the story.

moving to nyc.summer 2009...I didn't really know until just this morning how the album would come together. honestly, I didn't decide until just a few days ago there would even be an album. but after I picked up the 62 prints from the move, I knew it was just too big for the regular photo album (especially after the 58 prints from the apartment hunting trip). I was thinking - as usual - photos + a few words (and hopefully a bit of pretty paper). so yesterday morning I visited aaron brothers since they have the best selection of kolo albums. and (lucky me?!) this location is going out of business and everything is 50% off. and of course this is bad when you don't have a plan, but I picked out six (maybe more!?) albums that seemed like they'd work. and sara helped me decide on the camel catalina album. same format I used for paris. plenty of room for the photos. and the coloring is perfect for my favorite basic grey periphery papers. I roughed out the format - three sections, one for apartment hunting, one for the transition/packing and one for the move. and it must be meant to be because that left one slot for closing thoughts.

this morning I started on the journaling for those four pages. searched my ali edwards collection of digital and found the perfect one. the story. used photoshop to add a subtitle (part one, etc) and the journaling to each one. then the title piece.

thank goodness for flickr to help me remember the captions for the photos. that part went fast. and I'm very pleased with the final results.

here's the first page.

and the last.

and images of the journaling.

happy fourth.

happy fourth
Originally uploaded by mere2007

(a little late). we spent the afternoon at central park - on the lawn by the turtle pond - enjoyed a picnic from eli's manhattan and great people (and dog) watching.

having fun in nyc.

lunch at southwest porch
Originally uploaded by mere2007

...a lot of walking, some shopping and plenty of time for fun. I honestly haven't walked this much (for so many days in a row) ever. and now we're headed off to central park for one last run. happy 4th!

finished.

(well, at least for now!) we spent the morning cleaning up and hanging pictures - got everything ready for the last piece - the coffee table. it arrived about 2:30 and katie had it together and ready for the final photos by 2:45. here's a quick run through (click the photos to see the descriptions):

getting closer.

...to getting done. yesterday the couch, tv console table and a bookcase arrived. the only other piece of furniture is a coffee table and that's supposed to come today. and since we don't know when it will come, I expect we'll be hanging around the apartment waiting for it, and maybe hanging pictures. because that really is about all we have left to do.

here's the living room.

and the entry hall.


another sign things are turning more normal. we broke in the blender last night with margaritas - to go with nachos for dinner.

finally time for internet.

...sitting at starbucks (york ave at 80th - just around the corner from katie's apt) and uploading photos. and using katie's mac, because I left my laptop at home. so far that seems to be the only thing I forgot, so that's good, and I love the mac - but it is very different from what I'm used to! hoping I can figure out how to configure my flickr upload once it's done!

(edited - yes, I did figure out flickr, but what I can't figure out is getting pictures into this post - not even links, so visit the photos (there's a link in the sidebar) and use this post for commentary - hopefully we'll have time today for katie to show me that part for tomorrow!)

in any event, whew, it's been four extremely busy - but honestly, very productive - days!

we left roswell about 3:00pm on friday afternoon. google maps said our trip was 881 miles, about 14 hours 22 minutes. we were hoping to have 3-4 hours to stop for sleep and arrive in manhattan by 11:00am on saturday. katie drove the truck like a pro (not that it takes much from a driving perspective to impress me, but really, she was good). we headed up I85 to south carolina and north carolina, picked up I77 into virginia, then I81. we stopped for sleep in harrisonburg - and felt pretty good after just four hours. back on the road again by 4:45am ... to west virginia, then maryland, pennsylvania and I78 into nj (the first state without a welcome sign!) and I95 to the lincoln tunnel and into manhattan. from there to e79th street. we picked up the keys at 11:00 - right on time!

spent 2-1/2 hours unloading and getting everything up to the 6th floor. katie hired three guys to help and they made it go much faster. my job was to watch the uhaul and the movers' van to be sure we didn't get a ticket.

and then the real moving in started.

my only job was the kitchen (and it did take me about six hours). katie assembled her bed, the microwave cart, shelves for the bathroom, shelves for her closet and the dining table. again, not that it takes much in the "handy" area to impress me, but she is good!

we ordered in pizza and worked til about 2am - feeling pretty good about our progress.

the sun gets up really early here - like 5-something am. so even sleeping til 6:30 feels like a long time. sunday was more of the same - we visited the grocery (katie "seriously grumpy" to spend $75 on just a few essentials - eating out seems cheap!) and then more unpacking/setting up. first the window air conditioner. then the living room rug. and we made a list of needs (like shelves for the pantry, blinds, locks, chairs) and headed out.

