It’s officially summer and I can tell you that there was not a single New Yorker that did not know that today! When I say the city kicked off summer with a BANG, I definitely meant it. While the bang wasn’t meant to be literal, I would not be surprised if our energy company, Con Edison, burnt out from an energy overload from the high of 97 we hit today. Don’t forget about the 70% humidity level! Whew, I’m sweating just thinking about that number.

The west coast taught me many things, but dealing with this kind of heat and humidity was definitely not one of them! And this is just day 1! I really can’t complain too much, considering I was probably only outside in it for maybe 20 minutes tops. Walk to the bus, walk from the bus to the office, from the office back to the bus, from the bus to my apartment, and two short stints letting Scooter out. Poor little Scoots should really be the one complaining because he certainly didn’t get much of his walks today.

Even as I sit and type this blog at 11:00 my time, the weather outside is still sitting at 87. We’re in for another doozie tomorrow too.. It’s okay though because I know how to SURVIVE! So how to I plan to do that? Here’s my keys to beating the heat.

1. Dressing the part: Luckily for me, I don’t work at an office where a suit and heels are required. Can you say light cotton sun dress to the office? I can! I may have only spent 20 minutes outside today, but the sundress was key! The next key is minimizing accessories and hairstyles. Sorry jewelry.. you need to take a break until it’s at least 10 degrees cooler. And the hair? It’s all about the low bun. Out of your face, pulled back, and not covering your back either. Better yet, my hair has gotten pretty long now and thinking about drying my hair for 15 minutes is dreadful in this heat. The key is to dry it about half way before tying it back. That way you still get a sleek look and you also stay a little cooler on your commute to work.
2. Sunscreen: Whether you’re going to be in the sun for 5 minutes or 2 hours, sunscreen is essential in this weather. It is just too hot and not worth getting burnt in. My favorite right now is Coppertone’s SPF 50 spray sunscreen. Perfect quick application without the heavy sunscreen smell.
3. Hydration: It’s important to stay hydrated (tips from mom) in between stepping outdoors to rehydrate the 5 lbs you just sweat off. My choice? lots of water from our water dispenser at work. Another way to drink more water is add a little flavor. Adding lemon is always my go to, but recently, I’ve been really enjoying cucumber, lime, and mint. Very refreshing! 
4. Keep the AC on low for Mr. Scooter: I may not enjoy this heat, but neither does the poor little wiener dog. It’s important to make sure dogs are also prepared to get through the heat wave. I decided to leave my AC on low and leave Scooter an extra bowl of water in case he needed to cool down.
5. Living in front of the AC: And the most important tip to survive the heat? The AC! Thank goodness for the person who invented it. Because let’s be honest, that’s the real way I’m surviving. Sorry Con Edison bill.. I’d rather pay double next month for my bill that die from heat stroke!

Tonight I want to talk to you about something that non-New Yorkers often take for granted. Laundry. It’s an essential part of our lives that is often overlooked. If you live in an apartment, in New York or not, you’ll probably be able to relate a little better to this post. 

Living in New York, there are many factors that make a building desirable. Followed by the obvious, location, these factors are usually other top factors in picking a building:

• Doorman vs. non-doorman building
• Walk-up vs. elevator
• Laundry vs. no laundry

Why yes having laundry in your building (don’t expect to see laundry in an apt unless you’re paying the BIG bucks) is looked upon as a valued amenity. And lucky for us, we scored and got a laundry building. You might be wondering what all of the millions without laundry in their building do with their dirty clothes? Well, let me tell you. There are some laundromats that can be found throughout the city, but more often than not people send out their laundry to be washed. Personally, I thought this was one of the most ridiculous things I had heard when I moved here, but a ton of my friends do in fact do this. Another fun fact? Chris hasn’t done his own laundry in almost 8 years. I cannot tell a lie. And, I’ll tell you what, after 2 years I’ve even considered the option for these reasons:

• A lot of the wash and fold places offer free pick-up and delivery options, which living on the 4th floor I’d love to even skip the multiple trips up and down to the basement 
• Let me emphasize the fold part of wash and fold! Who enjoys folding their laundry anyways?
• and finally, because after two years sometimes our building’s facilities don’t always get the job done. If someone could explain to me how the washers went from being $1.25 to $2.50 and the dryers have gone from $1.50 for an hour down to $1.50 for half of the time during my residency in my building I’d appreciate it. Talk about inflation!

Anyways, I bet you didn’t realize what a big deal having your own washer and dryer was huh? Well, the next time you’re loading a load I want you to feel like a king or queen, and I’m going to do that with the following photos. So, going back to people being envious of laundry buildings, I’d like to take you to the downstairs of our building to the basement a.k.a. creepy dungeon. 

Now, as you walk down the crocked, uneven stairs it’s important to take your sweet time and let the lights adjust, because if you walk down too fast you might catch roaches running in circles trying to get out of the light. True story. While you are doing this, it’s important to take a deep breath and think about all of the other New Yorkers that would love to be in your place at this very moment. Another tip from a basement laundry pro is to not look around too much. Whatever you do, don’t look at the ceiling, the space in between the washing machines, and definitely not behind the dryers. There are likely other creepy basement dwellers that are better left not seen.

Let’s pan to the side by the dryers where someone has hung a photo to help make the area more serene and pleasant. Cough, not working, cough. To the right of the exit sign there are two trash bins and a broom in case you need to ward off any creepy-crawlers or a murderer. Just kidding guys, I mean come on. Not even murderers would want to hang out there too long ;-). 

All jokes aside, having laundry in our building can be a really nice asset when everything is working properly. Do I think we’re getting ripped off most of the time? Of course, but so are all things in the city someone can make a profit from. Plus, on the flip-side, going back to the wash and fold. While the services do sound great, they charge by the pound. Considering I usually wait until I have at least 20 lbs. we’re looking at a decent fare. Besides, other people washing my clothes kind of creeps me out.. so as long as the washers and dryers work, it’s down to the basement for me!

I hope I have made you all feel like royalty! So remember, the next time you walk into that roach-free beautiful laundry room, I want you to know about all of us little New Yorkers that dream of one day having laundry rooms like yours that we don’t have to share. Cheers guys!

Kicking off the week with this jam!

Daily Dose of my “Subway Mixing” Playlist

Today’s preview, Gloriana- “Good Night”