2am - I have to share that when I woke up to use the bathroom around 2, I realized that I had forgotten to pack my work badge that would give me access to the building/floors of the building in NYC. I was a little panicky because it’s a huge hassle when you forget your badge where I work in Minneapolis. So I stressed for about an hour even though I rationally knew worrying about it wouldn’t change a thing and that I would figure it out.
6am - My Fitbit alarm wakes me up. I put workout clothes on and do this in room workout which I also did in Charlotte. The hotel has a gym but it’s nice to be able to stay in my room and this workout is tough for me. Those wall sits are killer
After that I shower and get ready. I have a big day of client meetings today so I wear my go to dress although I forgot to pack the statement necklace I usually wear with this but oh well!
 |
| I used to wear suits for business travel but now I am team wear dresses only. I hate suits and do not feel comfortable/confident in them like I do in a dress! |
7:30am - My first stop is Starbucks, of course! I have learned to load up at breakfast while traveling as I don’t know when I might get a break to eat lunch. So I get a triple shot venti skinny vanilla latte, classic oatmeal and yogurt.
 |
| Jenny, I thought of you when I saw this store had holiday cups! For some reason the store in my neighborhood didn't have them over the weekend - nor did they have them last Christmas season! |
7:45am - I get to the office and luckily am able to exchange my driver’s license for a temporary badge. Phew. It was so easy, I kick myself for losing sleep over it. When I get to the elevators, I see the head of HR for my massive company. I introduce myself and then he ends up going up to my floor and helping me find the trading floor. This guy is in the c suite so there is no reason he should be helping a peon like me, but he is so so nice!
I spend the next hour or so catching up on emails and read a few blogs. The office is very quiet when I get there. I forget that New Yorkers come into work a bit later. I didn’t know when I should be in - not that anyone cares or is watching me, but I don’t want to come off as the lazy slacker!
9:30am - I track down the sales rep that I am doing meetings with. We have talked so many times over zoom, teams, etc but it’s my first time meeting him in person. Finding him is a challenge. Our NYC office is a total and complete maze. It’s hard to find the elevators, the bathroom, you name it! I chat with some of the sales people until we head out for our first meeting at 11.
10:30am-2:45pm - we head out for 3 meetings in the Midtown area and grab salads for lunch in between our last 2 meetings. The meetings all go well. It’s been a really awful year for financial markets but the guys we meet with get it and understand the opportunities we are seeing in the market.
2:45pm - We get back to the office and I have time to use the restroom and fill my water bottle before going to an internal meeting at 3.
3pm - I listen in on a meeting about opportunities in fixed income markets/how we are positioning our portfolios. After the 30 min meeting, I catch up on emails and send a question that came up during one of my client meetings to the portfolio management team.
4pm - it’s time for my final call of the day which lasts about 30 minutes over zoom.
4:30-5:30pm - I respond to emails and tasks that piled up when I was in meetings all day and I talk to a senior guy who is also in from Minneapolis about what I am going to do for dinner. Since it’s election night, I didn’t make any evening plans. A younger woman on the trading desk gave me 4 suggestions for the west village so I look at all the menus to see which has the best gluten free options. I decide on a French place - St. Tropez.
5:30pm - I drop my backpack at the hotel, freshen up, and figure out how to get to the west village. I need to take 2 subway lines but it’s pretty easy.
6pm - I arrive at the restaurant which is basically empty. I know people dine out later in NYC but this is to my advantage as I can snag a spot at the bar. While I eat dinner, the restaurant and bar fill up! It’s been a long day, so I treat myself to a glass of white wine, a scallop entree and chocolate mousse for dessert. I am impressed by how generous the wine pour is! I write most of this blog post on my phone during dinner. The meal is delicious and I'm charmed by the bartender's French accent. Newer readers to my blog might not know about my total and complete obsession with France. I've been there 3 times and absolutely adore Paris. I haven't been there since November 2013 and don't see us going over there for a long time so for now I get my French fix through reading and eating at French restaurants!
 |
| The ridiculously generous wine pour! |
7pm - I walk through the West Village a bit and end up finding the apartment where Carrie Bradshaw of SATC lived. Then I get into the subway and head back to Midtown. The boys FT me when I am on the subway. Paul is thrilled to see that I am on a train! The connection is not great so the call drops but they clearly enjoyed seeing where mom was. I mess up on the way back home and don't get off the subway in time. I meant to take it to 42nd/Times Square stop but end up getting off at 50th street and decide to walk home instead of getting back on the subway. It's a nice night so a 20 minute walk feels good. But that does mean I walk through Times Square which is an area I've managed to avoid in all my visits to NYC. I know it's a tourist destination but ay yi yi, it is not my scene. All the bright lights, noises, and crowds are overwhelming.
