HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Hi from the Slacking Blogger! Apologies for not updating more, this season can be so hectic and, as always, my computer picks and chooses the times it wants to work.





Christmas in New York


I can see how it could be depressing....Christmas Eve, alone, big city, little dreamer...but the beauty of being away from everyone that you love is that you find a way to love even smallest scenes in life..



example.... I was sitting at the Christmas Eve and watched two people walk up to the second floor, only they couldn't really walk on their own



They both had walkers and after one person made it up, the other went down to help the other...they both folded their walkers up in time and sat down for their christmas eve meal. I couldn't help but notice how dapper they looked, in their 60's and all, and how much they loved one another.



I saw that they both ordered a glass of wine and told the server it was on me, not because I wanted a thank you but because they made me smile, the way they cared for one another. They later told me it had been 15 years since they last saw eachother and that the woman (did i mention this was a man and a woman) had flown in from Georgia to see her old friend, it all got me to thinking about how important friendships are and where I would be without them.


I recently had a visit from some of those people, some of the friends that have always supported you and love you no matter what. (More about that below)



Christmas Day was a good one, I had dinner with four of my new friends at Jen and Mike Watts apt, you can check out pics of our dinner on their Blogg(which puts mine to shame by the way)

http://www.weisswatts.blogspot.com/ I was in charge of the side so I made the only thing I know I can, cheesy potatoes. We had plenty of wine and champagne it truly felt like a holiday. I wasn't sure it would being away from parents and all, but I got to see them on my first trip home and we celebrated the day complete with Santa Sack and all (for my new friends this is a giant bag that my dad fills for my mom and I every year in addition to our stockings, it is filled with great stuff and a tradition that I hope never goes away) Thanks again mom and dad for a great day!!! I love you.





So as I mentioned above, Beth, Kretch, Shannon and Toddy all came to visit a couple of weeks ago. I cannot tell you how relieved I was to see their smiling faces, I had to sit and take it all in for a minute. It felt good to be around people I could be myself in front of and not worry if they like me the next day.


After a minute it was as if no time had passed.



We went to Greenwich Village to find a place to eat. I have to admit I was a bit surprised where we ended up wich was a "haunted" restaraunt that came complete with talking wall mounts and cheezy servers, but, we will never forget it (did I mention the bathrooms were hidden in a bookshelf?)



After the very interesting meal we headed to meet Gina Samardge, one of the stars of an up and coming clown entertainment group (http://www.thecoolestbandever.com/) and wandered the bars in the village. They recently got back from a tour in China. Somehow (wink wink) we ended up at Hogs and Heffers (the original coyote ugly bar) and I don't think they have forgiven me to this day for that one.


Day two was good times, we started at Times Square at the Rockefeller tree and went on a hunt for a slice of real NY pizza. (This was after Kretchy's hunt for a Salamaria failed, only Kretchy) Then we took a trip to China Town to grab some officially fake designer bags. I have always heard that if you go there for a bag, don't go into the shops but go with a person that approaches you on the street and asks if you want to see a bag and follow them into their lair. This is supposedly where the higher quality knockoffs are(pretty shady stuff) So a woman approached us and we followed her not knowing where the hell she was taking us, then she stopped in front of a minivan which had a person in the back already "shopping", we opted out and grabbed some bags in the shop, I walked out with a high quality black Versace Hit bag (http://www.eluxury.com/estore/browse/product_detail.jsp?program-id=780&ad-id=57&id=11505610) which is now affectionatel called the Ver-sase (piece of shit zipper already broke, maybe I should have gone into the van)



Dinner was awesome, I knew it would be because the Kretch's and the Kralls don't mess around when it comes to food. We went to Del Posto (http://www.delposto.com/) which is Mario Batelli's restaraunt. The wine was perfect as was the food but the company was my favorite part.



On Sunday the Kretches went home and Shannon, Toddy, my friend Helen and I went to the Browns vs Jets game. We met about 100 other browns fans in the parking lot to tailgate and I felt as close to Cleveland as I had in months! It was freaking freezing, I have very little war clothing here yet so I was underdressed for sure. There were five other browns backer groups there, NY, Brooklyn, New England, Phili and Jersey. Did you know that the Browns have the largest backers group in the world? Pretty cool, there is a group in Sri Lanka (http://www.zyworld.com/brownsbackerskc/BrownsBackersofSriLanka.htm)



Shannon and Todd had to take off early for their plane (4p game) so Helen and i stuck it out for as long as we could in the rain. The rain was worth it, we WON!!!

