Washington Square Park
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Greenwich Village and SoHo Recap (5/27/05)
Friday was the first nice day we've had here in New York since I got here (today was the second...although yesterday wasn't bad). It was about 78 degrees, sunny, blue skies. Everyone was out because the weather had been so bad for so long. I met Andrea for lunch in Greenwich Village. We walked around the neighborhood and spent some time in Washington Square Park. We als went to SoHo. These neighborhoods are so great. I'm going to have to spend some more time down there. Jessica (from Georgia) had a headache, so she caught up with us a little later at the Hudson River Park. We had planned to go down to the Financial District and Battery Park, but we decided to walk around Greenwich Village and SoHo some more instead. We found the brownstone from "The Cosby Show" and the apartment building from "Friends" at the corner of Grove and Bedford streets. It was so exciting! We also walked down Sarah Jessica Parker's and Matthew Broderick's street, but we didn't know their address. One of the houses we saw was their's, though. There was so much going on, and the weather was so nice. I really enjoyed being able to get outside and see some more of Manhattan without an umbrella. Pictures are updated.
Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park
Greenwich Village and SoHo
Check back here soon for a recap of Friday....Greenwich Village and SoHo....I walked like 7 or 8 miles today and need to rest before I recap! Until then, the "Friends" apartment building and Washington Square Park (one entry up).
The "Friends" apartment building!
The "Friends" apartment building!
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Central Park, Fifth Avenue, and David Letterman
Yesterday (Wednesday), I met Andrea and another girl from NYU named Jessica. It was sooooo cold. But that didn't stop us. We walked through Central Park, then down Fifth Avenue. We saw the new F.A.O. Schwartz (and the $10,000 giraffe that Uma Thurman had just bought), Trump Tower, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany's, and Bergdorf Goodman's. We also saw Carnegie Hall (photo above). Then we went over to the Ed Sullivan Theater to see what was going on at Letterman (because Alexis Bledel was going to be on the show, and we were hoping to see her arrive or something stupid like that). But, apparently, yesterday was the first day of the Memorial Weekend haitus and the show was pre-taped. Oh well. I watched to show last night and the interview wasn't that great. But, around the corner was the Hello Deli, and Rupert was inside! So we did get a little Letterman experience. And they were also filming something for a segment on the show. There was a homeless guy, a gurney, and two guys sitting, eating lunch, and filling their glasses with gasoline. So, if you watch "The Late Show" and see something like that, we were there! Then it started to RAIN! Anyway, wet and disappointed that we didn't get to see a Gilmore Girl, we headed back to the Port Authority to catch our trains back to NYU and Columbia when we saw this:
Gilmore Girls
So, we did get to see the Gilmore Girls! Sort of.
Okay, that's all. Today I didn't really do anything. I slept in because I was tired. Then I read some more for my finance class. I also looked over some of my IB stuff for Tech so I can decide what I'm going to do about that. I think I've figured it out, though. It was still cold.....but I finally have a room phone that works!
Oh! I saw an actress today! On the subway! It was Maggie Gyllenhaal (sister to Jake). At first I thought, no that can't be her...famous people don't ride the subway. But then I thought, I bet Maggie Gyllenhaal rides the subway...she does mostly indie stuff and she's a New Yorker (went to Columbia). She also is the one who just took a lot of heat for saying that America partly deserved what happened on September 11. Oh well.
Gilmore Girls
So, we did get to see the Gilmore Girls! Sort of.
Okay, that's all. Today I didn't really do anything. I slept in because I was tired. Then I read some more for my finance class. I also looked over some of my IB stuff for Tech so I can decide what I'm going to do about that. I think I've figured it out, though. It was still cold.....but I finally have a room phone that works!
Oh! I saw an actress today! On the subway! It was Maggie Gyllenhaal (sister to Jake). At first I thought, no that can't be her...famous people don't ride the subway. But then I thought, I bet Maggie Gyllenhaal rides the subway...she does mostly indie stuff and she's a New Yorker (went to Columbia). She also is the one who just took a lot of heat for saying that America partly deserved what happened on September 11. Oh well.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Times Square and Rockefeller Center
Today I met Andrea from NYU for breakfast. We thought we'd go to Starbuck's because it was COLD, but there were no chairs! So, we got our stuff and went to eat it in Bryant Park. Yes, it was very cold. And it was drizzling. We walked around Times Square and scoped out some of the Broadway shows that we are interested in. We also went to Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center. That's pretty much it. I came back and tried to take care of some more stuff with Tech. I also don't have a phone in my room or a mailbox! And no one seems to be able to help me with these problems. Hopefully I'll get that figured out tomorrow. That's really all. I went to the Columbia bookstore and bought a a couple of sweatshirts...one's for my mom, but I am going to wear it because it is COLD!
