Trains, Planes and Automobiles

Dear NY,

Okay, so I tricked everyone reading this. There isn't going to be anything about planes or automobiles in this, just trains. Why is it whenever you need to know what is going on with the subways, you cant really understand the signs or the person speaking on the train itself. Maybe it's just me but I see the train changes signs and it's like I'm reading a completely new language. For real, I just see the letters and comprehension completely eludes me. It might be the fact that the MTA decides to switch up half of the train system that gets me good every time. If only they worked on one train line at a time...

Oh well.

Peace Out,
Dana

Atomic Tom- Take Me Out

Dear NY,
Have I ever said how much I like it when people perform in the subway? Well here a video that this band made of them performing one of there songs on their Apple Ipods/Iphones.


Peace Out,
Dana

Barbra Streisand by Duck Sauce

Dear New York,
Hot beats set in my favorite city! What more could I want!



Peace Out,
Dana

Tipsy Waffle Truck Trip

Dear NY,

Since starting an internship in the city about a month ago, Dana and I have met up a couple times for a much-needed trip to Chipotle and happy hour (although not necessarily in that order). On one particular occasion, we decided to spice things up and go to happy hour at the Blind Pig on 14th street. Maybe it was because neither of us had eaten a lot that day or the drinks were strong, but we got pretty sloshy pretty quick and decided to visit the waffle truck nearby.

Now, if you hadn't realized both Dana and I tend to adopt our version of fake british accents when drunk. I suppose this could make it hard to understand us. However, not only did the waffle man seem startled that Dana said her name was Trunk, but I told him mine was Jose. Really?!? JOSE?!? Who knew that he would get so excited about that and asked if I was Latino? Granted I have some roots in Argentina, but why I decided to tell him I was Latino is something I’ll never understand.

To top it all off, we brought some waffle virgins to the waffle truck a week later in Park Slope. They called out the name Trunk and then called us out. They remembered us…

Joe
you can call me Jose though

Makin It Rain

Dear New York,
Friday nights with your besties are AmAzInG!!! Don't get me wrong. I always have a good time with them but Friday was awesome. Jarrod, Meghan, Jackie, Ben and Joe came in from the tri state area and the first thing we did was eat dinner. I took everyone to the Mexican place that Jackie doesn't like. Thankfully, their pitchers of Margarita and Sangria were somewhat cheap and they didn't get her food messed up. We left a little buzzed and in good spirits.

Our next stop, after going home and changing, was to a bar in the village called Continental. Jackie and Meghan got lost along the way but not to worry! Their phones are smart so they found us. The special at Continental is 5 shots for $10. Who were we not to take advantage of that because New York is not cheap. Anyway, the bar was kind of crowded but we waited and Jarrod and I split our five shots, even though somehow we both got 3.... Not sure how that happened.

Now, our next stop was across town. Originally, I was take everyone there via the subway. But while we were standing outside deciding, a stretch limo shows up and drops a group of people off. I said to myself, "Self, I wanna ride around in a limo one day". The limo stops in front of me and asks where I'm going. Obviously, I tell him. He says something along the lines of, "well get in. $5 each!" So my friends and I run and jump in the limo and start dancing and yelling about being in a limo. "WE IN A LIMO! WE IN A LIMO!" It was basically the greatest moment of my life... since the meow incident of two weeks prior... I think he even went the long way cause we were having soooo much fun. It was AMAZING!!!! Anyway...

Peace Out NY,
Dana

ps The Limo looked something like this.

Subway Throwbacks

Subway by ~BonsaiTree13 on deviantART

SNL

Dear NY,
Why do I make bad life decisions? This weekend was possibly one of the most interesting I've had in a while. My friends and I decided that we were going to see Saturday Night Live. So we were going to have to stand in line for hours to wait for the stand by tickets. However, before this could happen Joe and I decided that needed to go hang out with some of my friends in Brooklyn. Props to the Dram Shop in Park Slope, though they tricked me into opening a tab. Their french fries are killer!

Who knew the R train wasn't going to be working? I sure didnt!!!

Needless to say we took a cab. I was later told I called a friend of mine and told her, "We in Ireland". Not that I remember any of the ride but somehow I only paid a $20 fare!!! AYO!!! Waiting in line for a few hours wouldnt have been that bad but it was freezing out! So I stole a snuggy from AP and rolled around on the floor going "meow, meow, meow". I guess I turned into the entertainment. Time out! Lemme give props to homeless people cause that was not fun for a few hours let alone days.