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

I went back to Ohio, but my city was gone......kidding but always wanted to use that phrase

What a trip, my first stop was WEWS, it was awesome to see all of my old work buddies, well, most of them and I couldn't believe how different it all seemed to me. It looked different, felt different and I didn't feel like the weight of the world was on my shoulders when I was there! I was there for a couple of hours with Wendy then off the the Chop House for some apps. After I parked my butt at Bruno's (it was a wednesday afterall) and drank and played until the sun came up. Thanks to everyone who made it there, it meant a lot to me.

On Thursday I went back to Bruno's, I needed lunch you know and then headed to Madtown with to see my parents. It was soo good to be home, I swear I never sleep more, or better than I do at my parent's house, something about the warmth and comfort of it all sets my mind at ease.

Friday I finally got to see THE CHIPPER and the Donkey's and Jamie !!! They came up from columbus. We went to dinner and then to the Put-In-Bay bar which is a bar named after the island where we all met years ago. I couldn't wait for that hug from the Chipper, I needed that hug more than you know. We had a great time and I was sad to see them go. The Kretch's let us crash at their home and I got to sleep in my room again, (oh yeah, I have my own room there and don't think for a minute Im letting someone else have it=)

I left on Sunday and was both tired and sad. It was hard to leave when there were still so many people I wanted to see, Mandy and Tami in particular. I miss you guys soo much, I hope next time we can get together.

So that's about it, I think that brings me up to date, I know it's been a long entry but I had lots to say!!!

I miss everyone very much, please have a great New Year and drink one for me!!!

The Replacements

I've come to realize that my life here in New York is similar to Cleveland in a few ways, I have just "replaced" a few things

The Replaceables:

Instead of Bruno's I have The Coral, the food and service is NOTHING like Bruno's, but that it is right by my place and I go there the same night each week (such a creature of habit)



Instead of I-90 I have "The 1 train" ...everyone knows I cannot get anywhere the same way twice if it's not along 90, it's the same here, if I can't get there on the 1, I can't get there, well, atleast not without some creative detours



Instead of a bag of cheez its every morning at work, I eat scrambled eggs with tabasco and 2 sausage links

Instead of going through a drive thru for dinner, I stop for a slice

Instead of BW3's NTN trivia, Tuesday night team trivia at an irish pub, complete with name that song

Instead of the public square tree it's the rockefeller tree

Instead of jaeger bombs, ummm, nothing, I just don't do hard liquor anymore

Instead of sassy leather boots, rain boots with cute designs and leather boots that no longer have heals

Instead of lugging my laundry 3 floors I lug it three blocks

Instead of my mom's great turkey dinner and a day of forensic files with my dad, a night at a seminary cooking the same meal for those that couldn't afford to make it themselves....


The Irreplaceables:

You.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND ALL OF MY LOVE

Missing 3-ways....

Get your mind out of the gutter! I mean I am missing my skyline chili 3-ways (for those non ohioans that is spaghetti, cinci chili and shredded cheddar) that I used to eat every sunday. It's about 6:30p and if I were in Cleveland right now I would be gearing up to go in about a half hour...so I just spent the past half hour on Google looking for Cinci chili, there is a rumor online that a place called Chili Mac's (from chicago) is opening here near Lincoln Center, which, is literally right where I work...can't be true...if it is I guess Santa must heave read my list early.



A lot has happened over the past couple of weeks (I've been slacking on the blog)...I had my first overnight guest...Wendy!! She spent the weekend with me a couple of weeks ago and we had a blast. She brought me meatballs from Bruno's!!! Her first night we decided to get lost in Greenwich Village and find a place to eat, turned out to be a monsoon that night so we ran into the first restaraunt we saw that looked warm, it was a place called Spain which was, ummm..interesting. As soon as we sat down they put a bunch of food in front of our faces that we didn't recognize but enjoyed just the same, it was an experience. After, we dove into every little neighborhood bar we could find and then ended up at some nightclub, it was a blast. Saturday we had tix to see The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway but because of the strike we couldn't see it so we ate at a steakhouse in the Theatre District instead Frankie and Johnny's...it was awesome, very cozy, great steak (although I think they were offended when I asked if they had any sauces for their steaks (atleast I didn't ask for A-1!!

The thing I am still getting used to here, well one of them, is the fact that you are practically sitting with the table right next to you in most of these places which kinda stinks when you are trying to catch up on girl talk. I saw something bizarre that the table next to us did. One of the guys asked the server to cut his steak for him....what the frick? The server did it as if it were a common request...is it??? Let me know....it was creepy to me.



