On the Umbrella.

Since 24 of the last 26 days in the city, we have seen rain, I have been reflecting on my altered relationship with the umbrella. Living in Atlanta, I had one umbrella. It was a nice one, Burberry or something. Very stylish, and I had it for years. That is all I needed. If the rain caught me without my trusty umbrella, at most all I had to do was dash to the car and get a little wet. In fact, if I threw on a coat, most days I didn't even need my umbrella.

Needless to say, New York is different. Because of the time and effort it takes to get around the City, I have to plan all my needs for an entire day before heading out the door. This includes financial, social, work, and home life needs. I have to carry the resulting physical manifestation of those needs in my arms or in my city bag (the proper city bag being whole other post)in the form of wallets/checkbooks, items for going out, shopping lists, work-out clothes, shoe changes, etc., etc. Such planning also requires reviewing the weather forecast before leaving my home, and such review usually includes the handy "hour-by-hour" review, because in New York, the hour the rain starts can determine my plan (and the crap I have to carry around) for the entire day. A 2:00 pm downpour means I may not have to lug the umbrella around all day because I am will be at work. An 8 am or 5 pm prediction of rain means bring the Totes.

In New York, I have not one but numerous umbrellas. Getting stuck in a downpour here can mean wet clothes for the day. As a result, I have umbrellas in many sizes, often tucked in different bags, with extras stored at work. I have extra umbrellas for out- of-town guests, who inevitably show up without thinking to pack them. I have small umbrellas for when the forecast is uncertain, and large ones for when it says the rain will fall throughout the day.

I cannot get too attached to one umbrella, nor spend too much money on any one of them, because I must also consider them completely disposable. I have already left at least a dozen umbrellas (including the long-lost Burberry) at different restaurants, museums or bars, having needed them going in, but forgotten them on the way out when the clouds have cleared. If I leave one in the handy containers offered by most establishments at the entrance, I might as well count it as gone, as New Yorkers treat those containers like a sample sale, grabbing whichever one fits their fancy on the way out the door. Most times, it is not a "one for one" switch out.

Like so many things that change when you move to New York (such as personal space), my relationship with the simple umbrella has undergone a drastic reassessment. It has both increased in importance while decreasing in my attachment to any one of them.

Sort of like my dollar bills....

Results of My Time Out New York Quiz....

DO YOU BELONG IN NYC?
Yes, but sometimes you wish there were a better option.
You do love New York, and you fit in here better than you have anywhere else. You're committed to the city, and you take advantage of all of its amazing food, culture, nightlife and arts. But you have nagging doubts about this relationship. Spend your whole life here? Not sure about that. Sometimes you wonder about that farm in your fantasies or even just a smaller city. But in reality, you know there's nowhere better. Click here for suggestions about how to really enjoy NYC.

Do you belong in New York City?

Cheap Eats

As the New York summer continues to look more and more like an extended, wet Spring, I was thrilled to have my brother come visit for several days. The agenda was packed:

• Off-off Broadway show with the dated, but still funny, Altar Boyz.
• Just-to-Broadway show with 9-to-5 at the Marquis Theater. Very good show. Amazing sets, good singing. The only thing was it was almost a direct pick up of the movie. That can be good and bad.
• Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, explored DUMBO, and visited lots of mid-century modern antique stores (a favorite of my brother's)

Overall, it was a wonderful visit. For the big dinner night, we went to Double Crown, a restaurant I had visited before with happy results. This time, it was AWFUL. Tiny, tiny portions, even for New York. High prices. Odd menu combination, and poor meat quality.

After that dinner, costing us $78 per person, my brother said: let's explore the low cost NY eating options. He had seen some places on the Food Network he wanted to try.

The agenda then included:

• Empire Diner
• Shake Shack
• S'mac
• Crif Dogs

I must admit, we had a great time eating New York's cheap eats. Granted, I wavered far from any sort of diet, but we got most meals in at under $15, and they all tasted really great.

Now that, as they say, was worth it.

Meredith Here I Come

Lots going on as the City ramps up for summer. First, I got an audition to potentially be a contestant on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." I certainly do. I am currently filling out the application, and my favorite answer so far is to the question "Why do you want to be on the Show?" Answer: "I like the challenge. Plus, I want to see exactly what my Phone-A-Friend's friendship is worth." We will see if the producers like snarky.

This has been a winning kind of week all around, as I also won an Xbox 360 from a contest I entered. I hope it marks the beginning of the good luck!

My brother from Nashville is visiting for the next five days. On tap: Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, the Guggenheim, two plays and some good dinners. I cannot wait to have some time to catch up with him.

Have a good weekend.

Welcome Summ-ah

This has been a good week all around.  The weather is amazing, the streets are bustling with hyper-active school kids fleeing the school buildings for summer, and short pants and Converse kicks are out in full force.  Giant boats are docked along the Hudson for Fleet Week, and Mayor Bloomberg has encouraged the citizens of New York to "buy their servicemen a drink and say 'thank you' for their service to our country." 

Plus, a certain someone got a promotion, which is not bad at all. 

Summer has arrived in the City, and life is grand.  Happy Memorial Day, everyone.  

And, to our servicemen, Thank You.