The Fifth Season of New York?

Forget about fall, winter, spring, and summer in New York. IT’s time for a NEW SEASON!

The past three weeks have challenged the meteorologists’ predictions and strained the New Yorker’s thoughts on wardrobe. It has been insanely warm for this time of the year. I think it’s time to come up with a new name for the fifth season in New York. When it is still cold in April, you say the winter has not vanished. When it is rainy in the July, you say the summer has been spoiled. But when it is WARM at the end of November, what would you call that? Fring? Spall?

Now I am usually not the person you find sitting next to you on a park bench and animatedly discussing today’s weather. No, NO! But compare today to 2010, during which this time of the year had been refreshingly cool, yes, even shivering cold, and a winter jacket plus some boots were surely needed. However, this year, after our first snow fall at the end of October, it has been sunshiny warm since the beginning of November. Indeed, it has been so mild, I packed my summer and fall jackets out again and even wore a T-shirt occasionally. Some days in between have been cooler, but now this week has started off in a spring-like fashion once more.
I really don’t know what to think of all of this. No one is in the mood to welcome the winter anymore. I am still hoping that this year winter has been miraculously skipped or that it will simply turn into summer in a few weeks. Insane thoughts, I know, but the current climate is really encouraging these. I don’t even know why I bought my winter jacket two months ago, but maybe eventually I will be able to utilize it.
When walking around the City or seeing people dress at work and in the subway, I see how they are equally confused about what to wear these days. In the beginning a huge amount of folks had their winter jacket in one hand and their shawls in the other. Now especially girls have considered the bright side of this climate change and are trying to pair thin late-summer dresses with early-fall boots. Wearing this combo in the winter is usually not very practical and doable, because it is simply too cold and the streets are drowned in snow, ice, or rain.

The sun is quite bright and everything around me feels like spring. But then the trees have lost their leaves, so they give the deceptive appearance of fall. Since it is definitely neither of those seasons and surely not winter, it must be something new. A season caused by global warming? Wouldn’t surprise me.
I guess I will simply enjoy it, as I’ve heard it will finally get colder by the end of this week already. So no more lazy walks in a sunlit park or drinking jamba juices in November anymore. No more mild brunch afternoons in an outside garden with a Bloody Mary. Guess I can really buy those heavy boots now, since I might need them soon. ..

This is me drinking a Jamba Juice in NOVEMBER while wearing a TSHIRT! Life is good!

Has your country experienced something similar? Or does this post make you jealous…!

“Black Friday Madness” Or “When to Avoid Shopping in New York By All Means”

In case you haven’t noticed yet, last Friday was a very special Friday. It was the day after Thanksgiving (hope you had a great Turkeyday, y’all) and therefore a day called “Black Friday.” Black Friday is pretty much the epitome of shopping madness and insaness coupled with ridiculous people who want to find even more ridiculous bargains. New York cannot be amiss amongst those cities real shoppers want to be in. Now I am definitely not a shopping-crazy person. I earn way to less to care about these things. I do love the bargains you can find in New York, though, and I thought it might be a good idea to check out what this city is about on the day after Thanksgiving.

I wouldn’t particularly say this is a bad idea. Had I laughed at my German friends last year for trying to find their way through the frustrated mass of people just to grab a T-shirt for 50 per cent off … well, I now found myself in named mass – the only difference being me, not my friends, who was more frustrated than ever could imagine. Now I wouldn’t say crowds make me feel at unease. But when I get pushed over to the side into a dangerous-looking pot of make-up or if I can barely stand on the steps leading upstairs, then I think it’s about time to get the heck out of that store. Macy’s shopping madness is a popular thing on Black Friday as well as the day after Christmas (another day you desperately want to avoid to shop on if you are in New York). And this time I found myself in the middle of this bloody crowd that was thirsty for bargains. Just to give you an idea of what exactly I am talking about:

Is this an exaggeration of facts? I think not! I think the picture is quite awful! And it was pretty much the same scene in every store I passed, except for a few, American Eagle being one of them. For a simple reason: They had lines forming in front of their store so that people would not overcrowd the shop. Very wise, indeed. I only stood in aforementioned line for about five minutes, and then I snatched a pullover for 40 per cent off until I disappeared with the goal to get away from Herald Square as fast as possible. I didn’t bother to check out the electronic stores such as Best Buy or other goodies but instead bought a chocolate chip cookie from my favorite bakery. Target wasn’t swamped with people anymore but when I got there it was already 7PM, not a typical Black Friday hour.