Sunday we watched the Browns lose to Pittburgh at the Brown's Backers bar and then decided to walk around and venture into some other watering holes while we waited for dinner (we made reserevations at an Italian restaraunt). I was in the mood for Sake (flashback to New years with the Kretch's and Meatball when I tried Sake for the first time in times square!!) So we ordered some Wasabe dumplings to go along with it, HOLY SHIT! I like spice, but that, that was just wrong, it was the worst tasting dumpling EVER, it literally took my breath away. I have had wasabe before but this was ridiculous.

We then went to an Irish pub and chilled out, a couple of minutes later, someone from another country, or planet, sat down next to us and ordered a picher of beer, for himself. No matter how I describe this guy it is not going to do him justice.



He was this bald, skinny, pale white and tall. He sat there inspected his beer like some sort of message was going to appear through the foam. He took a sip and then walked over to the mirror to check himself out. After a few minues of staring at himself while the bar snickered, he walked back over to his 30 pound backpack and pulled out some sunglasses wrapped in plastic. After begging the poor bartender for some scissors, he finally opened them up. He walked over to the mirror again and put them on...these weren't just your average shades, they were Elvis shades, complete with gold trim and built in sideburns. So by now wendy and I are crying we're laughing so loud, but he doesn't stop there..by this time wendy and I decide we're gonna have to be later for our reservation just to see what he was going to do next.
He goes back to his bag and grabs a wig, an elvis one, and then goes back to the mirror. I start asking the bartender if there is a hidden camera in the bar, and then I eventually ask him if he is wearing one....he wasn't. Turns out he was wearing that stuff because he wanted to have hair for a day and couldn't think of a cooler do than Elvis's....he was here on vacation and heading back to Berlin a few hours later.... I told Wendy she just had her first "New York Moment."

Letters from home

I am in! Made the big move, (all 2 suitcases) and I am already wondering how I am going to fit in here. The first thing I did? No, I didn't unpack...I grabbed a towel and took the longest bath I have ever taken, I lit a candle, then a cigarette, and relaxed for, I think, the first time since I have been here. Then I walked arounds in my towel for awhile, just because I could.
I now have 3 dishes, all of which are wine glasses, I bought one piece of furniture, a wine rack from a street fair (priorities)
There is one thing in my cupboards, a box of welch's fruit snacks...
And six things in my fridge, al diet cokes.....
I'm set!!!!

This weeks celebrity sitings:
Jerry Seinfeld (who asked me if he could have some of my potato chips which I was shoving in my face when he saw me)
Bob Saget
And finally Barbara Walters (she tapes in a different part of the building so this is the first time I have seen her) I stood behind her in lunch line, for those keeping track, she had an omelet and paid for her assistant's lunch. Maybe I should look into that job.

My New Home!!!!

I finally found it!! I FINALLY signed a lease to a cute little studio apartment on the way upper west side of Manhattan...when I say small, I mean my old place minus the bedroom, but triple the cost...but it is adorable and it's mine. Such a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, I can't wait to have a place for my shoes!!! And I can watch TV all day if I want and I can DVR the hell out of every cheesy show I am embarassed to admit that I watch...I can sleep on the couch again!!!
It is in an old brownstown on a very pretty street and half the walking distance to the subway than my current place. My landlord does all of the renovations himself (just like Tim in Cleveland) and he truly loves his places. It has a tiny little fake fireplace (I have always wanted one, real or not) and a little island. The kitchen is about as big as a bathroom and the bathroom is about as big as a closet so that makes the tub just my size so it is perfect!! The stove and fridge are brand new, stove is soo cute, about the size of an easy bake oven. I can reach every cupboard in the kitchen!
Best part...it has optional furniture in it at no charge...seeing as I came here with only 2 suitcases it is a great feature...
So now, when you come visit me, you can skip the hotel cost and sleep at my new palace....

From Madtown to Manhattan: Sweet Pea??

From Madtown to Manhattan: Sweet Pea??

Sweet Pea??