Oh, I had to talk to the RA today about my phone situation, and after about two sentences, he said, "Are you from the South?" Um, okay. I always thought my accent wasn't that obvious. But I guess it is.
That's all. Nothing exciting. I'm missing American Idol because the t.v. is taken. I'll have to download it, I guess.
By the way, every single student here has a Columbia shirt for every day of the week. Geez, these Ivy League-ers like to rub it in.
Oh, I had to talk to the RA today about my phone situation, and after about two sentences, he said, "Are you from the South?" Um, okay. I always thought my accent wasn't that obvious. But I guess it is.
That's all. Nothing exciting. I'm missing American Idol because the t.v. is taken. I'll have to download it, I guess.
By the way, every single student here has a Columbia shirt for every day of the week. Geez, these Ivy League-ers like to rub it in.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Pictures, a famous guy, and Alexis Bledel
I'm putting all of my pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/whitmcb
And I'll post a few on the journal every once in a while.
I saw a famous actor today. I can't place him. He's obviously not one of my favorites, but he was definately an actor, and surely it will come to me soon. I know who he is, I just can't place him! He was walking his dogs.
I was going to try to get stand-by tickets to the Letterman show with Alex's friend Andrea for Wednesday because Alexis Bledel will be on it, but the taping doesn't start until 5:30 and I have class at 6:15! So, instead we're just going to hang out in that part of town and hope to see her!
And I'll post a few on the journal every once in a while.
I saw a famous actor today. I can't place him. He's obviously not one of my favorites, but he was definately an actor, and surely it will come to me soon. I know who he is, I just can't place him! He was walking his dogs.
I was going to try to get stand-by tickets to the Letterman show with Alex's friend Andrea for Wednesday because Alexis Bledel will be on it, but the taping doesn't start until 5:30 and I have class at 6:15! So, instead we're just going to hang out in that part of town and hope to see her!
Sunday, May 22, 2005
First day...what a hassle.
Well, I'm finally here. It's been a long day, and I'm ready to sleep. My plane had to go into a holding pattern about 150 miles outside of New York City, so I was about 30 minutes late. So my taxi took me to 113th and Broadway, which is where my residence hall is on the map. And on the Columbia website, it shows a picture of Broadway that is very misleading. It shows it from the Kim's Video and New York Public Library side, which is at 113th and Broadway (also the housing guy sent out an email saying that if you arrive before 5pm, you check in at your residence hall...it was 4:45)...so, naturally, that's where I had the taxi drop me off. Also, the website said the Broadway entrance was the same as the Hogan Hall entrance.
So, there I was with one 53.5 lb suitcase, one 40 lb suitcase, a heavy laptop, and a heavy backpack. And I couldn't find the entrance. Finally, I found the Hogan Hall entrance, and so I hauled each of my suitcases up the 15 or so stairs to find that the door was locked and no one answered when I called. I called my dad, and he called a number that I could see from the windows. The guy said they would send someone from security over. Well, they didn't, so then I hit the security button and got some guy who tried to transfer me to Hartley Hall because he said that's where I had to check in (where you are supposed to check in after 5 according to the email), but Hartley was busy. And it was all the way across the quad and I did NOT want to drag my stuff all the way over there. So, after about 40 minutes of standing there hoping someone would be coming to Hogan Hall so I could sneak in, I called the guy that my dad had called, and he told me that the Hogan Hall entrance doesn't work anymore. He said the Broadway entrance is at 544 W. 114th street, so I dragged my suitcases back down the stairs and headed around the corner. I finally found 544, but it was some lady's apartment. So I walked back down the street and finally found the Broadway entrance.
Meanwhile, all around me there are parents and kids pushing huge bins full of their luggage, so I just looked like an clueless idiot...which I was. No, I wasn't an idiot, I was just misinformed. I hauled my bags back up the stairs and found the security guard who was no help at all. He told me once again that I had to go to Hartley Hall. So I said, "Fine, but I'm leaving my bags here and you're going to watch them!" Okay, I didn't really say it like that, but I wanted to.
