A loooooong day yesterday! But a good one.
After packing up the car, we headed down the NYS Thruway to the Palisades Parkway to the George Washington Bridge to the Henry Hudson Parkway to the West Side Highway to the apartment. The Company Manager and her assistant were waiting for us and gave us the keys. We parked in a loading zone with the hazard lights blinking – only for a short time – but we got a ticket. Dang.
Anyway, this apartment building is narrow and our apartment in on the third floor, so we had to go up and down three long flights of stairs several times. We were pooped. And winded – which makes me realize we need to get in ‘stairs shape.’ Oh, and there isn’t a microwave here, and we found a small one at a local hardware store on the way home last night and Don had to schlep that up the stairs. It was sort of the ‘last straw’ for the stairs yesterday.
It’s a really lovely apartment. We have to get used to the NYC street sounds (especially on a Saturday night!) but it’s relatively quiet during the day and we have our noise machine on at night, so no problem for sleeping.
This is one view of the living room. The photos were taken right after we arrived, so no tweaking had been done yet. Note how much the coffee table resembles the mini version I have in the newest dollhouse. It’s a pretty hip looking place and ‘on trend’ with the cool light fixture on the ceiling and the modern look to the furniture.
After I took this photo, I moved the coffee table closer to the sofa. I love the photo of Manhattan with the Flatiron Building front and center. As I write this, we are currently sitting side by side on the sofa. But I will eventually, I think, choose to blog at the little white table in the first photo. The floors are black wood laminate and they’re pretty cool looking.
The bedroom – it has a cool light on the ceiling as well, but I neglected to get it in this picture. I ended up moving the bed to the left so there was room for each of us to maneuver around the bed. There’s a nice sized closet with lots of room for clothes. There is also a linen closet right outside the bedroom and a coat closet next to the bathroom. The bathroom is very tiny, too difficult to photograph, and the kitchen is pretty tiny, too, but I will grab a photo of it later today.
All in all, we’re thrilled.
After settling in – I did a lot of the unpacking and ‘stowing away’ while Don drove the car to a parking garage nearby – we spent some time thanking our lucky stars for this place which is only a few blocks from the rehearsal rooms and the theater. It had previously been occupied by the Music Director of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and when the show closed and he moved out, it was offered as a possibility for Margaritaville. It’s all in the timing.
The view out one of the windows. That’s the fire escape you’re looking through.
Eventually, we Ubered up to the Upper West Side to visit The Sill before it closed. The Sill is a neat little plant shop. The original shop is on Hester Street on the Lower East Side, but they just opened a new branch on Amsterdam and 81st.
Specializing in apartment friendly plants, it’s light and airy and very hip.
We bought a ZZ plant and a Chinese Evergreen (both easy care because Don will forget to water them) for the apartment. I may have to add a monstera deliciosa next time I’m here.
Broadway on the Upper West Side.
We made a brief stop at Barnes & Noble (the same branch where I got to meet Louise Penny) and then moseyed over to Central Park. We were hungry and I realized that I was dehydrated and I was getting cranky and tired, so we grabbed some chinese food at a restaurant called The Cottage. Delicious! Felt much better afterwards and we headed back to the apartment to watch a little television and then we hit the sack.
I slept surprisingly well (the mattress is a little too hard for me) and we’re having a lazy morning. I’ll be here until tomorrow morning (I think.) That could change. We’ll see how it goes. Don starts rehearsals tomorrow at 10 am, so he’ll be gone all day, but I could do some more exploring, couldn’t I? On the other hand, back at the ranch I need to chop up the melting ice on our driveway, so we’ll see. It isn’t cheap to garage a car here and we have that darned parking ticket to pay.
Happy Sunday.
What a treat the apartment is! That photo of Manhattan..wow! I just love NY apartments, with the views and fire escapes! And the lights at night and the traffic noise…a bucket list item, for sure!
I was looking at the Instagram posts and the one of Don’s with the Christmas tree in the gutter! That was great!
Have a lovely day!
So many Christmas trees are waiting to be collected, Debbie. They’re everywhere!
i am happy for you and don … that apartment sounds/looks great already, the move-in is done, the plants are coming in and you’ll make it even nicer.
bummer about the parking ticket, but all things considered, sounds like you had a good day and there’s more ahead!
kathy in iowa
There is. We’re having fun, Kathy!
Claudia, I love that apartment. Love it. The neighborhood looks so interesting too. I enjoy seeing the lights of NYC at dark. So special. Wishing you safe times at home and fun times when you can be with your sweet man. Blessings to you both. xoxo, Susie
Thank you so much, Susie!
I love the view from the apartment. Have a nice time!
Thank you, Regula!
Cool apartment. It’s got a different vibe than your cottage…and I think that’s great…your city hide-away. Enjoy the city while you can. I love that pic out the window through the fire escape! ;))
I’m having a good time, Donnamae. But when you’re not used to walking a lot you get tired!
Oh- I just know you will love your time there (minus the schlepping up and down the steps). I went to school in Manhattan and loved it. I haven’t been back to visit in many, many years. xo Diana
It’s a great city. But it takes energy!
