First week

So it has officially been one full week in NYC. Work has actually picked up a bit, I was given an interesting project. Originally I was just updated some file work that related to Option Backdating and class action/derivative suits that are out there. Now I got a side project dealing with the Subprime Lending collapse that may create massive issues in the US economy. Specifically I'm looking at this concept of Cashback Lending, which seems harmless, but is actually illegal, and may have huge implications to the Subprime issue. My job is to summarize a number of recent papers on the issue for a few economists who just published, and try to quantify a relationship, if any.

Also have been hanging out with friends, which is good, and I found a really cheap gym by my house. The gym, called Dolphin gym, is really cheap. 33 dollars a month, which is NOTHING for manhattan standards... the "fancy" gyms like Equinox, Bally, etc... can easily run up to 150-200 dollars A MONTH. Granted, my gym is tiny, and has no pilates/yoga/buns&abs/etc... and it is also downstairs underground with no windows, but for what I need it is perfect.

The weather has also been AMAZING. it hasn't become unbearably humid yet, but it is starting to get very hot...

Still have to do stuff for the Malag report, which is irritating, but I'm doing a bit every day with it. Also need to start thinking about the final project for Econometrics with Sharon...
I'm thinking maybe something about Mortgage rates with respect to interest rates and other Macro variables over time since the 1980s.

Little Ant

Being in manhattan makes you feel like a little tiny ant. I can't really explain it any better than that. So many people, so many faces, so many restaurants, so many bars... It feels like there is no way to control any of it, or to ever really see all of it no matter how many years you spend in the city. I read somewhere that if you went to a different bar/restaurant every single night of every day it would take you 40 years to go everywhere, and that is just in Manhattan.

Below is a picture from the corner of my building, on 46th and 6th, looking north. It doesn't really capture the madness of Midtown. So many buildings, and all these people running around all the time. This is my building, all 45 floors of it. One of countless massive high-rises in the city. I live/work on the 25th floor it. My company, NERA, has 3 floors in the building, and about 230 total people work in their New York Office. They have about 20 offices worldwide, from Sao Paolo to Shanghai. It makes you realize how small Tel Aviv actually is... The entire municipal city of Tel Aviv has about a third the population of Manhattan alone.

Welcome to NYC

So it has been all of 3 days pretty much. I spent Saturday and Sunday seeing friends and trying to get my life in order... It has not been as easy of a move as I suspected... First, the apartment is dubious. The shower is broken, the key didn't work, and they didn't clean it. I am pissed off. I am constantly calling/harassing the owners to fix it, and I hope it resolves soon. In addition, I forgot to bring things like blanket, towels, etc... so I had to go to Kmart and get some cheap stuff, but that is sorted out. I did get to see some friends, which is always nice. Below is Randy and Melanie from Saturday night at Doc Watson's on the Upper East Side. As for the area of my apartment, the Lower East Side. I couldn't be happier. I have yet to truly take in the area and explore it, but it is fascinating. It has traditionally been a immigrant neighborhood, and for many years was the center for recent Jewish immigrants from Europe. There is still a Yeshiva and an orthodox temple or two in the area... The area is totally mixed now, latino immigrants, black locals, obnoxious credit card hipsters, religious Jews, professional caucasians, etc... It makes for a really interesting blend of cool bars, restaurants, local stores and various nationalities. I am looking forward to getting to know the area over the summer.

The other thing I enjoy is the subway... I live right next to the Delancy/Essex street stop on the F train, which takes me in about 12 minutes right up to 47th and 6th, which is where the office is. Below is a photo of the station. About 3 minutes after I took this photo a group of ultra-orthodox Jews came in and were speaking Yiddish. Go figure.
Things are still up in the air though and I am not settled. Tomorrow night involves Vector AutoRegressions for my Econometrics class. And Over the course of the week I have to finish up some lingering things for the Malag report I'm doing for Tel Aviv U, but its all grunt work. I'm thinking of holing myself up in the library on Saturday to do it all...

SF

So here is a quick update of my week in the Bay Area.

I have seen the parents and seen my friends, which is great. I have renewed my California driver's license, which was necessary. I went to our family dentist, Dr. Hamako, for the first time in nearly 7 years to find out that I have a cavity, which is irritating. I finished the recent season of the Sopranos on Tivo (can we discus the ending???) I have also gotten in all the paperwork for my summer sublet in New York. I'm living in the Lower East Side, on Clinton and Stanton. I will have photos up for the place this weekend.

Another fun highlight was going with my old friends from my days working at the GAP to the SF Giants baseball game. Baseball on TV is boring, but seeing it live is nice. Seeing it in the private GAP box seats for free with your friends is much better.
The stadium in SF is amazing as well, stunning, built along the bay. The photo below does not do it justice because you don't see the water and the mountains in the background, but it was a gorgeous day.

SF

So I'm currently in Palo Alto, outside San Francisco, at my parents house. I'm here for a week seeing friends and family, and Friday I go to new york.

I found this great sublet for the summer on the Lower East Side, on Clinton and Stanton for those who know. It's a very interesting area of Manhattan that I have never lived in, so it should be a fun experience.

The other thing to note is that I still have homework to do... Today and tomorrow I will be completing my econometrics homework... how fun.