Then, I made my way across to Hartley, where the security guy there thought I was an international student, even though I told him I wasn't. When I finally communicated that to him, he took me down some hallway to a little room where people where packing up and left me there. I told them that I needed to check in, and they told me that was at the front desk, which is where I was going until the security guy intercepted me. So I went back over there. As I was waiting in line, the security guy called me over again, and some girl was there. He said something to her, and she said, "No, she's not one of ours." So, now I had lost my place in line. When I finally got to the desk, it took forever for them to understand that I was a visiting student and I didn't have my ID yet because they wouldn't let me register until tomorrow but I needed a BED tonight! Finally we got it worked out after some weird guy started speaking bad French to show off, but he thought he was speaking Spanish. This is Columbia?
So, I finally got into my room and hour and a half after arriving at 113th and Broadway, but I have no phone. Well, I have a phone, but the phone part is missing. And my internet didn't work. And the RA isn't in his room....well, first, the room that says RA is Henry Wong's room...and he's not the RA! But there is a nice girl across the hall from me. My door would not lock and she showed me what I have to do.
Well, I got everything in my room, then I decided to go get something to eat. I walked outside. Good news is there is a supermarket across the street and a Duane Reed down the block. Also, a block away is the diner from Seinfeld! I'll take a picture tomorrow! Anyway, got some dinner, came back, took a shower in the showers with nowhere to put clothers or anything (and one of them doesn't have hot water and the shower head is broken off so it just hangs there. Anyway, I used the "good" one. The curtain is tiny, though, and I'm a pretty modest person so this will be interesting. Also, my room was so cold. I couldn't figure out the air conditioner because the controls are hidden. I just found it...it was set on 62! And it's like 42 degrees outside anyway! So, now I'm warmer and my internet works obviously.
Well, I did say this would be an adventure! It has made me really appreciate Miranda from Grenoble! She was awesome, and I'd give anything to have a "Miranda" here in New York. I'd give even more to have THE "Miranda" here because she was that cool.
Tomorrow will probably be interesting as well. I've got to do registration and ID stuff. But, Morningside Heights is awesome, just like I remember it, and Columbia is gorgeous. And hopefully, most Columbians are smarter than the ones I encountered today!
Okay, it's 11pm here, so I'm going to sleep! And I don't know how many minutes I used on my cell phone today. My mom and dad had to figure all this stuff out long distance...especially since I didn't have an internet connection for a while! But now I've got them both on AIM, so they can talk to me that way and save minutes. I'm glad I was born in the age of the internet! Oh, by the way, I refused to wear my Columbia t-shirt today because I didn't want to look like an idiot. But EVERYONE and his dog was wearing a Columbia shirt! Losers. It is my favorite shirt, though. But I won't wear it on Day 1.
So, there I was with one 53.5 lb suitcase, one 40 lb suitcase, a heavy laptop, and a heavy backpack. And I couldn't find the entrance. Finally, I found the Hogan Hall entrance, and so I hauled each of my suitcases up the 15 or so stairs to find that the door was locked and no one answered when I called. I called my dad, and he called a number that I could see from the windows. The guy said they would send someone from security over. Well, they didn't, so then I hit the security button and got some guy who tried to transfer me to Hartley Hall because he said that's where I had to check in (where you are supposed to check in after 5 according to the email), but Hartley was busy. And it was all the way across the quad and I did NOT want to drag my stuff all the way over there. So, after about 40 minutes of standing there hoping someone would be coming to Hogan Hall so I could sneak in, I called the guy that my dad had called, and he told me that the Hogan Hall entrance doesn't work anymore. He said the Broadway entrance is at 544 W. 114th street, so I dragged my suitcases back down the stairs and headed around the corner. I finally found 544, but it was some lady's apartment. So I walked back down the street and finally found the Broadway entrance.
Meanwhile, all around me there are parents and kids pushing huge bins full of their luggage, so I just looked like an clueless idiot...which I was. No, I wasn't an idiot, I was just misinformed. I hauled my bags back up the stairs and found the security guard who was no help at all. He told me once again that I had to go to Hartley Hall. So I said, "Fine, but I'm leaving my bags here and you're going to watch them!" Okay, I didn't really say it like that, but I wanted to.