I went to watch what ended up being the end of the Indians season at ESPN zone a week ago. Went with a few of my work friends. We hooked up with an Indians fan from Columbus who knew everything there is to know about sports. There was a really tall giant looking (compared to me) man there that you knew had to be some former star. Our new found columbus friend told us the guy's name is Lloyd Daniels, aka "Sweet Pea"
He played for six different NBA teams in his career, most notably the spurs. He was alone so we invited him to watch the game with us. It was fascinating to hear about his past and how he went from street ball legend in the streets of NY to an player in the NBA.
So a few drinks in and an indians loss later we were saying our goodbyes outside, I wanted a picture of Sweet Pea and I...so he grabbed me and then like REALLLY grabbed me, I got pissed off but didn't say anything...until he did it again, then I smacked his arm away...whatever I blew it off..
AND THEN
He starts asking me if I have any money?? I thought he was kidding at first, I mean, after all HE is the former NBA player, I am the one who could use the money here. He wasn't kidding, he proceeds to tell all of us he needs money to get home to Jersey..meanwhile we bought his damn dinner and drinks...Of course that part of me that guilts myself into everything gave him 20 bucks...you would think he would stop there, but no, he then proceeded to ask everyone else I was with for cash and before I knew it we were all paying for his "ride home"....Amazing
Now that I think about it, obviously the guy is a scammer, why else would a former NBA player go to ESPN zone to chill out, he WANTED to be recognized, for the free shit he was bound to get, we fell for it.
He called me the next day on my cell (yes, when I thought he was a good guy I gave him my number) I told him I couldn't talk because I, unlike some people, had to work for a living.
Well, I was a lot nicer about it than that, but he hasn't called since.

My First Staten Island Trip

So I had my first Sex And The City moment on Saturday when I went to my first party...remember the episode when they all get on the ferry for the big party...anyway, the view was awesome (and I swear I will figure out how to post pictures) I saw the statue of liberty for from the ferry, and mom, you're right, there is something about that lady that can take your breath away. I can't wait til you get to see her.
The party was a birthday party for my new friend Chris that I work with, (yes, i now have like 10 friends!!!...he has a great place (much nicer than I will get here in Manhattan). There's a great view of the city from his patio. It was a lot of fun because I got to really get to know the people I work with and let them see the not so serious side of me...(hope i didn't scare em)

My First Visitor!

Last week I had my first hug from home when Lana came to visit on Tuesday!! She was here doing her big wig job but was able to hang with me quite a bit. She came to the network and chilled out with me at my desk for awhile, it felt just like old times. I couldn't help but cry when I saw her walk in, I felt like an ass in front of my co-workers but I'm pretty sure they understood. You just kind of block out the fact that you miss soo many people soo much until you see them again...you're kind of wrapped up in all of your new surroundings.
Anyway, she brought me an Indians Rally Towel so I could represent while here in the city, it worked wonders that night when we went to ESPN Zone to watch the game, however, it lost some of it's magic once Lana left.
We had a great time...went to dinner with Helen at an italian restaraunt called Carmine's in time square, it was just Bucca style, huge portions and good wine. I truly felt like like no time had passed at all.
It was sad to see her go the next day, but I know we will be seeing eachother a lot (she can't resist Tiffany's and knock off hand bags for too long)

Phoenix Sun

So I'm sitting at work, my desk is just outside of the World News Tonight Studio, when I see a really hot guy walk into the studio..I start wondering what dept he works in, then I see his profile...it was freakin Joaquin Phoenix....I was on the phone at the time and I think I stopped talking, don't remember what I said but my jaw hit the desk.
He stopped for a second and I smiled at him and he smiled back...and then I puked...kidding, but I couldn't stop smiling, Im sure I looked like a weirdo to him. I couldn't concentrate at all, he was way too close. What I hated was that I was the only one freaking out, everyone else acted like it was no big deal...like he pops in all the time. What was worse is that it is a golden rule in television that you are not to bother the stars when they are there, it's a safe zone for them...SUX! Had I been outside of that building I would have hugged him I swear. I did, however, have to go to the bathroom when he was leaving, and guess what, he went to the bathroom too. I began to wonder who was in there at the time and how they reacted when he walked up beside them and took a pee, did they look? I would have.

Dawn's NY Top 10

10...The number of times I have had to ask people where the hell I am
9...The number of couples I have seen making out the subway as if nobody was there
8...The number of times a day I say F*** when I can't find my freakin subway metro card
7... The number of times I had to explain to people what the hell the bugs were about during the Yankees/Indians game last night (each version was very creative)
6... The number of guys I have seen openly peeing on the side of a building on Broadway, not bums either, just your average joes..crazy
5...What I tip a cab driver after I give up trying to find my way home myself
4... The number of real dinners I have gone to, all of them Italian and really good (not Bruno's though!!)
3...The number of drinks I had before I got up on the bar at the original "Coyote Ugly" bar, respectfully called Hoes and Heffers (dont get mad mom..I swear its what the bar is known for)
2...The number of songs I stayed up on the bar for
1... The number of times I watched the Browns win while in NYC
0... The number of Targets in Manhattan! I'm lost without it!