7:45pm - I make a pit stop at a drug store to buy some advil. I've had headaches all day and didn't replenish my advil stash before this trip so I need more to get me through the trip. I think I must be dehydrated from travel/a full day of meetings. When I get back to my hotel room I FT the boys. They are more interested in talking to me than they were the night before. I hear about their days and how Will has had several meltdowns over who knows what. Oh toddlerhood.
14 comments:
LOL at your reaction to Times Square. That is basically how I felt the one and only time I was in NYC for the entire trip. It was noisy even in our hotel room! The whole city stresses me out and I'm impressed you do this on a regular basis because it would really stress me out.
I love these sort of posts.
I'm a huge fan of Times Square, but you already know my kids were NOT impressed.
I love dresses; I find them so much more comfortable and dressy than any form of pant/suit combo. Definitely my go-to for anything formal.
Hope the headaches were gone by the next morning and kudos for fitting in a hotel workout!
Sounds like a very full day and I bet the boys were excited to see you on FT! I would avoid Times Square, too, if I could. I’m also happy to hear your subway travel was safe. I hear such horrible reports about them these days.
I hope you can return in good weather as we’re looking at a snow storm tomorrow, I’m so not ready for winter weather!
Oh Lisa, this was so fun to read! I always love Day in the Life posts, but this one takes the cake. How fun it was to read about your workday in NYC. It made me so happy. I know work travel is not always fun but there are just so many lovely parts in here. Your dinner looks great too! Thanks for this peek into your world!
I really enjoyed reading this. It's a terrific post -- I would have loved that restaurant! I don't know if I would have felt comfy walking back after missing the stop -- but it looks fun and seems like it was pretty safe. I haven't been to NYC since before 9/11 and I'd love to go back. It looks great. And I know your time there was a hit business-wise!
looks like a busy day. I always find that business trips are so tiring and at the end of day getting to the hotel alone feels lonely and makes me miss family a lot. sometimes I don't even FT with the family because it makes me miss them more.
good that your trips are rather short so it's more manageable for the family.
sorry that you had a headache and cold when traveling and so booked up. hope a good night of sleep makes you feel better.
Thanks for taking us along on your day in NYC. I can't believe you found Carrie Bradshaw's apartment building in the West Village. Did you research this beforehand or did you just randomly happened to come upon it?
I am so impressed by how confident you are navigating the city! I have been to NYC a million times and it still makes me breathless with anxiety.
The missing badge thing would have awakened me at 2:00, too, and I would have fretted about it as well. I'm really glad it was an easy fix.
Your French dinner experience sounds amazing. Yum!
I agree with Suzanne! I don't think I would feel comfortable just zooming all over the city on my own! Then again, I don't spend much time in big cities, much less alone. When we went to NYC in 2018 I literally read articles and watched You Tube videos about how to navigate the subway system, because I had heard it was not nearly as intuitive/ easy to use as the systems in Europe. We managed fine, under my leadership ;) but I'd still probably be nervous if I had to just go do it now again alone. Also, in big cities I would inevitably feel a little nervous too about accidentally venturing down a street or into an area I shouldn't, etc. When you aren't from a place, it can be tricky in that regard! Sounds like a fun day though! You are a real powerhouse working woman! Big meetings in Manhattan and the whole nine yards! ;) You could be on a TV show. lol. I just stick with working from my suburban basement office. hahaha!
Oh- and I must be an outlier, because I LOVED Times Square! Not that I'd want to go there all the time or anything, but it's so iconic!!! I've watched the ball drop there every year since I was little, and it's in SO many movies, TV shows, etc... I couldn't have stood to miss it on our NYC trip. That was one of our first stops in NYC, and we made sure to see it both during the day and at night. Just one of those things I'm happy to say, "I've been there". :) I have the most adorable photo of the boys taking a selfie of themselves in Times Square (so I took a picture of them, taking a picture, haha) in these coordinating polo shirts- it was so cute. :)
LOL, I third the comment about how confident you were navigating subway lines and getting where you needed to be. Maybe it's because I don't use public transportation EVER, so I get really stressed out about it. I'll just need to take you with me whenever I make it to NYC.
I think Times Square would be fun to go to say I've been there, but I also think it would be way too much for me, too!
I'm so happy you did Day in the Life!!! MORE OF THESE PLEASE. Thank you. :)
My favorite thing to do in a big city is sit by myself a bar and eat. Never want to do it where I live by somewhere new? Sign me up. ha.
This was a great read! Good to hear that the safety situation in NYC is not too bad. My cousin lives in Midtown and she told me they never take the subway anymore due to some
incidents, especially when Asian hate was at its peak. (She’s Asian American.) I’m a foodie and NYC is such a great place to eat whatever you want. Such a good idea to find Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment, will do that the next time I’m in NYC!
I’m catching up. What a full day! I love that you were able to enjoy a French spot for dinner!!! The insurance space in the coming year is going to be interesting! I have started listening to the daily drive on Spotify on my 2 day a week drive into the office and it’s been interesting to hear about the financial information that they include!
Lori
Post a Comment