Then, I made my way across to Hartley, where the security guy there thought I was an international student, even though I told him I wasn't. When I finally communicated that to him, he took me down some hallway to a little room where people where packing up and left me there. I told them that I needed to check in, and they told me that was at the front desk, which is where I was going until the security guy intercepted me. So I went back over there. As I was waiting in line, the security guy called me over again, and some girl was there. He said something to her, and she said, "No, she's not one of ours." So, now I had lost my place in line. When I finally got to the desk, it took forever for them to understand that I was a visiting student and I didn't have my ID yet because they wouldn't let me register until tomorrow but I needed a BED tonight! Finally we got it worked out after some weird guy started speaking bad French to show off, but he thought he was speaking Spanish. This is Columbia?
So, I finally got into my room and hour and a half after arriving at 113th and Broadway, but I have no phone. Well, I have a phone, but the phone part is missing. And my internet didn't work. And the RA isn't in his room....well, first, the room that says RA is Henry Wong's room...and he's not the RA! But there is a nice girl across the hall from me. My door would not lock and she showed me what I have to do.
Well, I got everything in my room, then I decided to go get something to eat. I walked outside. Good news is there is a supermarket across the street and a Duane Reed down the block. Also, a block away is the diner from Seinfeld! I'll take a picture tomorrow! Anyway, got some dinner, came back, took a shower in the showers with nowhere to put clothers or anything (and one of them doesn't have hot water and the shower head is broken off so it just hangs there. Anyway, I used the "good" one. The curtain is tiny, though, and I'm a pretty modest person so this will be interesting. Also, my room was so cold. I couldn't figure out the air conditioner because the controls are hidden. I just found it...it was set on 62! And it's like 42 degrees outside anyway! So, now I'm warmer and my internet works obviously.
Well, I did say this would be an adventure! It has made me really appreciate Miranda from Grenoble! She was awesome, and I'd give anything to have a "Miranda" here in New York. I'd give even more to have THE "Miranda" here because she was that cool.
Tomorrow will probably be interesting as well. I've got to do registration and ID stuff. But, Morningside Heights is awesome, just like I remember it, and Columbia is gorgeous. And hopefully, most Columbians are smarter than the ones I encountered today!
Okay, it's 11pm here, so I'm going to sleep! And I don't know how many minutes I used on my cell phone today. My mom and dad had to figure all this stuff out long distance...especially since I didn't have an internet connection for a while! But now I've got them both on AIM, so they can talk to me that way and save minutes. I'm glad I was born in the age of the internet! Oh, by the way, I refused to wear my Columbia t-shirt today because I didn't want to look like an idiot. But EVERYONE and his dog was wearing a Columbia shirt! Losers. It is my favorite shirt, though. But I won't wear it on Day 1.
Saturday, May 14, 2005
How to...
I know that some of the people who will be reading this are unfamiliar with web-blogs and such, so I just wanted to make sure they knew how to read and respond to the entries. You know who you are.
First, the first entry you see is the most recent one. So, there may be other entries that you haven't read (depending on how often you check this site) further down the page. Basically, find the first entry that you haven't yet read and read up the page.
Second, to respond to an entry, go to the bottom of that entry and click on the link that says
__ Comments. You can either set up an account with Blogger or you can just post an anonymous comment. If you have no idea how to set up an account, you are better off just making an anonymous post. Just remember to sign your name at the end so I know who you are!
So, I think that's it for now. Just some basics. Now I'll try not to post anything new until next Sunday when I'm finally in NYC so that everyone who needs to see this entry will be sure to see it.
First, the first entry you see is the most recent one. So, there may be other entries that you haven't read (depending on how often you check this site) further down the page. Basically, find the first entry that you haven't yet read and read up the page.
Second, to respond to an entry, go to the bottom of that entry and click on the link that says
__ Comments. You can either set up an account with Blogger or you can just post an anonymous comment. If you have no idea how to set up an account, you are better off just making an anonymous post. Just remember to sign your name at the end so I know who you are!
