Ok so I've Moved Again

New York, New York

Looking down 3rd avenue. I am getting very well acquainted with this street as I live just off it and the Outpatient Centre is also just off it. I may have to alter my walking path some days.

Well I mentioned in my last post that I got a job. I am sure some of you were like.....more info please, so I thought I better post some. Well the job is going to enable me to cross a few more things off my bucket list. The biggest being: Live in New York City. Yes, I have moved and I have moved to New York. I have a job at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. I am actually working in the Breast Cancer Outpatient Clinic so the job will be a little different. No scrubs, no bed side care. Dress pants, a lab coat and mostly teaching and counseling and that kind of thing. I am excited for the experience. One of the real perks........straight days, no weekends.

The top of the Empire State Building. I could see it from my apartment window...if it wasn't for the buildings surrounding me.

The Chrysler Building. Always makes me think of Annie (go watch the musical if you don't know what I'm talking about).

I am of course also very excited about the city. I have loved my previous visits here so am excited to actually get to experience the city for real. The hospital is right in Manhattan which means I also get to live in Manhattan. I am living in what would be considered Midtown East in a neighbourhood called Murray Hill. I am just around the corner from the Empire State Building, just down the street from the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Station and I can walk to Times Square in about 10 minutes. The Outpatient Centre is about a 30 minute walk and the bus takes about 26 minutes to get there so I will probably be walking to and from work most days. I am surrounded by tons of restaurants and markets and of course I really do not have to go far to find some shopping.

This is one of the local Home Depots.....yes that's right....I found Home Depot in Manhattan.

My big adjustment has been the lack of Big Box stores in the area. I am very use to just walking into Target or Walmart and finding everything I need in one stop. Around here....not so much. I did find a couple Home Depots though and they certainly make it easy to get a bunch of things in one stop....for a much cheaper price. I am certainly noticing the increased price of many things. For example, Lean Cuisine meals (which I can normally live off of) run between $4.19 and $4.69 each. I normally buy them for 4 or 5 for $10. Pasta sauce (my other staple) also much more than I am use to but as I hang out a little longer I will find the cheaper stores....plus I plan on experiencing a lot of local restaurants. Pretty much everyone delivers so I will not go hungry. Also I have learned that it is actually cheaper to eat out than buy groceries.....which will suit me just fine since I try not to cook anyways.

My apartment, as expected, is very small but how much space do I really need? Just a little studio but it will do. The kitchen is really small but since I won't use it much I am not too concerned. I am on the 10th floor, on the backside of the building so I look down on a courtyard and there is a lot of space between me and the next buildings. It is also pretty quiet considering how much noise there is in this city. If you are wondering, there is a unit identical to the one I am living in on the second floor that is for sale. Asking price is $449,000.

Looking into my apartment from the door.

My bathroom.

My little kitchen. It has a microwave and that's what is most important.

Looking at the apartment from my bed. The couch pulls out into a double bed. Not much space left when both beds are set-up but whatever.

The view from my window. Not much to look at but it could be worse.

So I have made it through my first week living in Manhattan....and I have only managed to buy 2 pairs of shoes. I will have to head out to buy some more clothes though. After 4 years of working in scrubs I really do not have enough dress clothes anymore. Poor me. I don't know how I will survive.

So I do have some plans over the next 13 weeks. Of course some of those plans involve baseball. Both the Mets and Yankees opened new ball parks this spring so I will have to make a visit to both. Of course ticket prices have gone WAY up in both parks so I may not get to sit as close as I would like......or I may have to buy less shoes. Not sure if I am ready to make that sacrifice just yet. There will be film festivals to check out and some museums I have yet to see. Hopefully there will be a few visits from from family and friends as well.

Some of the flowers on 3rd ave.

After 13 weeks...who knows. I am back in travel nursing mode which means I will be living from contract to contract and have no idea what the future will bring.

Julie