Brooklyn. I didn’t wanna leave.

I have never experienced the true meaning of a gentleman till I came to New York.
Everyone was really nice, the girls were sweet and bubbly and a lot of fun, which is no different from my girlfriends here in Canada.
It was the guys who impressed me.
Not once did I pay for a single meal, drink or cab ride while I was there.
And we took cabs everywhere. I honestly was speechless. Even if I offered they refused.
At first I figured it would last for a day or two since I was new there but it never changed, all the way up till the second I left. I didn’t even have to take a train to port authority when it was time to go home, one of my friends paid for a cab ride there, came with me, carried my bags, and made sure I got on the bus safely.
It wasn’t just the fact that they paid for everything it was the way they were towards me; I have never had boys treat me so kindly.

Guys in Canada should take a few tips from these kids. Although these are dear friends of mine, it wasn’t just them; even their friends who I just met on this trip were nice like that. They were all always asking how I was doing in the “how you doin?” New Yorker way, offering to carry my bags when I went shopping and not taking ‘no, I’m fine’ for an answer, opening doors, and constantly just being pure gentlemen, the way men should be.

I’m just glad there are still some good ones out there who know how to treat a lady the right way, regardless if they are dating you or not, or if they want to get in your pants or not. They just treat you right because that’s the way women should be treated. I wasn’t used to it at all because that just doesn’t really happen for the most part here in Canada. I mean, I’m sure there are the select few gentlemen left, but the majority of guys aren’t like that at all unfortunately. It honestly has nothing to do with the money either, or them paying for stuff, I mean that’s really nice, but I could care less if I had to pay for myself all the time. It more has to do with the way you are treated, the way someone acts towards you. It’s hard to explain but there is such a difference.

Also the group of friends I hung out with the whole time there seemed so close knit and so caring, you could see that they took care of each other. It wasn’t all about selfishly paying for yourself and being as cheap as possible. Instead, everyone fought to pay for each other. They partied and had fun, but in the end they really looked out for each other. I just find that here in Winnipeg everyone looks out for themselves. There are the few that look out for others but it’s rarer to find; whereas, everyone in this group of friends I hung out with from the greenpoint/Williamsburg Brooklyn area, looked out for each other. It’s just different. I can’t explain once again. I guess I expected going to New York that it would be completely the opposite, but it wasn’t.


Anyway, back to my trip. I had to take a bus to New York from Toronto and back because I stupidly forgot to renew my passport so I could only go to New York by land. By the time I realized it, it was too late to renew my passport so I flew to Toronto from Winnipeg, hung out with my family and old friends for a few days, then bused to NY, hung out for a week, bused back to Toronto, spent the night, then flew back to Winnipeg the next day. I’m super sick now. I think Its because one day it was pouring rain in NY, we went to lower Manhattan for dinner at the south street seaport, which by the way is beautiful. I was wearing a small dress and heels, I didn’t know it was raining till I stepped outside and by then I didn’t wanna go back inside and change. I got really cold that night and the next day I started to feel sick. I have a super sore throat and it hurts so badly to swallow or talk. I called in sick for one day of work but now I’m back at work. I hope I feel better soon. Either way, I don’t care; New York was an amazing time. My friends told me it was pretty dead because it was Christmas time and normally it’s packed everywhere. I didn’t care it was a blast. I’m going back for the 4th of July and I cannot wait.


This was really long.
I’ll leave you with a completely unrelated yet fantastic quote by Thomas McGuane.
“To me, to live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Shawni

you already know how this will end

I'm staying in greenpoint brooklyn, a block away from the water and a minute away from the ever so trendy Williamsburg. Williamsburg is where all the hipsters live. And by hipsters I mean kids who dress like bums but are actually rich spoiled kids whose parents pay for them to live in 3000-4000$ apartments. We've spent alot of time in Williamsburg. Lots of cute little pubs and bars and really good places to eat. Yesterday we went to union square, but before that we ate at the lodge in williamsburg. If you are ever in williamsburg GO THERE. Best food I've had so far. Although there are so many good places to eat its ridiculous. It's bar after bar, pub after pub, one right after the other, sometimes you don't even know they are there because they are in the basement with no sign on them whatsoever. We hit about 8 bars last night all over new york, from the city to manhattan to all over brooklyn. The bars are so neat, some have swings, some have hammocks, others have sand all over the ground and some have dead animals all over the walls. We ended at Hugs in Williamsburg where Benny works. It's a nice place and after making christmas dinner tonight with Noah we're going to go there as Ben has to work there tonight. Which means we're getting drunk on christmas; which is not any different from the minute I got here though. Bars are open till 4am here which means I never really get to bed till 5 or 6am. My sleeping patterns are going to be totally messed up, but I don't care, I'm having the time of my life. 

