Finally!

For those of you who have been keeping track, I've finally got my apartment. It has it's flaws, but I think in a few weeks time it'll become a cozy home for Jake and me. Here are some pics:

So this is a picture of the front dorr and hallway from the inside. I've got two large closets on either side on the hall for plenty of storage, in New York terms at least. I don't really know what I'll do with that little inset area, but I'll figure something out.

This is the kitchen, obviously. It's small, but has everything I need minus a microwave. This is probably where Jake will be spending most of his time. He can't do any serious damage here...

Now if only the fridge worked.

Here's a photo of the living room. It's a pretty big room, and while I don't know exactly how I'll be setting it up yet, I suspect I'll have enough room for a living area with a pull out couch as well as a sleeping area. Only problem is that there aren't any cable hook ups in the apartment. I'll definitely have to look into that.

Some of the detail work on the floor. Adds to the character of the place a little. I like it anyway.

And finally, the view from my windows. It's pretty nice. Very urban. I think I'll be happy.

Today was the day... and now the day is tomorrow.

It almost happened today. I almost had an apartment. The only problem is, I had already cancelled my hotel reservation, so now I'm spending my night in my office. I will most definitely have an apartment tomorrow though. I collected some pictures while I was there today that I wanted to share with everyone. First is a picture of my street. They weren't kidding when they said 'tree-lined', which is a big deal in NYC apparently. It's actually a pretty nice street. Mostly quiet, with an occasional store or restaurant mixed in with the apartment buildings. I've got a small grocery store, a chinese food place (with free delivery), a laundromat, and a deli/breakfast bar across the street from me. I can't tell you how happy I am about that. I also have a fairly good sized park at the end of my block, which will be great for walks with the dog. Right next door to me, between my building and the park, is a nice little Catholic church, Our Lady of Angels. They have different mass times for Spanish or English. I hope to learn Spanish soon so I can attend any of them. I was really impressed with the church itself. I haven't even seen the inside yet. My apartment is pretty nice as well. Actually, I never really saw my apartment today, but the lobby is nice. The windows show the age of the building. They remind me of the windows on the Henry Ford Museum. A classic look with the rounded top. It's very colonial, early american style. Furthering this theme are the fantastic murals on the walls. They feature people clearly dresses in revolutionary period outfits farming, fishing or hunting. There has been some clear damage to them over them many years they've been there, including some graffiti and some other damage, but they are in great shape considering their vulnerable location. I was also impressed by the detail work in small places. I took a picture of the ceiling to exemplify my point. The design work on the ceiling and the molding around the room are in themselves very beautiful and artistic. The owners have clearly noticed this as well, and have taken the time to highlight and preserve their beauty. This only convinces me further that I have picked the right apartment. If only I could get in. In the center of the lobby is a fireplace that looks to have been unused for a very long time. I'm sure it would've been very impressive in the days when it still was lit each evening. I can only imagine what it would've been like to live in this building when it was first concieved. I'm sure the Bronx was a very different place then.

Okay... I think this is it.

Knock on wood, I think I've got it. I will be meeting my realtor tomorrow afternoon to give him all of the needed paperwork and such and will finalize the deal to move into my new apartment. Lets hope nothing else goes wrong.

Usually in life everything falls into place. I don't know if I'd call it falling this time, as much as being forced and beaten into place, but with the proper support, guidance and negotiation everything seems to be coming along. I'll take some photos of the new place tomorrow to show everyone. Hopefully I'll be able to relax a little bit now. If only I had some furniture for the apartment I'd be all set.

Homeless again...

My realtor informed me Saturday afternoon that the apartment I supposedly had was no longer available, as someone else had apparently taken it out from under me. I had planned on spending my Saturday night attending a party in Brooklyn, but decided that finding a new place was more important than pretty much anything else. So instead I met my realtor at his office in Northern Manhattan at about 4pm and spent the next six hours driving from one apartment to another. Very few of the apartments that we visited were ready to be lived in, most requiring at least three weeks of renovations etc. Only one apartment met all of my standards and was ready for living. The downside is that it's a studio. All the same, I told him I'd take it. It's better than my hotel, and I did get a really good feeling from it. I liked being there, I just wish it were a little bigger, with a bedroom. I will hopefully be moving into this place by Tuesday if all works out well. I'm not getting my hopes up.

No longer homeless.

I started my day yesterday wandering the streets of Manhattan. I stopped in a Duane Reade drug store, which seem to be on every corner here. I requested the discount cards for my keychain and wallet and the friendly woman behind the desk gave me a quick 'application' to fill out. So, I did, but became a little confused when I reached the address section. "Um," I started, "I don't really have an address. I'm kind of homeless right now." I said with a smile. "Just fill in the last known address then." she said politely. I followed her directions and she gave me my cards and the receipt for my purchase. As I walked out of the store she yelled over to me, "Keep your head up and don't ever give up your dreams honey!" I thought this was an extremely friendly way for a drug store clerk to say what in Michigan would be, "thanks for shopping with us." or "have a nice day." About half an hour later I was sitting on a park bench cleaning junk from my pockets when I came upon the receipt she had given me. On the back she had written information for a homeless shelter. No more than three hours later I picked my apartment. It's in rough shape and is in the Bronx, which many people had warned me about, but at least I'm not homeless. Besides, I am from Detroit after all, the Bronx doesn't really phase me. (note: New Yorkers don't believe that Detroit is tougher than the Bronx.) Also, the community seems great. This particular neighborhood of the Bronx is known as Bedford Park. As my realtor and I drove through to the apartment, I saw old women sweeping their walks and children playing in their yards. It seemed pretty docile to me. When I visited the building yesterday I met two of the superintendents who introduced me to their wives and multiple other residents of the building. They were all spending the day together planting flowers in the very large courtyard. The building itself is interesting, but nothing spectacular. It's definitely nothing compared to the Fyfe. Still, the inside of my apartment has more character than all of my previous apartments combined, hands down. Like I said, it's in rough shape, but with some love over the next year I think it'll be a fantastic place to be. In the picture on the right, you can see my new apartment on the rounded corner facing us. I'll have the second floor. That’s the Botanical Square train station right across the street, which I can hop on for a quick ride to Grand Central or to White Plains. It might prove to be useful. So, I'm pretty excited. They are putting in new kitchen cabinets and appliances, so I'll likely be living in a hotel for another week or two, but I'm psyched to have taken this step. This also means you can begin planning your visits starting at the end of June. If anyone wants to come out for the 4th of July that'd be cool. I need someone to go see Transformers with.

Whats Happened to my Life?

It's been just one week, but it feels like 6 months already. After a few dinners in Manhattan and a few trips to the local grocery store, I'm finally settling in. I'm sure this feeling will be completed once I move from my hotel room into a real apartment somewhere. I miss my friends and family more than I can say, but am not feeling homesick for Detroit yet, thankfully. On my short visit to Detroit this past week I realized that I wasn't missing it at all, and in fact could finally see the negativity that outsiders see in Detroit when I show them around. I am eagerly awaiting the moment when I crave the city, my city, again. When things go so badly here that I would do anything to be standing in the middle of Campus Martius. All the same, I'm having a great time in NYC and am looking forward to the weeks to come.