The frustration about Black Friday and other happy-bargain-days is not so much in finding something among the huge amount of trash the stores sell at a bargain price. It is moreover the fact that you have to deal with so many people around you, on top of you, underneath of you. I do have to give the salespersons good credit: They were pretty much up-to-date when I needed to look at shoes or check out the right size. It took them half the time it usually does, so I can just imagine how their superiors must have pressured them beforehand. Most were really nice, too, even though they were having the worst days of their life (or else I can’t imagine). Oh, and I will forget about this one rudo at Macy’s, who simply had the worst day of her life or otherwise I cannot explain her backwards attitude!

This year, I have noticed that a good amount of stores must have been equally frustrated from the onrush of people experienced in the previous years. I saw a handful of shops who have initiated a “sales” week: American Eagle had their 40 percent off all week long from Monday to Saturday. Indeed, I had purchased a different pullover and some accessories beforehand, that’s how I knew which size to get and which color when retreating to their store on Friday. In hindsight it makes perfect sense that shops would also like to protect themselves from the ridiculous masses in New York by warding off the hype of one day and dispense it over multiple days.

And to fight a myth: NOT EVERYTHING is on sale on Black Friday. Most things at Macy’s which were reduced were reduced on other days, too, and then a good amount was average priced. Some stores gave you 50 per cent off on selected items only and then zero percent off on others. Others again had 20 per cent off, which I am unsure if it is truly worth fighting the masses for. If you’ve missed Black Friday in New York, you haven’t missed out on too much.

The deals are year-round, you just have to be at the right spot at the right time:
Four days after Christmas I bought a cute vest for 70 per cent off! It had originally been $70 but I got a hold of it for a mere 17 Dollars! So there is surely hope for bargains if you are in NY on simple days of the year.

Taking a Deep Breath!

Prospect Park during the hurricane

The roommate search is over! Today I have found the apartment I want to spent my remaining time in New York in.
Well, of course no one really knows how long they will stay in the Big Apple. But I have managed to move to a nice room close to Prospect Park, and yes, still in the Slope, my preferred area of living so far. I had looked at it on Thursday already and this guy had kept me waiting for a good three day weekend until he finally gave the okay today.

It seems like a good mix – he is vegetarian, into guys, and might be a fun character to hang out with. I really hope it’ll be less drama, more quality (cooking) time spent together and of course keeping up my own private sanctuary called home. Since the building is literally 7 minutes from my old house, I am right at one of the two subway stations I used before, which makes my commute to the City and work really sweet as in it stays about the same. It seems that my previous two living situations have been reunited by the fact that I am still in the same area, Park Slope, but only 3 minutes from the lovely Park, the heartbeat of Brooklyn. My first room was right across the street from Prospect Park but in a lousy area. Now I have it all and even more than imagined, sorta.

Not my door, but a typical door in Park Slope

I am again very glad that this awful nightmare of finding a suitable place is finally over. Two weeks of a nerve-wrecking search have once again been enough. I cannot believe all the bs I had to go through to find this one. More fakos, weirdos, and trashy places than before. At least no one tried to rob me this time. But young people in the Slope can be pretty stuck up, I have noticed. As if they were proud of the fact that their rich pricks of a parent pay for their teeny eetsy room which is completely overheated in the winter. Sorry, just had to let that out.

