An Empire State of Mind: 20 things I’ve learned since moving to New York.

There’s a couple of things I’ve learned since moving to New York in September.

Look up.

1. Get straight to the point. Hence, above.
2. Always carry a little bit of cash.
3. The best snacks are cash only – toasted caramelized nuts for $2 and deep-fried oreos!
4. The subway system is incredibly easy to navigate.
5. Shake Shack really is that good.
6. Cabs can be either really cheap – or really expensive – depending on the time of day.
7. It’s almost impossible to get a cab between 4:30-6 due to shifts ending/beginning.
8. Only in New York is is normal to carry around 50 lbs in multiple purses and not look out of place.
9. The brokers may tell you you’ll get used to a 4th floor walkup, but it’s been 2 months and I’m still huffing and puffing.
10. Seamless is the best invention since the internet.
11. So far, I haven’t discovered a slice of New York cheese pizza I didn’t like.
12. Window screens are rare.
13. Cats will jump out onto the ledge if the window is open.
14. I gotta get a pair of flat black boots.
15. Black is a New Yorker’s favorite color.
16. All-you-can-drink sangria and brunch for $15. Oh, yes.
17. Never eat in Times Square or a 4 block radius from there. You’ll pay double. For Applebees. And really? Applebees is not quintessential NY – even though it has the word apple.
18. Central Park is gorgeous in the fall.
19. Shiba Inus are really popular puppies on the Upper West Side.
20. There is something magical about living here.

If you’ve never moved cross-country, lucky you. I’m a pretty big planner but I was way off base about how long it would take us to get situated in New York after moving from Seattle in September. I was shooting weddings up until the day before we hopped on a plane for good, having sold every piece of furniture and giving away the rest. We condensed our life into 35 boxes, FedEx-ed them and bought one-way tickets for Ryan, myself, and Miss Kitty.

There’s a lot I learned about myself since getting on that Southwest flight.

I learned I can’t live in boxes.

That five days is too long to wait to get a mattress.

Going to IKEA is an ADVENTURE. An adventure that took three separate trips and weekends.

Fitting the largest vintage affordable desk I could find into a very small space was a goal that was not easily accomplished and one that took three weeks.

I learned that in New York, time flies at the speed of light.

Days roll into weeks. It’s a city that truly never sleeps – and works hard and plays hard.

I’ve heard opera on the subway, learned which blocks smell like seafood, given so many directions I can’t keep count, learned how to properly give locations (just the streets – no addresses. 55 and Lex, for example) and keep reminding myself to look up – and up – and up. Since we moved two months ago, I’ve been so busy working, settling, and trying to play catch up with the enormous amount of backwork that I’ve taken few photographs, but the few I have can be fairly representative of a new york minute.

To my loyal and oh so patient clients: you are amazing. I am so thankful you understand how stressful it is moving cross-country with your family. I appreciate it more than you know.