subway to midtown (duvet cover at anthropologie was the first item on the list)...and met up with the gay pride parade. it was a zoo. great for peoplewatching if we had the time, but it was more an inconvenience to walk ten blocks out of our way just to cross 5th ave. got to see the 30 rock building.

success at anthropologie and we headed to chelsea for home depot. this is a fabulous store - it looks great, and the staff is so helpful, and we actually found everything we needed and arranged for same day delivery (just $20 - a real deal in manhattan!). then bed bath & beyond and west elm for the chairs. we took a cab home (carrying chairs on the subway is not an option). a quick trip to agata & valentina's for dinner food. then back for the home depot delivery. katie got the pantry storage setup and then unpacked and organized it all.

then monday - started with a bit of bad news - the pottery barn delivery (console table for the tv and coffee table) katie was expecting won't be here til wednesday. we regroup and head to the park for a long run/walk - two hours later and we feel good. katie hangs the blinds and installs a deadbolt (while I knit and check work emails). another much smaller list and we head out. first to soho for crate & barrel. katie has pretty silk tulips that need a vase. then back to chelsea for home depot and fish's eddy. more success and we head home. it's 7pm by the time we get back. but we get it unpacked and katie can finally get the front hall cleared out. leftovers for dinner and early to bed.

so now it's tuesday. the couch is supposed to arrive between noon and 2pm. we've got another long run/walk planned. and more groceries to have mexican for dinner.

closing with two thoughts - what's top of mind after editing the photos and typing this post - amazing how much we've (really mostly katie, with a little help from me) accomplished so far...and so grateful I'm having the opportunity to spend this time with her - love watching her, so capable, so smart, and so much fun.

welcome weekend.

170/365 - welcome weekend
Originally uploaded by mere2007

...fun plans to catch up on my sleep, a visit to spa sydell, costco (50 new york photos are ready!), wine on the deck with karen, lydia & katie (one last time, sob/sigh), father's day (golf, grilling and a call to my dad), and hopefully a few miles in the park to enjoy the summer that has - finally - arrived, maybe (hopefully) some cooking with fresh herbs
and a bit of time to catch my breath before next weekend's move.

celebrating.

dinner at becco
Originally uploaded by mere2007

...getting the apartment and a successful end (assuming of course that the lease signing goes fine today) to the apartment hunting trip. it's very hard to believe we'll be back in 11 days to move in.

apartment hunting report - days three and four.

...yesterday wasn't quite so busy - we had a great run in the park
and then picked up stuff for a quick breakfast from dean & deluca. lots and lots of window shopping later, we stopped at this great gourmet grocery right around the corner for dinner snacks.

we thought today might be more window shopping with a lease signing sometime midday. but while we were at lunch, katie got a call from the leasing office that the paperwork wasn't all together. I spent a very stressful hour at our nyc office printing paystubs and then arranged for tax returns to be faxed.

and now we're waiting (somewhat impatiently) for a call that everything is ok and we can sign a lease in the morning.

I'm actually pretty proud of myself that I don't look nearly as stressed as I feel in our lunch photo!

eta - just heard she's approved!!! signing the lease tomorrow morning at 10:30 (whew!!)

apartment hunting report - day two.

big news first - she found one! apartment 6H in a beautifully restored building on E 79th street, between east end and york avenues. it has lovely light. and a separate bedroom. closet space. and a very clean kitchen and bathroom. it completely passes the mama test.

the applications and paperwork should be processed this weekend and she'll sign the lease tomorrow.

also yesterday, we had a very late lunch at sarabeth's on central park south - sat outside (such a change from my spring break visits with sara...being able to sit outside!) and enjoyed people watching.

then we walked back to our apartment (in the rain) through central park. a few more photo opportunities.


and rode the subway to the village for dinner at otto and dessert at l'arte del gelato.



a very full, very exciting and very exhausting day. I fell asleep 5 minutes into "he's just not that into you". maybe I'll get to watch it (again!) today.

apartment hunting report - day one.

...I talked to marc early this morning and told him I was "cautiously optimistic" we were going to find something perfect for katie today. we ended four plus hours of looking yesterday with an actual favorite - on the 4th floor of this building.

the kitchen and the light from the front windows are the best parts, I think.

of course there are still going to be good food photos for sara.

and as many of the two of us as I can convince katie to smile for.


p.s. started a new flickr set here to keep up with all the photos.