of the school, Seth Low, part of the purchase deal included that they preserve one of the buildings of the asylum. And it's still there! If you're at Columbia in their famous quad and standing in front of the dome structure known as Low Library (named for Seth Low, for obvious reasons) you will see to the right a building/house that looks slightly out of place. This is the oldest structure on Columbia's campus and was known as the Macy Villa when it was apart of the Bloomingdale Asylum. It's now known as Buell Hall, and I believe the Philosophy Department uses it (hehe, kinda funny.)
Anyway, my next update will be posted from within my new apartment in New York. Until then, have a great summer!
