paramus, new jersey

As I mentioned in my last post, I had a couple of furniture mishaps that needed fixing. So this past Tuesday, I made a reservation with the Harlem branch of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, got myself a set of wheels for the day, and ventured into Paramus, New Jersey, where the nearest Ikea is located. I was assigned to a Ford Taurus, but the car wasn't ready when I got there, so I got a PT Cruiser instead. It ended up being to my benefit because the back seat was able to fit more of my furniture and purchases from both Ikea and Target, which I stumbled upon while driving around in the morning, waiting for Ikea to open. I had a really fun time being able to drive again - though I was extremely cautious because I was, admittedly, terrified of driving in New York, and I'm sure my fellow motorists didn't appreciate me driving 10 miles under the speed limit the whole time, but whatever - and it was nice to get out of New York for a day. The only downside was trying to get my furniture pieces down and up from my fourth-floor walk up apartment. Turned out to be a pretty good workout though, and a little soreness never hurt anyone.

Here are a few pictures from my adventures in the Garden State:


The PT Cruiser I rented, in the Target parking lot


I crossed the George Washington Bridge into NJ - $8 toll back into NY! Insane!


My new dresser, all pieces included


My one piece of decor includes pictures of my four favorite places in the world - Berkeley, New York, San Francisco, Venice


My workstation

There are only a few more things I need: purple walls and a MacBook. Oh yeah, and a roommate and her dog, and they're moving in this afternoon!

In other news, I got a new job! I'll be working as a server at a restaurant on the Upper West Side starting this coming week. So much closer to home and work, and I'll be making a lot more money. Many thanks are owed to my friend Pete for all the support and guidance.

And that concludes my first month in New York. Woo!