I think most people have seen miracle on 34th st. I remember watching it and thinking “it’s probably not that magical in NYC during the holidays. It’s probably just a bunch of grumpy New Yorkers and lots of slush”. Well thanks to global warming, and the Christmas Spirit, I was proven wrong. Christmastime in the city can be that beautiful, even while scattered with many angry New Yorkers.
It’s difficult, though, to try to catch the spirit without feeling like a tourist to the umpteenth degree. Luckily, I was able to go around the city with my mom and sisters and embrace the window gawking, mad shopping, dessert stuffing kind of activities associated with the holidays.
Like most families, we have a set dynamic. My sisters have a different dad than me. We do the usual chit chat and catch up on what’s going on on the other side of our lives. After that, we tease and fuss over our mother, the best human on earth.
SIDE NOTE: Please understand this is not an subjective statement, like that of my past post on “the best”. She truly is. She gave my sister a kidney. She taught my brother to respect women. She gave my other sister sage advice to not pick out a yellow car at the age of 16 (a car which she bought for her). She let me borrow her car for years in order to finish clinicals in Pittsburgh while she walked to work everyday.
I owe her everything but all she asks of me is to enjoy my life. What a task! The rest of the order in the family is boring and Freudian. The oldest (Mimi) trying to lead the pack. The middle children (Danny and Angie) standing out by opening up businesses and flipping houses. And me playing the role of perpetual five-year old. A world traveler and now a US city hopper, I was still reminded by my sibs the importance of not talking to strangers on my travels. K. Thanx. Bye.
Other than all that, being together is a hoot. Think a cheesy 70’s montage of struggling to put on false eyelashes, dancing at discotechs, and hailing cabs in platform shoes. Except it’s more like my mom warming up day old coffee, my sisters asking me to pick up tampons, and me hauling my relatively cheap Canon around NYC after my scheduled Saturday chiropractic appointment. That’s just what girls do.
Of course I showed Mimi and our mom around Liberty State Park because I am truly obsessed. Then we were off to the city. Little Italy was the first destination. Angie graciously offered to drive. We made our way to Paesanos and the Christmas shops. The warmth of the Christmas lights and the dopamine associated with the carbs from the manicotti was pure bliss. We crossed over to the famous store “It’s Always Christmas in New York” where I overheard a woman say “This just looks like a lot of stuff that can get broke, Chuck”. I had to agree as I tucked my ass in around every corner afraid I would knock down a $50 ornament. The place was packed with tons of tourists and tons of tchotchkes. When I spotted a Steeler themed mermaid ornament my heart fluttered. What is it about a city that captures your heart? Who knows?
New York was like the fuck you date before THE ONE. It was flashy and you wanted to show it off. Show that you know every corner and cranny. That you know the hippest spots and that Williamsburg was so hip it wasn’t hip anymore. I say this but all we did was touristy things. We left the ornaments behind and made our way back to Jersey to see a comedy show at Bananas comedy club.
Side note: I love comedy. I will be on SNL someday. It’s just the reality of the world. No question in my mind. So natch I love standup and sketch shows. I used to take improv classes and I forced myself to do an open mic stand up in the city a few months back.
The show was in the small banquet room of a three-star hotel. We watched, we laughed. I couldn’t decide what was funnier: the comedians or the fact that we were in some odd little banquet room in a random Holiday Inn eating mozzarella sticks while watching Mimi progressively get more tipsy.
Ode
to
30 Rock
The next day we headed to all the window displays and the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. I drooled at the thought of being on SNL and then watched the figure skaters do laps in a methodical but satisfyingly boring way. Later there were the shops at the Plaza Hotel and meandering around Fifth Avenue. We were basically patted down to enter the golden walls of Trump Tower. The amount of police outside made me feel nervous and even less enthused over his looming reign. We looked at Tiffany’s and Bergdorfs where prices are upon request and customers come out in dated fur coats and stilettos. I was amazed by how disgusted and enticed I was by the displays. There’s nothing more confusing than being a woman in NYC. One minute you want to be a minimalist and save money and the other you want a gold cuff from Tiffany’s that says “return to Tiffany & co” so you can oblige and return to buy matching earrings.
After the displays, we made our way to the new Black Tap milkshake and burger bar in midtown. We waited a minimal amount of time to receive our overtly sugary concoctions. The presentation was choice, but I had made better sunday-in-a-shakes before at my old ice cream job. With so many restaurants in the city, every one has to have a “thing” to stand out. We then headed for Jersey for taco dip and football at the apartment.
As a traveling nurse, I have found a more defined sense of self. However, I have found that I am now also more aware of when I shift from who I want to be. Weeks before, I had literally been stepped over while waiting for the train. I was beeped at, a foot away from being hit by a car during morning rush hour. I had snapped at a nurse practitioner at work. Having my family visit was like a reset button. They helped me to see the little bit of magic that had been eclipsed by honking horns and middle fingers.
Now, I have found myself enjoying the season. There is a secret santa exchange at work and everyone is telling me to go to Rolf’s to check out the holiday lights. I started my Christmas shopping at The Strand and Chelsea Market. There was the Highline at night and Artichoke Pizza with Angie. She had to old school call the restaurant to inform me she would be late because my phone had once again died.
I ran a Santa Dash in full Santa suit in Prospect Park. After, I met an OG Brooklyn bartender at Farrell’s Bar and Grill. I asked him if he had lived and worked in Brooklyn all his life and he responded that he had been on the other side of the bar a lot longer than he had been behind it. He told me all about the changes Brooklyn had seen, including his increase in property value that meant nothing to him because he had no interest in moving. He offered Bud or Bud light as our prize for finishing the barely 5k run and stared at the many that pouted and asked for other options.
Unfortunately, Santa Con had been the day earlier. I had ridden the NJT with drunken Jersey boy Santas the morning before. As I made my trek through Brooklyn in my Santa Suit, I realized that people were staring and judging. They thought I was doing the stride of pride after I found my Mrs. Claus out at some bar the night before. Cringe.
Chelsea Market
I also finally made it to the Brooklyn Flea, something I had been meaning to do since birth. A dollar to enter and an evergreen latte (fully garnished with a stalk of pine) later and I was in. Stained glass illuminating dust in the air and the smell of old books greeted me at the door. I got lost in the old prints. I searched the sequined racks for anything worthy of my nonexistent NYE plans. After hours of looking for I’m not sure what, I devoured a Ramen burger and walked back to the subway station. The subway was in full force with live holiday music. There were trumpets and saxophones. An old man playing a two-stringed, homemade, plank of wood instrument. He played an eerie, high pitched version of silent night and I prayed I was not in a horror film.
I ended last weekend with my roommates in Newport Beach. We ran through the snow and cold to try to get the perfect Christmas card picture. Apparently we did so illegally and were forced to be quick. We left with barely decent pictures.
The past few weeks have also made me more appreciative of all these experiences, as I have accepted a new contract in the Bay Area in California. In a matter of weeks I will make my third cross country trip and return to the state in which my travel nursing career began. I almost turned down the job as it will be in a new specialty, Neuro ICU, but then I remembered I have to move to a bigger pond! Wish me luck and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Cheers!
ROAMEEOH 
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