We got our tickets and went home to sleep for a few hours cause we didnt get to leave til 8. What wasn't great? Going back uptown... The crazy people on the Q were especially annoying. Then we had to wait in line at nbc with the people from the night before. I just ignored my behavior from the night before. I hope everyone else did too. Though I was told I was funny... We were part of the last 10 to make it into the studio!!! However, the taping wasnt actually that funny and I showed Chris Brown the back of my hand. woops..

Peace Out NY,
Dana

Ice Ice Baby

Dear NY,
Snow? Now Ice? Really? Simmer down please. I don't like ice skating. In fact the only time I think ice is awesome is when it is in my margarita. haha! Hope everyone is staying warm! Joe and I are going out on an adventure tomorrow so hopefully I'll have more to write about.
Peace Out,
Dana

Snowmageddon

Dear NY,

So I know its been awhile but I was just having soo much fun around the city, I guess I got all caught up. However, now I am stuck at home and have been for the past 2 days. Why you ask? Well in case you havent noticed Brooklyn is still buried under snow. Don't misunderstand me, I love the snow freshly fallen and all that jazz but I dont love the snow when I am kept from using the subway or driving somewhere. Not that I normally drive anywhere. My point is that it has been almost 2 days! Why am I still stuck in my neighborhood?

Well I guess I can deal for now because Charlie loves the snow.



Peace Out NY
Dana

Empire State of Mind

Dear New York,

So I know I'm not the only person with a great love of Jay Z's song "Empire State of Mind." The only problem is I didn't really know/understand half of the lyrics (although that didn't stop me from singing along). I'm not from New York City and most of the references went right over my head. However, I put in much research to figure everything out and found this website and thought it was too good not to share with other non-New Yorkers who didn't know what a dollar cab was either. oh and when you get a chance you should check out the other songs on Rap Genius. Enjoy!

http://rapgenius.com/lyrics/Jay-z/Empire-state-of-mind

Verse 1 - Jay-Z]
Yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn
Now I'm down in Tribeca
Right next to DeNiro
But I’ll be hood forever
I’m the new Sinatra
And since I made it here
I can make it anywhere
Yeah, they love me everywhere
I used to cop in Harlem
Hola my Dominicanos
Right there up on Broadway
Brought me back to that McDonalds
Took it to my stash spot
560 State street
Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whipping pastry
Cruising down 8th street
Off-white Lexus
Driving so slow but BK is from Texas
Me I’m out that Bed-Stuy
Home of that boy Biggie
Now I live on Billboard
And I brought my boys with me
Say what up to Ty Ty, still sipping mai tais
Sitting courtside Knicks and Nets give me high fives
Nigga I be Spiked out, I can trip a referee
Tell by my attitude that I most definitely from

[Hook - Alicia Keys]
New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York

[Verse 2 - Jay-Z]
Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can
You should know I bleed Blue, but I ain't a Crip, though
But I got a gang of niggas walking with my clique though
Welcome to the melting pot
Corners where we selling rocks
Afrika Bambaataa shit
Home of the hip-hop
Yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab, holla back
For foreigners it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to add
8 million stories out there in the naked
City, it's a pity half of y’all won’t make it
Me I gotta plug Special Ed "I Got It Made"
If Jeezy's paying LeBron, I’m paying Dwyane Wade
3 dice Cee-lo, 3 card Marley
Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley
Statue of Liberty, long live the World trade
Long live the king yo
I’m from the Empire State, that's:

[Hook]

Welcome to the bright light

[Verse 3 - Jay-Z]
Lights is blinding
Girls need blinders
So they can step out of bounds quick
The side lines is lined with casualties
Who sip the life casually, then gradually become worse
Don’t bite the apple, Eve
Caught up in the in-crowd
Now you're in-style
And in the winter gets cold en vogue with your skin out
The city of sin is a pity on a whim
Good girls gone bad - the City's filled with them
Mommy took a bus trip and now she got her bust out
Everybody ride her, just like a bus route
Hail Mary to the city you're a Virgin
If Jesus can’t save you, life starts when the church ends
Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight
MDMA got you feeling like a champion
The city never sleeps, better slip you a Ambien

[Hook]

[Alicia Keys]
One hand in the air for the big city
Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty
No place in the World that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say "yea!"

Joe