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NYC Second Time Around

July 2, 2014 Andi Leave a comment

So we have moved back to NYC last week. It has been a pretty hectic past few months and up until now I have been constantly busy. I thought it would help to write more. Let’s start with the actual move. Last Monday (6/23) we paid some movers to load up our UHaul. Then around 11:30 am we set out on the road, Don driving the uHaul and Lina and I in the car behind him. The beginning of the drive was not too bad, but from about Ohio on it rained on and off constantly. Not just a light normal rain but downpours. It was scary. We stayed in a hotel Monday night in Pennsylvania. Lina did pretty good the whole first day and at the hotel.

The second day of driving started off pretty good there was barely any rain. We made it to NYC around 10:30 am. Ethan met us here and we had movers take our stuff up to our new 4th floor apartment in Washington/Hudson Heights. Luckily we have 2 elevators in the building. I was surprised to see how big the apartment was and I can’t wait to take pictures. I want to wait until we get a few more things done first.

The rest of the week was spent unpacking, organizing, and doing various things for my new job at NY Presbyterian. I start July 21. I also suffered from some sort of virus that made my muscles so sore and achy. At first I thought it was from moving but when it wasn’t getting better and my sister said she had similar symptoms I knew it was more than that. Luckily by yesterday I started feeling better but it was miserable. So achy and headache for about a week. How come every time I move I get sick? When we moved to Chicago I got a terrible cold. For the weekend we made a trip with the car to Lowes and Ikea in Brooklyn. We got blinds and various things but had no luck at Ikea due to their credit/debit machines not working. Hopefully we go back soon.

The place is pretty much getting in order now. Now I find myself having a lot of time to get things done but there’s only so much I can do. I find it harder to keep busy, especially with the weather being so hot. Keeping busy is key to not thinking about everyone and everything you’re missing. I love NYC and I love friends and family here, but I never thought I would miss Chicago so much. We made tons of friends there and my job at Lurie’s was the best. It makes me so homesick and sad to think about it. The problem is I don’t want to forget and lose contact with people…as well as I don’t want them to forget about me. But keeping in contact and wishing I was at work there doesn’t help with moving on here. I’m sure it will be different when I start working, I hope it will be good. Last night was the first night I cried about it in a long time. I know we did the right thing and I know things will get better. I also know we have no idea what the future holds. I’m excited for everything, I just want to feel happy and not homesick. I want to go on adventures with my husband and be able to sit around and watch our favorite shows again also. We haven’t been able to spend a lot of time together these past few months.

I went to the park today and it is so beautiful. I can’t wait to show people around when they come to visit. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings. Starting over is hard but I am able to do it, I’ll never forget our time in Chicago but mostly I won’t forget the people.

Bloggings, Rantings, Reviews

Living without Cable.

April 15, 2014 Andi Leave a comment

So we have been living without cable since the beginning of August. We held onto it the first week of August for Shark Week. Unfortunately, RCN reminded us why we were getting rid of cable…the cable was out pretty much the entire week. But not only was the cable out, the internet was also. The problem was somehow our cable line had been cut so our neighbors were also without cable and internet. It took so many phone calls and visits for RCN to get their act together. I think it took about 3 phone calls before they realized this was not only a problem for us but also for our neighbors.

Now we are happily living without cable, though we do still have internet with RCN. It has been a pretty easy adjustment, mostly due to our sweet set up. Our HD antenna was working great, but after a lot of thought and research I really wanted DVR. It’s so nice to be able to come home in the middle of one your shows and to be able to start from the beginning because it was being recorded.

In July I started doing a lot of reading about how to have DVR without cable. Tivo was the first and most popular DVR product that I saw, but with Tivo we would have a monthly bill. After more research I found out you could make your computer into a DVR. Basically you install a TV tuner into your computer and watch live TV through it with the help of an antenna.

We looked into 2 TV tuners with the best reviews: the SiliconDust HD HomeRun Dual HD Digital TV Tuner HDHR3-US and the Hauppauge 1229 HVR 2250 TV tuner. Both were very similar but we decided to go with the Hauppauge. It was about $100.

So here’s how we set up…we moved my PC into the living room so it could be next to the TV. My PC has Windows 7 on it so it has Windows Media Center. This is pretty much a free program that you run with a TV tuner. It allows you to watch live TV on your PC, you can watch whatever channels your HD antenna can pick up. It comes with a guide and even the option to record live TV. To use Windows Media Center though you need a TV tuner and that’s where Hauppauge comes in.
After a lot of trial and error we have a set up that really works for us. We ended up moving the HD antenna into our bedroom window that faces south. It gets the best reception here. We taped it with clear tape onto the window. It’s not really noticeable with the blinds. Then we ran a TV cable from the antenna to the PC. We had to purchase this cable because we didn’t have one long enough; I think it was about $30. From the PC to the TV we have a DVI to HDMI cable adapter. This was $18.99 at Microcenter. We bought a wireless keyboard to use as our remote. It’s the k400 Logitech. I like it because it’s small and light and works great.

Once everything is hooked up correctly and you install the Hauppauge driver you’re ready to scan for channels using Windows Media Center. We opted not to download the Hauppauge TV guide & program software because we read Windows Media Center was good enough. So the PC receives the TV signal from the HD antenna and over the air channels are projected on the TV from the computer in HD. It was really easy to set up.

After we had all the channels coming in crystal clear I started setting up our recording options. It’s just like a regular DVR you get through your cable box, except this one is already paid off. You can put in series recordings so you don’t even have to think about it your Hauppauge TV tuner and recorder will just record whatever shows you tell it to. Like most DVR offered by cable companies the Hauppauge is a dual tuner so you can record 2 shows at once. It is freaking awesome. The only thing you have to remember is your shows will not be recorded if your PC isn’t on.

So after about 6 months of no cable, do we miss it? Not really. Rather than spending hours watching really bad horrible reality shows or lifetime movies, I find myself doing other things, like watching Netflix. But really it does feel kind of refreshing to not have access to cable. We are still able to watch all of the shows we were watching when we had cable. We record Big Brother, Survivor, Amazing Race and Grimm right now. We have found ways to get access to The Walking Dead, and we are up to date. We have been watching every Bears game live on free TV, as well as a few Hawks games that have been on WGN. We still haven’t tried any of the websites for streaming sports live because it really hasn’t been necessary…but watch out for that blog later.

Actually I think getting rid of cable has made me watch more TV, but better shows. For example if we still had cable I wouldn’t have time to finish series like Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black and Parks and Recreation. It’s pretty cool and it’s been going very well.

Set-Up Costs:
$70-HD antenna
$120 Hauppauge TV Tuner
$50 extra cables
$40 Wireless keyboard
—Total: $280

Old RCN cable and internet monthly bill $130
New RCN internet bill $28
Netflix $8/month
Amazon Prime-$8/month
Approx.-$45/month for internet and TV services
About $1000 saved a year!

Our new remote the Logitech wireless keyboard.

Bloggings, Reviews - Travel, Snorkeling, Travel

Snorkeling in Culebra.

December 18, 2013 Andi Leave a comment

Woke up today and got ready for snorkeling at the island of Culebra. We booked with the company called East Island Excursions. We were a little worried our excursion would be canceled because the winds had been very strong for the past few days. We had to be at the port at 9 am, so we stopped for some breakfast at a deli nearby.

The boat for the excursion was very nice. Our main tour guide was Chris. He kind of reminded us of Doug Tucker haha. We sat with another couple from California. They guy, Carlos, was originally from Brooklyn but he was in love with California now. He had a very fun personality and talked a lot. His wife’s name was Marlene.

The boat ride over to Culebra was very rough. I thought I was going to puke, so did Marlene. Of course Carlos and Don were perfectly fine. A lot of other passengers were feeling sick also. The tour guides gave us a tissue with hand sanitizer on it and told us to sniff it. This was supposed to make us feel better, maybe it did a little but I just felt horrible.

We were so happy to make it to our first snorkeling spot without getting sick. It was awesome. Probably some of the best snorkeling we have done. There was a lot of coral and a lot of fish. We snorkeled for about an hour then we got back on the boat for lunch.

Lunch was really good. They had sandwiches, chips, fruit, cookies, and pasta salad. They also started serving rum punch. The rum punch was very good. Then we headed to our second location which was Flamenco Beach. Flamenco Beach was rated the #2 beach in the world in 2012. It was beautiful. The snorkeling was also very good here, we were not disappointed. We saw a dogtooth snapper, he hung out underneath the boat. The sand on the beach was so fine, like powder.

After we were done at Flamenco we started to go back to the port at Fajado. We were able to enjoy this ride more because it was much smoother. We had some more drinks and fruit. Rum punch is always so delicious. We talked with Carlos and Marlene and we got back to the port around 3:45.

We went to Walgreens on the way back to Coqui’s. There were horses grazing in the grass near Walgreens, freaken crazy! Don’s bee sting was still very itchy and tender so we picked up some ointment for it.

Judy and Steve made steak tacos for dinner tonight. They were delicious. This trip has proven to me more that I don’t see the point in dishwashers…haha I can do it faster and better myself. We watched Tropic Thunder. After dinner Don, Steve and I went out to the pool. Don and Steve enjoyed a cigar. We saw Senor Seis again! We also saw a giant frog. There is so much wild life here.

Bloggings, Food Blog, Travel

El Yunque National Forest

December 17, 2013 Andi Leave a comment

We woke up early today to get ready for our tour of El Yunque Rain Forest. We were to meet Louis at 930 at the El Yunque Visitor Building. When we got to the rain forest it was raining, so we took shelter in the visitor center and waited for Louis.

Louis brought 3 other people with him: a couple from Brooklyn and one other guy that rarely talked. We first watched a 20 minute movie about El Yunque. It was horrible quality but very informative. Then we looked around the visitor center. Louis told us to watch out for the mongoose and some kind of boa snake, but that was all that was harmful in the forest. He showed us all kinds of flowers, plants, and trees. He was very informative.

Once we were done around the visitor center we got in his tour van and we started going up the mountain to a waterfall. The waterfall was beautiful. We noticed one of the guys flicked a bee off of another guy’s shirt. Then the bee landed on Don’s neck and stung him. I took the stinger out; it was really big. It was swollen for a bit and I gave him 2 Benedryl.

Next we went to a tower to overlook the rain forest. You could see a lot of the island. We saw the town of Loquillo and the resorts. Then we went down and went to our next location, which was by where we would go on our hike. Louis showed us the big bath, more trees, and we saw a walking stick. Then we did a 2 hour hike. Louis did not come with us. He drove the van to the end of the trail to pick us up. We hiked to a waterfall. It was awesome. We could have swam in the waterfall but we did not feel like getting all wet and having to hike more. Steve took a dip though.

Once we made it back to Louis he took us to lunch. We ate at his friend’s restaurant in El Yunque. It was mostly fried stuff, but it was delicious. We had chicken and shrimp tacos, which looked more like empanadas because they were fried. We also had mashed potatoes around beef then fried. Next was a sweet cheese in corn meal-fried. Fried pork chop and rice and beans. It was really good. We tried some of the store owners Pitorro and we bought 2 bottles. It was crazy because they were in used soda bottles. After we looked around the gift shop Louis brought us back to our car.

Once we got back to Coqui’s we went in the pool. It felt so good. We did not see Senor Seis, who knows what became of him. We put little weights in the pool and dove down to get them. Then we laid out in the sun. After we were done at the pool we came back inside and got cleaned up. Then we just relaxed and watched some TV. Around 7 pm we decided to go to Loquillo to try one of the restaurants at the kiosks. It was just a row of restaurants.

We decided on a Peruvian place called Cerviche Hut. It wasn’t very good at all. The service was very slow and the food was expensive and not good. After that we went home and put the on the movie Fred Clause. I went to bed around 10….I was so tired.

Bloggings, Food Blog, Reviews, Reviews - Travel, Travel

Old San Juan to Coqui’s Hideaway.

December 16, 2013 Andi Leave a comment

We woke up today to pick up our cars that we rented. We each got a Toyota Yaris.It was kind of cool to drive this car because it is similar to our Ford Fiesta and we had considered trying out the Yaris. So far I am happy we went with the fiesta.

Since we couldn’t check into Coqui’s Hideaway near the rain forest until 3 pm we decided to hang out in Old San Juan. We left our hotel to head for Old San Juan around 10 am. We found parking spaces in a garage in Old San Juan…it is very hard to find parking! Never rent a car if you are just staying in Old San Juan.

We stopped for breakfast sandwiches and lattes before we started walking around. We started walking to one of the forts, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, ‘El Morro’. The walk there was very hot, but the views were great and we saw lots of cats! The cats of Old San Juan!

Once we got closer to the fort it was cooler with a breeze. El Morro was $3. We walked around there for about an hour and took lots of pictures. It rained a bit on the way back but it felt good. We found a place to eat, Manolin. It was pretty good, but it was so cold in the restaurant! The power went out for a bit and it was nice because then the AC couldn’t blast. The food was okay, nothing spectacular. I had fried steak with rice and beans and plantains. After we were done eating we checked out a few gift shops. Then we went back to the car to make our drive to Coqui’s Hideaway.

The drive to Coqui’s was about 30-40 minutes. It was a nice drive until we started heading into the mountains. It got scary, the road was so curvy. Once we got to Coqui’s we met with Ray. Coqui’s Hideaway is basically a house rental and Ray is our host. He lives next door with his wife. Coqui’s is very nice and the property is beautiful. There was a little welcome basket with fruits grown on the property, rum, Puerto Rican snacks, and supplies to make pina coladas.

Once Ray showed us around we decided to check out the pool. The pool area was awesome. It overlooked the rain forest, El Yunque. The pool water was very cold though so I did not get in. I just enjoyed laying in the sun; it felt awesome. The views were amazing.

We found a few coqui frogs, which is how coqui’s got its name. Coqui frogs live only in Puerto Rio and they are loved by everyone. They make a mating call that sounds like “co-key”. They are also small and super cute.

We found a huge spider up in the rafters above the grill. He looked like he had been in a fight because he was missing 2 legs. We named him Senor Seis. He was very scary looking but still he was very interesting. I wonder what kind of spider he was. He was above us and too hard to kill so we decided to just keep our eyes on him.

Once we got out of the pool we decided to go to Ralph’s Grocery Store. We picked up a few things then on the way home we stopped at El Verde BBQ. It wasn’t really a place to sit down so we got our food to go. It was a little interesting place on the corner. It seemed to be the place to go and they even had a couple of gambling arcade games. We got a ton of food: a rotisserie chicken, pork, rice and beans, plantains, sausage, and sweet fried potatoes. The food was delicious. After dinner we were stuffed but we still had room for some rum and coke and beers.

We went out to the pool again and saw Senor Seis. He had moved a little and was between the boards now in the roof. Then we came back inside and watched some movies. There is a huge movie collection at Coqui’s. We watched 2 movies, I can’t remember the first one but the second one was Whip It. Then we went to bed. Tomorrow we are going hiking into El Yunque.

GarbledSyntax