Then of course walking through Kensington, another decent area of Brooklyn. A bit too family-oriented in my opinion. Albeit it is the fourth most diverse neighborhood in the US, at least that is what’s being told. Past those Halal stores towards some Asian cuisine. Then the orthodox Jewish boys playing in the streets while two blocks further down the Irish-Americans are spicing up their pumpkin pie for the big celebration. It is quite a comical mix and the neighborhood is definitely cheaper than what Williamsburg, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hills, and Park Slope have to offer rent-wise. But I decided it was not for me so I kept on going.

So this summer I am looking forward to more Bandshell concerts at Celebrate Brooklyn. I am desperate to hop on the F and swim in Coney Island (even though only in the beginning months of the summer, as everything past this gets too unhealthy). If I am still here this summer, I will most definitely take some gorgeous pictures of the Park. Maybe I’ll even go to the oldest Theater in Brooklyn a few times (as in cinema). But first winter is to come. So time for some drinks at the local bars and time for chilling on the couch or taking a stroll through the icy fields. Oh New York, you are so alive!

Cheers to a new start, this time hopefully it will not end in a bloody frustrating mess!

The cute streets I love about the Slope

NYPD: New York Police Dicks

Blue uniforms, blue vests, blue hats – this is how they proudly stand, the men and women of the New York City Police Department. But they are surely not as touristy, fancy, and professional as they appear to be…

When I first came to New York I paid attention to them mostly when I was wandering around Times Square. The cops on their horses, the cops in the middle of the square, the cops standing in a line…. Over the course of time, though, all the stories and observations started to accumulate and helped me in forming my own unique view on these uniformed people.

I collected my very first ticket when I was “drinking in public” in one of the most remote areas imaginable in Bushwick/Brooklyn. This car had been randomly cruising the side streets and must have detected our small group who was clustered around some deserted industrial buildings close to a dead alley. My friend was forethinking enough to throw his can of Coors light into the trash bin as soon as he saw the white-and-blue-car sneak up to us. I made a jump and hid it behind a stack of wooden boxes but failed to cover it up from every angle. Lucky for us, the cops were moderately friendly on this night; they disregarded the beverage my friend had so obviously thrown away but still fined me with a $25 ticket because the hidden can was not too-well-hidden after all. I also remember how I was bending down to get to look these people in the eye and explain to them that we were from Germany and that it was legal to drink on the streets over there. One of them said he understood but unfortunately it was not legal here. All arguments were basically in vain. Had I been smart, I had given them my wrong address, but at that time I wasn’t too acquainted with the methods of how to circumvent an arrest and a ticket in this case. Therefore, you should know. Just say you forgot your ID and give them a completely wrong address, make sure you mention a wrong apartment number in addition to this. Almost everyone in New York lives in an apartment.
I also remember how one of those officers’ eyes went down to my basically non-existent cleavage as if searching for something underneath that zipped-up-jacket. This was pretty much the first time the presence of a person who is supposed to make me feel safe in public made me feel very uncomfortable.

Weeks followed and my observations continued. From cops standing at my train station, delightfully eyeing the full rear section of the younger West-Indian ladies who had to pass them on the way down to the subway. How disgusted I was with this. Isn’t this almost sexual harassment, I thought? Over cops arresting a 16-year-old teenager because he had used his school-ticket to get into the subway. The reason for this arrest? Well, he hadn’t been on his way to school and therefore didn’t have the “right” to use it. Not to forget sporadic street performer arrests my former roommate told me about (read post here). To cops who hit the newspapers with true horror stories, such as raping a man with their stick or raping a drunk woman when leading her into her apartment.