Damn Yankees

10/6/07
So the hardest thing about this change hasn't been the cost, the schleping of bags to and fro or the fact that I have no permanent place to live...the hardest thing has been trying to openly route for the Indians in a room full of haters. Thursday's game wasn't so bad because there were other tribe fans in the bar, but last night, after they got their asses kicked on Thu, fans were not so understanding. For the majority of the game I was the only Cleveland fan in the bar (my friend Helen later joined me), I must admit that in the beginning, I was pretty quiet. But, after a couple bottles of liquid courage I was making Cleveland proud. For the most part, Yankee fans were polite and some even bought me a beer, but after they lost, well, the bar was quiet and they all went home with their heads down....it was beautiful...

I finally made it...

Hello

I decided to start blogging my adventures here in the big city as a way to keep in touch with my friends and family and to keep an account of my time here in the greatest city in the world.....



About me....

I am a 32 year old female that was born and raised in Madison, Ohio (hence the title of my blog)Madison is a small town in lake county about 40 miles east of Cleveland near Lake Erie. Population about 10,000. Nurseries everywhere, a bar called the Wagon Wheel and the closest movie theatre is about a half hour away...Needless to say it is a bit different from New York. After college I moved to the Cleveland area and was there until about a week ago...


I have been in the TV news business now for about seven years and spent all of them at NewsChannel 5 in Cleveland until about a month ago.....



I have always had the desire to move to NYC ever since my first trip here several years ago...I hit a point in my career and life where I knew it was now or never and if I didn't make a move fast I never would. Within a week after my resume went out I was on a plane to NYC and interviewing with ABC, 4 hours later I was hired and told I had 3 weeks to get here...

I packed everything up, sold all that I could and flew out of Hopkins with nothing but two suitcases and two fingers crossed..



Getting here.....

I spent three weeks on craig's list frantically looking for a place to stay when I got here, not knowing anything about the neighborhoods and not wanting to commit myself to something i would hate I decided to sublet a room from a woman in the Hamilton Hts area. I sent a friend of mine to take a look at the room for me (after i sent the money) and she assured me it had a door, a closet and a bed...Perfect


My Roomate.....

is a woman I believe to be in her late 40's or early 50's....she is a former actress who did some soaps and some off broadway musicals and plays. She is currently an entertainment reporter who has interviewed some of the biggest names in the business. She is a very caring and genuine person that has gone out of her way to make my first month here as painless as possible....and...she buys me diet cokes=)


My apt.....
Very big for a NY apt, the building is very old so it has tons of character. You can sit on the window seat and look at the NY skyline across the Hudson, I am sitting there now (very Carrie Bradshaw of me I know)
There's an elevator guy that knows my name and makes me feel at home, joins me for smokes sometimes..
It gets hot as hell in the apt sometimes, I miss my central air, and my damn DVR!! I am watching TV on a tiny set smaller than my head that sits on my tummy, I call it my tummy TV, but, it's better than nothing right?
Anyway, I stay here until November and then I need to find my own place.

My job.....
Scary as hell!! But in a good way...It is very difficult to go from being on top of your game to being the newbie in the group. Everyone here has tons of experience working on the national level, and me, well, I know the Cleveland market by heart. They are all trying their best not to make me feel like I fit right in but I can't help but wonder if they are asking themselves why I am there. I keep telling myself I got this job because I can handle it and that I am going to wake up one day and be a pro....it's only been 8 days so I am not too worried...yet

Famous faces.....
Okay, so I forgot the really fun stuff about working at the network, there is a cafe on the 1st floor with made to order breakfast and lunch with a pasta bar and hot pretzels...and, I get to see famous people
My first day it was Joey Lawrence, next day Nikki Syxx, not to mention Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer.....I love NY

The Cost.....
Yeah, it's freakin expensive...here's an idea of the difference in cost in this city

Diet coke in a can (from the vending machine) 95 cents

6 pack of diet coke from store 5.75 (you can get 2 12pax at Marc's for that!!!)

A bag of peanut M&M's 75 cents

Pack of smokes 7.50

Bud in a bottle during Browns game special 5 bucks

A glass of Cabernet with dinner 12 bucks (although I did find a dive with 4 dollar wine this weekend)

Movie (no food included) 12 bucks, NO DIFFERENCE in matinees

But, for as many hits as a wallet takes here in NYC, there is so much here that money couldn't buy that it just makes it all worth it.