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“The Hunt” Strikes Again

Oct 06. 2008

Finding a place to buy was no easy task. When I first became interested in becoming a homeowner, I subscribed to major real estate brokers' email alerts, blogs, and newsletters. I perused listings like a madman. Bankrate.com become the first site I visited every morning. I spent many Saturdays attending open houses, even waiting on lines (I stood on line for 3 hours once) for high-demand listings.Like many New Yorkers, I became discouraged and frustrated. I lowered my expectations and whittled down my must-have list many times. I cried.During this time, the NYTimes' weekly column, The Hunt, became a favorite read. Featuring real-life buyers, the budgets spanned anywhere from sub-$200k to millions. I found comfort in the fact that even...

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Geek in Heels
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Finance, NYC, Personal

Another Gloomy Day in Manhattan

Sep 15. 2008

The beautiful weather today does little to quell the current situation in Wall Street. My morning commute was a somber one. Thumbs flew across BlackBerries with more flurry than usual. Newspaper headlines flashed: "Anxious Morning on Wall Street as Lehman Makes Chapter 11 Filing, Merrill Is Sold, AIG Seeks Cash" (Wall Street Journal) "Stocks Slide as 2 Wall St. Banks Falter" (New York Times) "Bank Shot: Wall Street Catastrophe for Lehman and Merrill" (New York Post) "Wall of Fear: Markets brace for morning after massive bank shakeup" (New York Daily News) The subways and streets were strangely devoid of financiers, as those who still have their jobs intact had already reported to work hours earlier. It's strange to think that New York, once a seemingly-indestructible giant in finance, now only...

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Geek in Heels
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Career, Finance, Marketing/Advertising, NYC

The Best Salesman in the World

Sep 08. 2008

The last time I was in San Francisco, I ran into the world-famous Bushman as many other tourists do at Fisherman's Wharf. After getting the crap scared out of me, I had a little chat with him, and even asked, "Do you make enough money doing this?" "Hell yeah, I sent two kids through college doing this." (image source) Now I have no idea if this claim is true or fale, but his Wikipedia page indicates that he makes up to $60,000 a year - well above the U.S. average annual income. I was reminded of the Bushman as I read a blog post titled The Best Salesman in the World at Get Rich Slowly. Joe Ades, dubbed "the gentleman grafter," may possibly be the best salesman in the...

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Geek in Heels
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Art/Design, NYC

Wanted: Museum Buddy

Aug 27. 2008

As much as I hate doing tourist activities, one of my favorite things to do when in a new city is to check out its museums. I chose to attend Johns Hopkins for its Art History program (most people are not aware that JHU has a great art history program - top 5 in the country - but unfortunately I decided to pursue another course of study). I still consider my 3 month summer internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art one of the best experiences of my life. Needless to say, I love museums. I love the hushed atmosphere, the beautiful architecture that usually accompanies them, and immersing myself in the works of geniuses (including nature) of the past, present, and future. I'm fine perusing the hallways of museums...

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Geek in Heels
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Art/Design, NYC, Personal

Murder at the Met

Mar 25. 2008

A couple of weekends ago, 14 friends and I gathered to try our hand at Murder at the Met scavenger hunt, hosted by Watson Adventures. For those who are not familiar with Watson Adventures, they stage scavenger hunts in cities across the U.S. Some of the NYC hunts include The Gangsters' New York, The Ghosts of Greenwich Village, and The Wax Attacks (held at Madame Tussauds). Most of the hunts are targeted for adults (meaning the questions can be tricky/complex...

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Geek in Heels
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