My Austrian friend made a fast observation when he visited me back in May. He had only stayed for two weeks but to form this exact same observation it had taken me a good three months longer.
“The police here don’t make me feel safe at all,” he said after walking in after another rough sightseeing tour in Manhattan. “They seem violent and like to arrest people for nonsense,” he went on. “I don’t understand how these people can represent the law in this country.”
He had a few good points. I myself had sometimes wondered how a cop with waist-long braids fits the disciplined example and couldn’t really make sense of it. I thought these forces should reinforce similar standards the military does. So that everyone looks equal and feels equal in their group of work. Obviously not. I am not sure how true this is, but someone once told me the way they typically recruit police officers in New York came do a true down when they started aiming towards the socially disadvantaged places in town (Bronx, Bedstuy, Canarsie, anyone?) because they knew the people would be desperate enough to work for 30 k a year. Which is quite a high pay for someone without a college degree, at least in this city.

So I’ve had experiences with a few cops in those one and a half years that have passed. Some have indeed been very positive, no doubt. Such as the nice Latin woman and the white guy who were trying to make my former roommate come to her senses when I had been robbed by her younger boyfriend. I will also always appreciate the cops who give the right directions and are honestly trying to help out people who are lost.
But then somehow the bad stuff sticks out. Such as the Halloween parade three weeks ago. I had been sitting on a fence drawn to regulate the flow of oncoming and going pedestrians. Because the crowd was pushing me almost off of it I was desperate to jump on the other side and circumvent the horrible crowd of squashing people. All of a sudden there is a cop behind me. One of those mean a**holes who like to get meaner. As soon as my foot goes over the fence he is there trying to prevent me from jumping away from the crowd. I try to make it clear that I would be squashed to death otherwise. He doesn’t care. Even better, he gives me an ultimatum of either “going back or I will make you go back.” I am courageous enough to ask him how he would do that. He then he slams his fist into my back and before he can deliver the final push I voluntarily jump back. I then look him in the eye and say: “Ah, I see, you’re gonna push me you as**hole”.

Two of those messed up cops at the 2011 Halloween Parade

Pretty incredulous to be part of this at the moment. I also witness how he whacks a Japanese tourist in the face because this one had poked his head one inch too much over same fence. So much aggressiveness was going on that evening. I already told you about those five cops arresting one drunk guy (read here). It was just a mess and its’ a pity that the whole evening has been ruined or at least has left me with a bitter aftertaste because NYPD clearly doesn’t have its workers under control.

Police in New York – it is really too bad that those few nice cops are being drowned by the immense amount of all the cops who like to take their aggressiveness out on innocent people. Take the pepper spray attacks on passive Wall Street protesters for a start.

I guess I am happy I am not in LA, though. Their police system seems to be messed up to a whole different degree that will hopefully never hit New York! Other than that I will do my best to circumvent anyone who is dressed in this awful hypocritical blue uniform!

NYPDicks

Tasty Delights: Italian Food in New York

Let me tell you something about Italian food in New York. If you want to eat decent, if you want to eat authentic, if you want to experience the ultimate highlight in taste, then avoid Little Italy! At least the one in Manhattan. Disregard those tourist tips you find in New York in your Pocket or NFT (Not For Tourists). This is a simple rule and easy to follow.

Last week my friend took me out to the West Village. Now the West Village can have some really awesome food, as I already told you about Diablo Royale (go here to read post). The Italian counterpart to this tasty delight would be a hidden gem called L’Artusi – a restaurant with top-notch service and absolutely unique creations.

We dropped by on Wednesday, just us two people, no reservation, just popping in after a long day at work. My friend had already warned me that this place tends to attract the snobbish, rich upper-class of the Hamptons. And, fair enough, I didn’t see too many representable New Yorkers in this joint. More of the thoroughly dressed, over-styled, perfectly trimmed-and-manicured-nails kind of crowd. So in short, the crowd was too much for New York and easily recognizable as the Hampton people. However, they can have taste, these Hampton folks. And L’Artusi is surely going to challenge your taste buds, even if you don’t believe it. At first we started out with a nice glass of a 2006 Savuto. We then went ahead and ordered a roasted beets appetizer and a side dish of brussels sprouts to start with. Our main entrees consisted both of pasta, but in different variations: I chose filled pockets of tortellini with squash while my friend took the special of the day evening, which was truffle fettuccine.

