Delightful Days with Wonderful Friends

I'm blessed with a wonderful Alaska family: my boyfriend Taz, our fabulous dog Zip and our delightful kitties Henry and Angel.  I'm also blessed with a wonderful circle of friends.  This past week, I spent over seven hours with Jackie, Janice, Darlene, Kevin, Heather and Amira.  I'm so grateful to all of them for taking the time to wish me well and to share their time and enthusiastic cheers with me.

I will:
1. Explore a park for Taz
2. Have breakfast at Tiffany's for Kevin
3. Visit MOMA for Jackie
4. Play with a friendly dog for Janice
5. Take in an Indie film for Darlene
6. Drink a beer for Heather

How The Big Apple Got Its Name

According to a web search on google:

 

Answer:

The nickname "The Big Apple" has roots in horse racing.

In the early 1920s, "apple" was used in reference to the many racing courses in and around New York City. Apple referred to the prizes being awarded for the races - as these were important races, the rewards were substantial.

Based on the research of Barry Popik, the use of "Big Apple" to refer to New York City became clearer. Popik found that a writer for the New York Morning Telegraph, John Fitzgerald, referred to New York City's races "Around the Big Apple." It is rumored that Fitzgerald got the term from jockeys and trainers in New Orleans who aspired to race on New York City tracks, referring to the "Big Apple."

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, New York City's jazz musicians began referring to New York City as the "Big Apple." An old saying in show business was "There are many apples on the tree, but only one Big Apple." New York City being the premier place to perform was referred to as the Big Apple. In 1930 a popular song "The Big Apple" helped solidify the nickname.

A 1971 campaign to increase tourism to New York City adopted the Big Apple as an officially recognized reference to New York City. The campaign featured red apples in an effort to lure visitors to New York City. It was hoped that the red apples would serve as a bright and cheery image of New York City, in contrast to the common belief that New York City was dark and dangerous. Since then, New York City has officially been The Big Apple.

In recognition of Fitzgerald, the corner of 54th & Broadway, where Fitzgerald lived for 30 years, was renamed "Big Apple Corner" in 1997.

Other contributions from WikiAnswers users:

• New York is called the "Big Apple" as in 1803 Evelyn Claudine de saint-Evremond was forced to flee France. She opened up a salon that became a place where men could enjoy the pleasures of beautiful women and high stakes gambling. The men that went to this such place lovingly nicknamed her "Eve" as to the biblical reference, and she would refer about the establishment and the women inside it as her "irresistible apples hence the name "The Big Apple."
  
• I don't know if it's correct but I'm told that from above New York with both its harbors is in the shape of an apple with the Statue of Liberty being the stalk.
  
• It is sometimes said that New York City is called The Big Apple because Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch colonial governor back when the city was called New Amsterdam, planted a long-lived apple tree in it.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_New_York_City_called_'The_Big_Apple'#ixzz26Q7VwBrD

Hmmm

Kevin says this could be my New York job...

 

The Packing Process

Over the course of the last two weeks, I've had my suitcase laid out and open in my office.  I've been tossing items in to the suitcase quite haphazardly and yesterday I began the process of organizing.  Tomorrow I'll continue packing and then finetune my luggage and bags before we head off to the airport on Friday.

Birthday/Anniversary Celebration

Taz and I celebrated my birthday and our anniversary a bit early since I'll be in New York for both.  

We started the day with lunch at Two Sister's Bakery, one of my favorite hangouts.  Then side by side massages at Homer Inn and Spa, another great treat!  Then a walk on the Spit beach and dinner at Land's End.

Very fun to explore some of my favorite Homer spots with my favorite guy!

So Long Homer

Some photos I shot as I ran around today, doing errands and saying goodbye to friends and to my favorite beaches and forests.

Baby Steps

My youngest niece, Elle, took her first steps today at ten months old.  How exciting!  It brings to mind two things for me.  First, how much I miss living close to family, and second, my time in New York will be my own baby steps as I explore creativity and stepping so far from my comfort zone of life in a small town.

New York-themed Music

Thanks to my friend Kevin for encouraging me as the time for me to leave gets closer and I begin to unravel...  Some of the songs he's sent include:

I Am I Said, by Neil Diamond
Empire State of Mind, by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
Autumn in New York, by Louis Armstrong
Downtown Train, by Tom Waits 
Back to Manhattan, by Norah Jones

My favorite is Frank Sinatra's New York New York.  

View a great youtube video to the soundtrack here.

Frank Sinatras New York New Yorkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlJl1LfDP4

Eleven Year Anniversary of 9/11

Today is the eleven year anniversary of 9/11.  I have lit a candle in remembrance and feel very quiet and still inside as I think of the many lives that were lost and forever changed.  We never know when our next breath will be our last...

Tornado Touches Down in Brooklyn

Today, a tornado touched down in Brooklyn.  Tornadoes in New York City are incredibly rare...  The tornado happened exactly one week to the hour that I will be arriving in the city.  Is this a sign?

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/09/a_real_new_york_city_cyclone_r.html

Early Birthday Celebration

My friend Kevin and I spent the afternoon together, having lunch, walking in the woods, exploring the Spit and going out for dessert and coffee. 