Oh yes I cannot forget how pet friendly it is here. Which is probably the main reason why I should be living here. Yesterday I saw a boxer in one bar, a rottweiler in another and a deformed terrier hopping around another bar, this terrier was even sitting on the bar for most of the night. I love pet friendly places, its a breath of fresh air from the not pet friendly city I live in. 

last but not least please listen to this song "how it ends" by DeVotchKa if you get a chance, It is probably the saddest song you will ever hear, but also the greatest, you will not regret it. Seriously, download it. 

I don't wanna leave. MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS!

first day in new york city

So I can see why people love this city. I've only been here a day and I already wish I lived here. There are so many things to do its overwhelming. The people here are surprisingly exceptionally nice. Maybe its cause I'm from "Canadia" but they have all been so nice. 

I didn't think I'd be drinking alot but of course thats changed. I arrived at 10am, went for brunch at around noon, then went to a bar right by Benji's apartment, got loaded and then passed out. I haven't drank in like two months so I am once again a lightweight. The apartments here are so neat, its like the movies. The one I'm staying in is a huge loft apartment. It's doesn't look like an apartment building from the outside. The door is painted blue with graffiti all over it. But inside the apartment is pretty sweet, its super open and they have these makeshift walls for the bedrooms. You can go on the roof, and in the summertime apparently they put a pool out there. I can't believe the amount in rent people pay here, this place is like 3200 a month. Its crazy. Anyway after my nap I got up, got dressed, went out and proceeded to drink some more. First we went to this awesome german pub where they serve these gigantic mugs of beer. Then we went to a house party and then to another bar across the williamsburg bridge called St. Jerome's. The bars here in brooklyn are like holes in the wall and there are so many of them if I didn't know someone from here I wouldn't know where to begin. The bartenders, guys and girls both, I swear looked younger than 21, but they were so adorable and sweet. One of the bartenders had lived in as he called it "the second most god forsaken province in canada" which was saskatchewan. He said mantioba was the first. I argued with him unsuccessfully. I guess he had lived in Saskatoon for some teacher exchange program. We closed down the bar and left around 4am. It was raining on the cab ride/walk home. Anything is better than snow. 

most unproductive day ever

-I ended up calling in sick yesterday as my arm and head hurt so bad I had to go to the clinic. Everytime I lift up my arm it feels like its popping out of place and my head is still swollen. I tell you, horses don't know their weight or size as they aren't the smartest creatures alive. However, if they learned to use their weight effectively,they could do some major damage. I'm in alot of pain and this wasn't even her trying to hurt me.

-anyway, on another note...today i had the most unproductive day off ever....anyone who knows me knows how christmas is my favorite holiday ever. unfortunately thats not the case this year. i procrastinated writing a paper today to put up the christmas tree, yet i found myself not wanting to put the tree up anymore after stringing only three sets of lights. i half assed threw the last two sets of lights on the tree and haven't put any decorations on it since. instead, i continued to procrastinate studying and laid on the couch and watched really bad tv such as tila tequila, the victoria secret fashion show and the hills. wow what a productive day.

- almost last note of the day: serious conversations should not be held over text message.

-last note of the day: ooooh i can't wait for christmas in new york!

interesting trail ride today

imagine a 1400 lb animal freaking out, you're caught between the animal and a horse trailer wall, there's no where to go. the horse is bashing you against the trailer door and will not stop freaking out until she finally breaks free from her halter...

that was me today. i decided to go for a ride with john and stacey, Tia freaked out when i was untrailering her, she was smashing me against the trailer. luckily john pulled me out in time. i collapsed to the ground. i felt like i was going to pass out. i couldnt see anything for awhile and it felt like my head had just gone through the grinder. i finally gained my composure and we still went riding.we're diehards. it was -25 with the windchill.

i have a huge lump on one side of my head from being hit against the trailer wall, the other side of my head is sore and throbbing in pain from being smashed over and over again by a huge animal. she didnt do it out of spite towards me, she was scared and didnt realize i was there, the only thing she was thinking of was getting free. horses can be silly at times.

my jaw hurts, my head hurts, it hurts to speak and to lie down on both sides of my head. i popped lots of tylenol.

after that we had a great ride, got stalked by a crazy skiier, and did lots of galloping. i still love my horse. alot.