Despite us having to wait a teeny bit too long for our food (I think at least ten minutes too much for my taste), the food was absolutely stunning. And to give L’Artusi some credit, the restaurant was crowded at this point in time. They have an open cooking area in the back of the restaurant, in case you really want to see how your meal is prepared.

Best Brussels Sprouts Ever!

Pasta filled with squash

Truffle dish

Tiramisu seduction

So my favorite part about the appetizer was the brussels sprouts dish. Crisply cooked in a garlic-sauce, peppered up with pecorino cheese on top. The main dishes were equally appealing: My squash in the pasta pockets melted in my mouth! And the dessert, a tiramisu, which we shared, was the right roundup for both of us after a culinary feast like this! It had just the right level of sweetness and was freshly made, convincing us both that it had indeed been the best option of the night. So don’t let the small dishes fool you, you can feel full after those in no time.
The prices might be a bit steep, with 16 to 28 dollars just for an entree (which is actually not too bad for Manhattan). You could use this restaurant for a special treat for yourself or an anniversary dinner. Unless you come from the Hamptons, then you can snag in your brunch here before heading off to Gucci and Versace.

Eating Italian in Manhattan – this had been indeed the first restaurant I liked. Back in May a friend and I had tried out Little Italy in Brooklyn – and yes, it does exist. Maybe a bit remote from the rest of the crowd, as we took the D train to the 18th Ave Station and walked a good 20 minutes to the Tommaso Ristorante. Or rather some creepy 20 minutes past some deserted industrial area until we found those four restaurants that make out Brooklyn’s Little Italy (right next to their Chinatown). Here we ordered a prix fixe for 25 bucks each (even in the evening hours), which included an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. All of these were very tasty! Starting out with some mussels in white sauce and mozarella with roasted peppers. Compared to restaurants in the City, the dishes are significantly bigger in Brooklyn! Then a fine-spiced Filet of Sole Francese with a meat dish combined with some of the best roasted potatoes I have ever come across. Dessert consisted of Italian Cheesecake and Panna Cotta. And don’t ask me how we both finished our dishes, but I assume we were quite stuffed when we exited the ristorante!

Tommaso appetizers

Filet de Sole Francese

Italian Cheesecake with a Panna Cotta

I will explain why I don’t think too highly of insider tips given in tourist guides for New York. One I had tried out was the infamous Totonno in Coney Island. When we walked in, the place had the feel of a fast-food joint rather than a notorious pizzeria. The waitress was indeed the same person displayed on the cover of the fancy magazine 10 years ago, but now significantly older and even with a hump. That’s right, a hunched back! So whatever photo-editing devices these glamour mags use, I’ve seen living proof of that they must be severe! Before eating my friend and I wanted to wash our hands so we each took turns to squeeze into the little booth Totonno calls a restroom . We disregarded the dirt on the floor and the hair in the sink because we both weren’t in the mood to puke. We then ordered a simple cheese pizza topped with some basic ingredients such as mushrooms and peppers. Even though we were both starving we both weren’t too impressed by its taste! Best pizza of Brooklyn – pah! Maybe best overpriced pizza of Brooklyn!

The awful Totonno in Coney Island

Grimaldi’s Pizza right in Dumbo always has a queue waiting outside that reaches around a few blocks. I wonder why. After experiencing Totonno, I doubt their pizza is any better. And the best thing about it: The last time I checked they had a sanitary “C” grade, which is about as bad as it gets in New York. After seeing this red flag I definitely did not feel in the mood to try them out.

Now, there is hope! There is a location in Bushwick called Roberta’s which has gained increasing popularity not even among the locals anymore. I have yet to try out their delicacies to give you an authentic food update on them. However, my friend, who happens to share my taste, has let me know that not only their pizza but also their pastries are supposed to be a tongue-tingling experience… If you get there before I do, let me know!