So, I think that's it for now. Just some basics. Now I'll try not to post anything new until next Sunday when I'm finally in NYC so that everyone who needs to see this entry will be sure to see it.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
1.jpg)
1.jpg)
Introduction
I've never been one to keep an online journal...or any kind of journal for that matter...only when I'm doing things like studying abroad. Yep, that was just once. Just take my stupid French Creative Writing journal (which wasn't even supposed to be a creative writing course! I'm still mad about that!) as evidence of that. So I can't guarantee that this is going to be a success, but I'll try my hardest. Well, except I would say that my Grenoble journal was sort of successful. I updated fairly regularly and my entries were pretty detailed. And I kept an actual journal in which I wrote funny stories and experiences and kept pictures. I can do that, and I will. So that proves it can be done. I just don't want to be one of those people with an "online journal" if that makes sense. But this is not just a regular journal, so that's okay. And if all of you back home are dedicated to reading my entries about what's going on here, then I'll try my hardest to be dedicated to making those entries. Of course, if you have no idea what I'm talking about or if you have no idea why I'm doing what I'm doing right now, I guess I'd better give a little summary of what this journal is supposed to be about:
On May 23rd, I'll be a student at Columbia University for the summer. To make a long story short, my AIMS counselor told me that I should have left Texas for college in the first place and that I'll never find my peer group here and that I definately need to go east or west to one of the top business schools for an MBA. So going to Columbia and New York City is supposed to expose me to my peer group and help me get a foot in the doors of the top business schools that are my goals for graduate school. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be there for about 15 weeks. I'm taking one class each session (a Corporate Finance course and an Art History course), and each class meets two nights a week, so I'll have quite a bit of free time to enjoy New York City. While I'm there, I hope to spend a day or two a week working at the day camp in Crown Heights in Brooklyn where I worked last summer. I enjoyed my time with those kids so much, and I can't wait to spend some more time with them...so keep your fingers crossed that that works out. Jamie Blassingame, a friend from church, is the summer missionary at the camp this summer, so it will be fun to work at the camp and experience some of New York City together.
I've been to New York City several times before, and those of you who know me well know that I'm well-traveled and love big cities, so I see this as a great adventure (like going to Grenoble). However, I am a little worried because this will be my first experience living in a college dormitory. This is something I've managed to avoid so far, but, well, I've got no choice now. Hopefully the students at Columbia will be much more "serious" students than the ones at Tech.
So, anyway, for those of you who followed my online journal at www.greatestcities.com/users/whitmcb (which was invaded by people trying to sell "bad stuff" over the internet but is still active and has plenty of pictures), this is my new online journal where I will write about NYC and post some pictures...if everything works correctly. You can also leave comments here to tell me of all the ways that Lubbock just isn't the same without me. And you'd better leave comments.
So, here come a couple of pictures to take up space until I actually get to New York...
On May 23rd, I'll be a student at Columbia University for the summer. To make a long story short, my AIMS counselor told me that I should have left Texas for college in the first place and that I'll never find my peer group here and that I definately need to go east or west to one of the top business schools for an MBA. So going to Columbia and New York City is supposed to expose me to my peer group and help me get a foot in the doors of the top business schools that are my goals for graduate school. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be there for about 15 weeks. I'm taking one class each session (a Corporate Finance course and an Art History course), and each class meets two nights a week, so I'll have quite a bit of free time to enjoy New York City. While I'm there, I hope to spend a day or two a week working at the day camp in Crown Heights in Brooklyn where I worked last summer. I enjoyed my time with those kids so much, and I can't wait to spend some more time with them...so keep your fingers crossed that that works out. Jamie Blassingame, a friend from church, is the summer missionary at the camp this summer, so it will be fun to work at the camp and experience some of New York City together.
I've been to New York City several times before, and those of you who know me well know that I'm well-traveled and love big cities, so I see this as a great adventure (like going to Grenoble). However, I am a little worried because this will be my first experience living in a college dormitory. This is something I've managed to avoid so far, but, well, I've got no choice now. Hopefully the students at Columbia will be much more "serious" students than the ones at Tech.
So, anyway, for those of you who followed my online journal at www.greatestcities.com/users/whitmcb (which was invaded by people trying to sell "bad stuff" over the internet but is still active and has plenty of pictures), this is my new online journal where I will write about NYC and post some pictures...if everything works correctly. You can also leave comments here to tell me of all the ways that Lubbock just isn't the same without me. And you'd better leave comments.
So, here come a couple of pictures to take up space until I actually get to New York...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