Movies to Motivate

Taz and I have been watching New York-themed movies, as we continue to count down the days until I leave.  So far, we've watched:

Smoke with Harvey Keitel
Do the Right Thing with Spike Lee 
The Octopus and the Squid with Jeff Bridges

So far, these movies have been pretty dark.  We've enjoyed them and I'll see if I can find the Brooklyn cigar store that's featured in Smoke.

Two Week Countdown to The Big Apple

In just two weeks, on September 15th, I'll be flying from Anchorage, Alaska to New York City.  It was only three months ago that I began to seriously consider this adventure, and only one month ago that I began to seriously plan.  Now, it is all coming together so quickly, too quickly.

In September 2002, I visited New York City for the first time, intentionally planning a trip to celebrate the one year anniversary of 9/11.  I was drawn to experience this memorial in a city I'd never been to, surrounded by people I didn't know, but gathered and united with these strangers in their city, with the common goal of honoring the lives of those who died and remembering the tragic day when the dynamics of this city was immediately and forever shifted from its foundation.  I was eager to be a part of something that was bigger than me.

Nearly ten years ago to the day, I boarded the Greyhound Bus in Edmonton, Alberta, waving goodbye to my Mom and to my brother Wade.  I recall feeling excited, nervous, scared and anxious all at the same time, very similar to how I am feeling today, planning to return to New York City, but this time not for two weeks, but for just over three months, for ninetynine days to be exact.

My time in The Big Apple in 2002 was fantastic.  I stayed at a hostel on Amsterdam Avenue, the same hostel that I stayed at the other two times I visited in later years.  I sought out a coffee shop that quickly became my version of Cheers, the restaurant where people recognized me, greeted me and welcomed me.  This coffee shop became a refuge for me when I was scared and overwhelmed by the chaos of the big city.  I attended memorial events throughout the city, but spent most of my time exploring Battery Park and the area near the 9/11 memorial sight.

I found the New Yorkers I encountered to be very friendly and gracious, going out of their way to assist me with directions, suggestions and insight.  Waiting for the ferry to Staten Island, a New Jersey couple befriended me and we spent the trip chatting.  When we parted, they hugged me tight and wished me well and it was only later that evening when I found the $50 dollar bill they had so kindly tucked in to my jacket pocket.  My time in New York City was filled with the kindness of strangers.

I haven't even left for New York yet, and I've already received many kindnesses from strangers who are quickly becoming friends by phone and email.  I've met these people through local friends who have introduced us.  While I am incredibly eager to experience the city, I also feel that familiar pang of longing for connection and fear of being alone...  The last time I felt that fear was when I was planning my walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago last year.

Personalizing New Yorkers - Meetup Groups Galore

Meetup Groups - I did a search online for Brooklyn writer's groups and made my way to a meetup site that has over 9000 meetups in New York, ranging from groups that meet weekly to monthly to yearly, for hiking, kayaking, gardening, dancing, comedy nights, writing, photography, visits to nude beaches, 

About.com New York City

A fantastic resource for making my way around NYC has been about.com.  This is an online newsletter that you can subscribe to.  I subscribed back in July and found it to be incredibly helpful. 

Learning to Be Still

I have a difficult time sitting still.  I like to be moving and exploring and going.  Somewhere, anywhere, often nowhere, just to be moving.  I have hurt my back and so am forced to not only be still, but in fact to quite literally stop.  I can only walk a few steps before the pain begins, so I am doing a lot of reading, writing, pondering.  As I search the positive in this experience, I realize that this pain has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  As the time for my departure to New York approaches, I have thought of the many friends I want to visit, hikes to hike, walks to walk, adventures to have and places to explore.  All actions that require me to move.  Instead, I am basking in this forced exile and learning to just be.

Thank God (or Alaska Airlines) for Airmiles!

I got my ticket to NYC.  One way ticket from Anchorage to Newark - Alaska Airlines doesn't fly in to JFK.  I found the map to Brooklyn and it's not so bad, just over an hour by public transportation...  Woohoo!  Very surreal that I'm actually going to live in New York City!  Thank God for airmiles!

Albermarle Road, Here I Come

I found a place.  After searching on google, I came across airbnb, a website listing rentals: short term, long term, renting an entire house or just a room.  I found a place in Brooklyn.

The Search for Home Sweet Home

After searching online for nearly the entire evening, I'm not finding a place anywhere near my budget.  Even the hostels are much more expensive than I remember them being from my last time in New York.  Yikes! How am I going to find a place that will fit in to my budget.  This is kind of discouraging... 

I came up with a list of what my ideal place would have:

1. Bright, open space with lots of light
2. Simple and clean, not cluttered
3. Room with a writing desk, chair, lamp, comfy bed, warm
4. Windows with a view
5. Quiet and safe neighborhood
6. Neighborhood of cultural diversity
7. Friendly neighbors
8. Close to parks, train station, laundromat, coffee shop, bookstore, library, post office, yoga center, bakery, community theater 
9. Air conditioning and heat
10. Privacy
11. Share with single person or a couple who work during the day
12. Okay to have short-term guests
13. Internet access available
14. Deck, balcony or backyard
15. Smokefree
16. Building with character, history
17. Friendly roommates
18. Under $1000/month

New York City or Bust

Well, I've decided to go for it... to move to New York City for the fall.Taz and I talked it over and he's supportive of my desire to expand my horizons and achieve one of my dreams.  Can't believe it!