So glad you like the apartment – it looks really nice. Except for the itty bathroom, but then that’s pretty much par for the course in NYC. Unless you have a duplex on Central Park, that is – LOL. I’ve had friends with NYC apartments that are – no kidding – smaller than my own walk-in closet. Yikes. That view from the fire escape is really lovely though – how lucky to end up with a pink house just across the street! The shot reminded me of a Woody Allen movie – he includes NYC architecture so often in his movies. It looks like a nice neighborhood too. Enjoy your time there – hope it’s a REALLY long time [fingers & toes crossed]. Long enough for the plants to have babies & need re-potting! Peace. 🗽
#Resist
#ProtectMueller
This is a very nice space, so we’re not complaining!
what wonderful pictures. especially the one of Broadway at night on the Upper West Side.
that view from the fire escape is going to be beautiful when all the trees are green.
I have moved often with stairs to climb… the latest being a few years ago. it’s so tiring.
but also so worth it.
upstairs is always my choice in apartments. for safety as well as the breezes and privacy.
I remind myself of that every time I hoist grocery bags up the stairs!
I’ve seriously considered a rope and pulley situation like in the movie classic Rear Window.
LOL!
Wouldn’t that be great?
I’m charmed by your NYC apartment! I’ve watched so many movies set there that it’s neat to see you have a place in such a quintessential NY neighborhood.. are those brownstones? Kind of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” like. I have to tell you – you’ve infected me with the need to have a ZZ plant. :-) I called one of the nurseries near our closest “town” and the 6 inch pot was $47! Eek! I need to find a cheaper one. Have fun in the city! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
$47???? Way too much for a 6 inch pot! I have a six incher right here in the apartment and it was $15. In Manhattan!
Ouch…sometimes i think “they” are lying in wait just to pop that ticket on the windshield. But, glad Don is moved in and you, Claudia, can begin the tweaking to make the temp space a home for Don.
I bet they were!
Just a bit of tweaking this weekend in the form of houseplants.
Whole new way to start out first month of the new year; exciting and interesting life you have! Love the cityscape pix.
Thanks Vicki!
Oh, it all looks good to me—except for the ticket! Ouch. I just know that you’re having fun.
We are. But we’re back in the apartment now so that Don can get some rest for tomorrow’s rehearsal.
I have to admit that one of my favorite parts of being in Manhattan is looking out the window, hermit that I am.
xo
What a view from your balcony! And the plant shop is very cool. Have some fun while your there!Best of luck to Don.
I will. Thanks, April!
such a lovely part of the city.
I could get used to seeing that pretty pink building across the street!
Me too!
The apartment looks great- I think you should stay and explore, that way you and Don can celebrate the end of the first day of rehearsals ( and that you survived the stairs)
We would normally have been in NYC in January, but I vowed not to visit whilst Trump was President. I miss it. Great country, great people, rubbish President.
Have a wonderful time in a wonderful city
Siobhan xx
I avoided Trump Tower. Last time I saw it was during a protest march.
The apartment looks really nice and great get away for you. I bet Don is anxious to get back in rehearsals and get this show open on Broadway! I promised myself a ZZ plant soon! Dang tickets! Just stay safe and warm and get that ice broken up. I’m doing a bit better today and got a visit from my Grands which really cheered me up.
So glad you’re feeling a bit better. Those Grands are the perfect tonic!
Great apartment…great city view…I would love to browse that plant shop!…Get some rest tonight…I bet Don will be very tried after rehearsing tomorrow since he had his big break at home…Claudia…if you wait a couple of days to go home I bet that ice will be melted and you won’t even have that chore to do!! lol
I’m headed home this morning, Nancy.
I will bet that once the trees leaf out in the spring, it will be a street with a tree canopy over it. Our street is like that, and I absolutely love how it looks. Not so much in the winter….
The apartment looks lovely. I will bet that Don will be comfortable there, though not quite as happy as when he is home in the cottage with you! But I imagine that the amount of time he will spend there won’t be much with as busy as he will be now.
Enjoy your stay. Stairs or chopping ice ~~ they both sound pretty tiring!!
As of today, he’s going to be VERY busy!
I love seeing pictures of New York. That’s a great looking apartment. We are expecting 10-15 inches of snow in my neck of the woods tomorrow.
Oh no! Hang in there!
Claudia…a question about your pilea. I bought one on Amazon after seeing your post on it. It’s done very well. I noticed yesterday though that there were white ‘nodules’ underneath the leaves at regular intervals around them….evenly spaced. I thought it was quite odd and scraped a couple of them off. Do you have them also on yours?
I googled it when I got to work tonight and found this on Clever Bloom:
Q. What are the white spots under the leaves? Do I have bugs?
A. I don’t think you have bugs (although you should check just to be sure). The leaves have stomata (pores) which allow for gas exchange. Water vapor is released through these pores as well. I believe these white deposits are a sort of mineral deposit when the water vapor is released. I started using distilled water and they’re mostly gone.
Makes sense with mine. I have well water that is high in mineral content that leaves a deposit on my sinks and windows on my car if I let it air dry. I guess I will be switching water for this plant. :)
I don’t really know anything about them, Kathy. I also have extremely hard well water so I water the plants with distilled water. See what happens when you switch water.