New Years Cleaning

I'm really learning a ton about culture living in New York, but that was obviously going to happen. I guess I didn't realize how much I'd see Asian cultures around my work. I've heard several people refer to the area I walk through to get to my store as Mini Chinatown, and it's definitely on its way to just that. But this means that later this month, it will be crazy there celebrating the Chinese New Year! It's on January 23rd, and it's the year of the dragon, FYI. :)

At work, we talked about how most of our customers will be preparing. Our Item of the Month is an envelope that Chinese people give to married couples with money inside. That's about all I know. They buy these red envelopes and give them to any married friends. I think I like that tradition :) Obviously, there will be parades. And there is going to be one in the mall! Pretty cool. Hopefully somehow I'll be able to take pictures.

And they'll all prepare by having intense cleaning time, so we'll be selling lots of cleaning products. I took that as a sign that I should consider doing the same. We haven't had a good cleaning since we moved in, and it was just getting dusty and gross. So since it is finally looking nicer, I thought I'd take those "moved in" pictures that were requested. Sorry, still no pictures are up on the walls yet-- mainly because I don't want to put them up and then move them once we finally get a table/chair/whatever we end up with :)

And eventually I'll post some pictures of Sunnyside. It really is a fun little area. Lots of shops, restaurants, and of course people. :) But it was too dark to take pictures when I went out today.

So let's start the tour at our front door:

And looking down the hall to the left--notice the closets on the left and then the bath mat on the right:

Closet One (technically my closet):

The top of that closet so you can see all our coats:

Closet Two (technically Marcus'):

And in the bathroom that was on the right (hot water pipe/crazy storage guy):

Old School toilet:

A bigger view of the bathroom:

And straight down the hall way is our bedroom (where Chicago sleeps during the day):

The corner of stuff we're still dealing with (where you can see the fire escape):

To the left in the bedroom (my music mess):

Now back at the front door, looking straight forward:

The right side of the living room with Marcus' man project:

Our make-shift kitchen storage area (I'd originally planned to hang more mugs, but have since decided against it and now wish they were lower):

Continuing along that wall:

The left side of the kitchen:

Our fancy book shelf and the window behind it where Chicago often sits:

Kitty's view from the window:

Our heavy, but so comfy couch:

Our reading nook :) and the clock will go on the wall eventually:

And looking back at the front door:

And that concludes another tour of our apartment. But this time, the counters were cleaned, toilet scrubbed, floors swept, ... Feels good knowing it's clean :)

And one more picture just for fun. Chicago apparently enjoys YouTube videos with cats: