How did I become lazy in the fastest city in the world?!

So it’s been a while, I promise I will commit! It something that’s been burning in me for a while. In the meantime I was thinking what should I write. I must say that this is first time that I have lived in NYC and can actually enjoy it fully, without worry as had in the past. But the routine of life stops me from doing so. So here is me giving a chance to myself. There is so much stuff to do here, so I’m gonna start with the following exhibit: “Who Shot Rock & Roll”.I will go there before the end of the month (it ends Jan 31) http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/rock_and_roll/

200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York You can take the 2 or 3!

Will let you know how it goes…

Baby got back…

Ok so it’s been a while. As you can see I have been busy because I actually got that secret job. Anyway its taking up my time but it has helped me pay rent and allowed me to get a new apt. Goodbye sketchy roommate who didn’t pay rent hello beautiful Murray Hill apt. So between my last blog and now I managed to get evicted, couch surf for two months be jobless for a little and also I had this annoying surgery. What can I say, the shit hit the fan all at once, but things are now looking up. In the meantime, I feel that these days, or maybe all days we are torn between practical things and the dreams that we have. I thought being a designer was a practical dream, till the market crashed…Oh well. So still on the freelance, just minus the perks of getting up when I want. I currently have an awesome client and I am working on a new branding project. So what if its pro-bono?! That can be a good portfolio builder, however it can’t be a habit. In this case, I actually care about the cause and I had worked with the organization in my undergrad. I really ultimately like my work to make a difference and have social content and impact so I feel it is worth it.

SHALOM KITA ALEF

Hello first grade! It feels like the first day on the job is like the first day in first grade. You carefully pick out what to wear the night before, you wake up extra early, you have your bag packed with a new notebook, pencils and pens, you grab your lunch that mom made with love (ok no lunch from mom, but she would have made it…well no she probably wouldn’t now that I’m 27 but I’d like to think she would)…and your off to a new beginning. This time the beginning pays! YEAH! So my little readers wish me luck at the FIDF! In the meantime, my freelance client is driving me nuts. Its just hard to work with someone who doesn’t understand design but thinks they do! Details will follow. But seriously I invested a lot of time and money in my degree and profession, like that what you pay me for because you don’t know grrrrrrr…people are so literal with their designs like if its an bike shop the logo has to be a bike or if its a supermarket there better be a vegetable in the logo. geeeeez

Spend money to make money

Big interview tomorrow! The secret company has called me back for a 3rd and final interview. Apparently I’m up against another dude. Now as much as I want to be a designer right now its not really happening so in addition to my freelance work I hope to get this job and eventually do some design for them as well. The job itself seems very interesting and I think I could definitely commit to the cause. In the meantime, what to wear to an interview…I mean they have already seen me twice so it’s not like a surprise, but still I want to own this interview and apparently 50% of why people like you – is the way you look.  Anyway, try this link its awesome and you can find a bunch of other appropriate articles http://video.about.com/fashion/Women-s-Business-Wardrobe.htm enjoy it. In any case, its Non-Profit and it has to do with Israel, so of course I’m already

In any case, I found myself at Herald Square today looking for the right pants to wear I mean really mine are all shot. Finally after an hour I found the hottest pair at H&M, like when I saw them its like I could hear angels singing and they were only $35.00. Its still hard to give up the clothes for art class for a tailored look. No more sneakers AAAAH. Maybe I can set a new trend at the office once I get the job. Wish me luck…

She work hard for da money

I’m on the move again, waiting for the right apt to clear out for me on Oct. 1. In the meantime, I will enjoy the view from the top floor of a 20 story apartment on 55th st, before my migration to Brooklyn. On to more important issues…finally one of my clients came through, now the work begins. Logo time baby! So far I am working on stage one. I will post the final logo, I cannot post anything before in order not to breach client privacy. I’ll try and give a play by play. Anyway, I’m excited because this means I have a little money coming in. I will then follow with a web design, so it is really a good opportunity. In parallel, I have continued the job search in all related and and non-related fields. I have had 2 interviews for a non related field but very interesting. I will keep it top secret but cross your fingers. It’s really an awesome job.

No more tan in a can…

Weekends in NYC can be so stressful, what to do? where to go? who to meet? Well really my big dilemma was what drink to order.  Thankfully for a little Israeli girl, far away from home, NYC is apparently the Mecca for all my traveling friends. Seems all my best friends come through here at some point. So I was fortunate to share my Israeli friends with my American ones (with a token Brit). So in terms of who to go with, I was covered. Another reasonably priced tid-bit for NYC is IRON SUSHI! Followed by CRUMBS, for some amazing cupcakes (try the raspberry!). Finally we ended up at my favorite neighborhood bar CUBBYHOLE, for vodka cranberry. I promise you none of these were a killer in terms of cash. Following Friday’s festivities I went tanning in central park with two of my nearest and dearest. Not the best idea considering the heat, I must say it got a little too hot as we found ourselves losing more and more articles of clothing and pouring our drinking water all over. One of us claimed to have gotten heat stroke. We were so hot, it was worth the risk of indecent exposure. I’m not used to this park tanning, I need some water to dunk in close by and the green mossy ponds at central park almost seemed tempting. That was the moment to relocate, so we cooled off at my favorite upscale Mexican place, CREMA. OK so what if my friend just happens to work there?! They still have the best margaritas in New York. It was definitely better than getting arrested in Central Park for fighting the heat with nudity. 15 drinks later and dinner to soak up the booze, I was ready for bed. Since I didn’t feel as though I had really had a full tanning experience, Sunday was my last chance. I took my buddy to the city pool (FREE!!!) on 23 and ave C! We enjoyed the sun and a little bit of water, but G-D forbid we actually go in the city pool water with the 2 million screaming kids. In any case, I found it cool to hang out at a pool on the FDR Drive (highway surrounding Manhattan). After a rest and a nice lunch at home, we got ready to see the Opening Ceremony of the Maccabi Games. For those who don’t know they are the Jewish Olympics (ages 13-17). Amazing how us Jews have Nobel prize winning scientists, amazing Doctors and the best Engineers, but we can’s do sports to save our lives. So we made up our own Olympics. But seriously it was touching to see the sense of community. What was even cooler was the huge performance by some of the best Broadway stars at the ceremony. Again this was a lovely opportunity given by a friend who works there. One important NY lesson, for those trying to make it: it pays to have friends in different places in this city. Well…maybe they can’t pay you, but they can surely save you some money.

cue the hold music…

This week was a challenging week so far, but it seems as though things are up in the air for everyone. I will first talk about my freelance work. I love how the client gets excited when you first talk about what you can do to make their website better, or how their image would be improved by a new look. They get all revved up by the mere thought of twitter and facebook. Search Engine Optimization is like another language, but they role with it. So you take the time talk to all your partners and finally you come up with a quote for every service they wanted, then you click send and wait…and wait…and wait some more. Silence on the other end is felt like a desolate dry desert. So you email again and you call, “hey did you get my quote?” and they say “oh did you send it…well resend I’ll look it over”. Meanwhile you sent it like 3 times already. Oh well, the designer’s job is always underestimated. So all you clients out there…educate yourselves. We spend years of lives and much of our money to learn how to do a great job for you. When you pay for a logo or a site you aren’t paying me you are paying for my knowledge and skill that I worked hard to get. Remember you get what you pay for, do not be penny wise and dollar stupid. So I’ll wait a little longer and you will come around at some point, just hope its not too late.

New Place!

Another fab update is that I am no longer residing on the Lower East Side, currently I am residing in Hell’s Kitchen and the contrast is unbelievable. What was more unbelievable is that with the help of 2 very gracious and sweaty friends I was able to bring down all my belongings down my 4 floor walk up, box by box. Goodbye gross smell on the street, hello young gay party boys and 500 restaurants in a 0.5 mile radius. Oh how I love the variety of NYC.

Free Culture

For those visiting or living in NYC, my favorite cheep thrill is The Metropolitan Museum of Art. There is nothing like culture for a suggested fee of $20.00, i.e. give them a dollar and say you are student or say nothing. No arguments! I must say though, going on a sunday after a weekend of debauchery and no sleep makes it a little less pleasurable. By the time I got to the second floor tired, hungry and thirsty I feel very happy that it was such an affordable experience. Luckily I had my good friends to take me through it. Pictures will be posted shortly…http://www.metmuseum.org/

Combinot

In Hebrew slang there is a term called “Combina” (kom-bee-na). The plural is Combinot (kom-bee-note). This is a very commonly used term in Israel defines as a typical way in Israel to get things or jobs. By deal or connections. Also possible to conjugate (Cimbanti, Cimbanta, Cimbannu…) 1. Mr. Cohen works here thanks to a combina his brother, Uzi Cohen, has made.
2. (as gerund:) Dude, it’s your lucky day. I managed to LeCamben for us tickets for the show for free. Basically it is kind of like using networking but much wider.

This pertains to my little story just recently, as I believe that I got a new client due to a combina from a family friend. Looks like I will be designing some travel e-blasts a logo and maybe some more things. It just goes to show you when you need something done always do it the Israeli way! Hopefully I will post some new work over the next few weeks!