I often wonder if non-New Yorkers know how many of our buildings don’t have elevators. Once in a while, you’ll even find a seventh floor walk-up!
I noticed the buildings pictured recently on my way home from work and thought “Not all walk-ups are created equal.”
I’m grateful for my elevator. Some of these walk-ups aren’t even cheaper.
Related posts:
As promised yesterday, here is my Houseguest of Horror story.
I was 22 years old. Maybe 23, but probably 22. An acquaintance from back home in Pennsylvania got in touch to say that she and another friend were coming to NYC. Could they crash with me?
Sure, I assume I said. I was young, rash and not set in my ways as I am now.
I might also have wanted to show off my cool Gramercy Park apartment, a large studio with a separate sleeping loft that functioned as my bedroom. It even had a closet up there. The building has been renovated and turned into fancy condos now.
The acquaintance and her friend, a big burly dude, had me meet them at Peculier Pub. When I arrived, they were already drunk. Drunk enough that I started feeling nervous about them being my house guests.
We can fast forward to the important part of this story because the details are both fuzzy and unimportant. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, I awakened to find the male guest peeing all over my bathroom floor in a drunken stupor.
I was horrified – OBVIOUSLY – but not intimidated for some reason. I kicked them out. I didn’t care that it was sometime around 5 am and where would they go. Nope. Out. I yelled my head off, angry and grossed out until they left.
Adding insult to injury, the female acquaintance told our mutual friend, and anyone else who would listen, how I kicked them out, somehow managing to spin the story in her favor. She never apologized either.
Thanks for bringing back this awful memory, Apartment Therapy.
<<still shuddering>>
Apartment Therapy, one of my favorite sites, recently asked the question “Overnight Guests: Can You Just Say No?” prompting me to think back on a house guest incident I’ll tell you about tomorrow.
The post featured thoughts from Erin Boyle who keeps a blog called Reading My Tea Leaves. Erin and her husband live in a 250 square foot apartment (!!) here in NYC which helps inform her opinion on house guests.
In this case, the comments below the post really added to the discussion. Some posters couldn’t imagine saying no to a house guest, ever. Others, however, were shocked that people would invite themselves to stay.
My perspective is colored by the fact that I have lived in cities my entire adult life. I have not had a guest room ever and my couch doesn’t pull out.
When I was younger, I probably hosted more people than I do now. Having a house guest in close quarters is, well, tiring. Cleaning, ensuring all of my best linens are washed and waiting, and most importantly, the change in my routine. On weekends, I really enjoy being lazy, sleeping in and keeping my schedule loosely organized.
There are some friends, of course, for whom I’d drop everything to host them.
How do you feel about house guests?
And yes, the headline makes me think of this movie clip.
Related posts:
I’m really enjoying Curbed.com’s renters’ week content, including this round up of what $2000 per month in rent will get you in various American cities
Even though looking at the NYC option makes those of us paying high rents feel a little silly. And poor.
$2000 per month goes far in Detroit.
But NYC is home. I don’t even know what I’d do with more space. Honest.
I need a new dining room table. The one I have is too wide for the space.
Unlike in my previous apartment, I have a straight line kitchen and the area is wide. As a result I’m considering replacing my current square table with this:
I’m selling Crate and Barrel bookcases and a dining set for four to make room for new things.
Like this cafe dining table for my wide kitchen.
I also need to buy a microwave because my rental has a Miele and its 17 modes don’t include “microwave.” Sabbath mode, yes. Microwave, no. $%^$%@!!!
And I thought my apartment search was thorough.
Moving is hard work.
You pack and hunt for a new place, and pack, and if you’re me, keep hunting for a new place.
If you like my real estate posts (and know that I’m not assuming you do), you’ll get a kick out of this:
What $1 million will buy in NYC
Would you like to see some of the apartments I didn’t take? OK then! Here’s one.
95 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village
I looked at three studios (two with the same layout, one with a different), all around $2850 per month. Sample listing with floor plan here.
Yes, almost $3000 per month. That’s rent, not a mortgage payment. You don’t get to keep the place.
