You've Got To Be Kidding...

Day 3 of the Funfetti Hunt, to no avail. I have officially concluded that NYC is an uncultured village with no joy or knowledge of good cakes.
This started when I was dreaming with my native-NYC friend Josh about baked goods. Banana bread, brownies, the lot. Then I brought up my favorite type of cake: funfetti cake. He had no idea what I was talking about! What?! That vanilla cake with the colorful polka dots on the inside?! You must be joking, right?!
Well, I have hunted all of the grocery stores in my area: Food Emporium, Metro, Gristedes, Whole Foods, D'Agostinos, Trader Joes....even Space Market! Nothing. The closest thing they had was Funfetti BROWNIE mix, but not the cake! I didn't even know that brownies would exist like that! And I am not sure how much I trust it...
I guess I must request some boxes before I come home and enjoy them in a week from now.
It shall be a tedious week.

What else have I been up to...hmmm...
Friday I saw Madama Butterfly at the Met. A really great opera! I have been excited about this opera for years, and I finally got a $5 ticket through Stern to go see it! I went alone, yes, but I won't complain!
Of course, there were a few mishaps during the performance, but I'm very forgiving for slight blunders. It's an opera, for goodness sake! And the woman who played ChoCho was from near my hometown! And she was superb. It made me so proud...
The only thing that bugged me were the people I was with; Sternies. The guy next to me "joked" saying, "If I start snoring, wake me up." To which I replied, "If you start snoring, I'll be extremely offended." I was considered an ice queen, and was ignored for the rest of the performance (thankfully). Other kids were talking about how they started falling asleep during the show, and most were surprised as to the ending! She kills herself?! Really!?!?! Ahem, it's Madame Butterfly, people... The thing that bugs me is that it seems that no one there wanted to be there to actually SEE the performance, but more to rack up points with the alum there and to sound so cool because they've been to "15 broadway shows and 5 operas" blah blah blah. Anyone ever heard of art for art's sake?

I met Neil's parents for brunch on Saturday, and they were delightful people! I adore them! His mother is bubbly and talkative, and his dad (much like Neil) was very chill and calm about it all. I am so happy I met them! Neil makes a lot more sense now. And they took me to Norma's! where I got a massive omelet. Mmmm...
The parents were in town, too! To move Dad into Roosevelt Island. I went straight there. The apartment is nice and cozy. We stayed around and chatted for a while before heading back into the city to go to Alice's Tea Cup (of course!). We enjoyed that for a while, walked around the park, and then finally ended up in Union Square (they were screaming at rats running around in the park) to get dinner at Piola's with Deej. Great meal, lots of talk.
Afterwards, I met up with Aaron and we walked to the LES to Neil's place for a little get together for one of his friends. We got there first, and not many people were there when we had to leave an hour later. I hope it went alright.
Aaron walked me up to Molly's Pub and pouted most of the way up because I was abandoning him. But I tried to make him feel better before he dropped me off there.
Another night with Nate and his friends, the whole lot of them. I think there were about 12 people in our party. It was a fun night. Rob came, talked to me for a while, him and Nate bonded about their disdain for France, and then he left early to meet up with some people. I really enjoy that group of people! They're so funny and pleasant and amusing, I truly like my time with them.
A drive home in a taxi late at night to meet up with Rob for an hour to chit chat post-pub was fine. Jeff H's roommate at Harvard, Wesley, came stumbling out of my apartment building, and we shared awkward hellos while he headed back to Cambridge.

Sunday was practice. I wasn't in a super mood all day, but I would be lying if I said Chambers made it better. Darrell snapped at me in a rather offensive and condescending manner, and I'm still bruised by it. It makes for awkward practices, and I do not want to tolerate that.

Monday was Monday.

Tuesday was decent. Everyone's exhausted! I slugged through the day with everyone else, and went to an ELaw party at Apple Bar for about 30 minutes before booking it to FIAF for another Rendez-vous. Met a professor who talked to me most of the time about how much I need to learn to ride a bike. Yeah, I get it, I am missing out, thanks. Funny conversation, though. He started interrogating me with what I could and couldn't do.
Met up with the usuals there, too. They were pep-talking me about my future, and I found it slightly educating, but more humorous.

Today has gone well. I met up with a retired Foreign Services Officer in the UES (super nice area! and never been beforehand!), and we talked about her job for an hour. She was awfully pleasant, and was a GREAT help for me! Hopefully I will survive this all, though.