My Eighth Month as a New Yorker

Spoiler alert: I did a lot in February. I know I've been saying this every month since I moved here eight months ago, but holy crap. I have no idea how I even fit all of this into the shortest month of the year, and if you're my friend on Facebook or follow me on Instagram you know that I did even more than what I've recapped below. I probably would have even managed to fit in a few more things if I hadn't spent the last four days of the month quarantined inside of my apartment — sick for the fifth time since I moved to the germ-infested cesspool that is New York City. 

Thankfully I'm starting to feel better, just in time for the beginning of March and yet another big snowstorm. Speaking of snow, February was the second snowiest February that New York has ever had, and we're on track to have one of the snowiest (fourth or second —but probably not first — depending) overall winters on record. You won't hear any complaints about the snow from me, in fact my morning walks to work through the winter wonderland of Central Park have been some of my favorite times since I've moved here. I only fear that I have become impossibly spoiled this winter, since it's unlikely that we'll have another one like it anytime soon (that is, if this one ever ends).

A "few" more highlights from my very full February (you might want to grab a snack, this might take a while):

Trent and I received a private tour of the Hamilton Grange house, toured City College's gorgeous gargoyle-filled campus and drooled over the beautiful houses in Hamilton Heights and Harlem  /  I braved Chinatown for the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade, which was far superior to last year's Firecracker Festival /  I brought cannoli from Little Italy to a Superbowl (aka eat snacks and watch commercials) party  /  The first of many February snowstorms transformed the city streets into a wintery wonderland.

In a rare display of (lingering) affection, Mozart sat on my lap and I had to pee so bad but I refused to get up until she did (it was a very LONG time)  /  Central Park iced over and I walked on top of eight inches of snow without leaving a footprint  /   Katie, Jim and I had one of our regular dinners at Sardi's (my first time), where we shared a beautiful baked Alaska  /  I spotted "love" on the Upper East Side minutes before a little boy threw a snowball right at me  /  After years of walking by it to go to John's Pizzeria, Jim and I had margaritas at the Caliente Cab Co. and took home these super classy souvenir glasses.

I spent a lazy Saturday exploring Downtown Manhattan and walked by the icy Hudson and paid my respects to Philip Seymour Hoffman (RIP)  /  I got into the Guggenheim for a dollar (pay-what-you-wish is the best)  /  A snowy morning walk to work through Central Park is far preferable to riding the stinky bus  /  Grace introduced me to Cafe Lalo, aka the cafe from You've Got Mail and I've been there three times since  /  I was the only crazy person walking through Central Park during a(nother) snowstorm that wasn't walking a dog.

I made chocolate-covered strawberries for a Valenfriends Day party, where we sipped grapefruit margaritas and exchanged store-bought Valentines /  My Valentine's Day present from the city was another snowstorm  /  Mozart was my Valentine whether she knew it or not  /  I died of happiness spending three hours at a Strand warehouse sale where you could stuff a whole bag full of books for only $15, which I then carried a mile in (another) snowstorm  /  I took two good Ohio friends on a (snowy) tour of Central Park including the beautiful Ladies' Pavilion.

After weeks of seeing this mystery bag everywhere, finally finding out it was Longchamp and resigning myself to never getting it (because $$$) my mom surprised me with it  /  I spent my Presidents' Day off walking around Greenpoint, Brooklyn where I got Peter Pan donuts, ate them by the waterfront and walked the Pulaski Bridge to Queens  /  I finally bought a "real" camera and tested it out on my two favorite subjects.

Jim and I ate at Katz's Deli, but we didn't have what she had  /  We also ate at the Empire Diner, the first on my list of the last five remaining stand-alone diners in Manhattan  /  I learned the meaning of "zero visibility" on a foggy lunch walk along the East River  /  I finally bought Hunter boots and walked in puddles just because I could  /  I walked past a rose-petal-covered median  /  One of the first designs I worked on at my new job got printed.

Diner #2 — the Pearl Street Diner — down, three to go  /  Jim and I took the Staten Island Ferry on a very beautiful and warm Saturday  /  We visited the weird and wonderful Sailors' Snug Harbor (my second time there), caught a gorgeous sunset on the way back to Manhattan and ended the night with cheese and wine at the oldest bar in Manhattan, Fraunces Tavern (est. 1726), which is right by the US Stock Exchange.

I took the subway to Queens and hiked to the gorgeous Calvary Cemetery, where I spent a long time searching for Vito Corleone's gravesite from the Godfather, only to find it a few feet from where I had been looking  /  I saw one of the creepiest tombs I've ever seen  /  I took my mom to a drag show, hosted by Japanese Fucking Bitch  /  I spent the last four days of the month sick in bed, eating nothing but ramen and watching Meg Ryan romantic comedies (You've Got Mail is always number one).

Whew. If you made it through all that and you aren't related to me, I thank you for your dedication. Although I'd probably be content if it just kept snowing forever and New York basically became Narnia, I'm still excited for the prospect of Spring, especially after the small taste of it we had last week. I'm mostly looking forward to taking the exact same photos of the exact same things I've photographed hundreds of times before — but with my new camera and hopefully a few hints of greenery in the distant future.