Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…. Or is that "Let is sludge?"

So finally we got snow!  I woke up Saturday morning and like a kid of Christmas day, jumped out of bed and ran to the window and opened the blinds and outside there was a winter wonderland!  Well, maybe not a wonderland – more like concrete covered in snow, but there was finally snow and it was beautiful.  Oh my!  Is that snow flakes? It is!  The snow is actually falling!

After a couple of hours enjoying the snow fall through the window, I had to venture out to go to a yoga class (more on that one later…).  First decision, what footwear does one wear in snow?  Why didn’t I buy those darn gumboots?  Oh well, I pulled out another pair of boots that I have bought since here…think lumberjack, fur lined style – perfect!  Put on the puffer jacket, beanie, ear muffs, gloves and we’re good to go!  Walking precariously down the street so I don’t slip – I’ve already fallen over twice, so I know the third is coming, or does two falls in one day ice skating count as two?  - anyway, I am also learning the joy of getting snow flakes in my eyes.  I’m loving the piles of fluffy snow on the side of the road, built up in pot plants, covering the awnings of buildings, it’s so nice.  I find a cab, pretty much the only cars on the road, and venture down to Union Square for yoga.  There’s no chains on the wheels so any sudden stopping (which was the case on my trip) and it’s a slidy stop.  I made it to yoga and 90 minutes emerged in a euphoric state to find the snow was starting to melt!  Nice fluffy piles of snow have been replaced with brown sludge all over the road, big, icy, muddy puddles are lashing up against the curb and sprays of sludge are flying off tyres of cars left, right and centre.  Where’s my winter wonderland gone?  Oh well, it was nice while it lasted and I’m sure there’ll be more, I mean there has to be! 

I’m on my way to Toronto, Canada as we speak for a one day visit (and I know it’s going to be snowing here).  My first trip to Canada so I am very excited, and it’s very good, only a 1 hour 15 minute flight from NYC.

So, the week that’s been…. Interestingly, after only two months, I already have a new job.  Still in the same department of MOD, but now with a bigger team of 5 that are dispersed all over Latin America – we have Antonella (Anto) from Argentina based in NYC with me, Jimena (Jime, pronounced Heme) based in Mexico, Juliana (Juli , pronounce Huli) in Colombia, Thays (Thays, pronounced Tie-ees) in Brazil and Maria Soledad (Sole, pronounced Sole-a) based in Argentina.  Pretty much coinciding with when I joined the team my boss was promoted to another role in Switzerland, thus the changes in the department.  So my new role is now a very interesting role (my other role was too) where our team is responsible for translating regional and global solutions into the market, and vice versa.  It will be very challenging, but that’s what I like.  So, last week, and this week for that matter have been somewhat insane from a work perspective. 

Now, I have heard rumours that some of you are worried that I’m lonely… please don’t worry.  Brett’s in the process of getting his visa and I’m more than getting enough human interaction.  I’m surrounded by people all day in the office, through the beauty of modern technology Brett and I get to see each other face to face every day, and I have Manuel the Brazilian shouting at me every night to shake my boom boom (more on him later…).  I’m also making friends and have very nice Australian colleagues at work who are very seasoned international assignees checking in on me each step of the way.  So, please don’t worry!  Now, I believe the rumour started because I have signed off my blogs with “keep in touch” – I am signing off with this not because I am lonely, but I just love to hear what’s going on, so thank you to all of you who regularly send me emails with your going ons. 

Now, back to my week, and specifically Saturday at

Union Square

yoga.  I’ve done a few yoga sessions in my time, but this was a different experience.   I walk into the class and everyone is wearing white (oh dear I’m in black pants!).  The yoga instructor has a long white beard that Santa would be proud of and is wearing an Indian style turban.  Interestingly, the guy is actually and NY lawyer (not Indian) and runs this yoga studio with his wife.  So I find myself a place on the floor and then go through a 90 minute yoga class that was both excrutiatingly painful and relaxing at the same time.  It was one of the best classes that I have done and I’ll definitely be back next Saturday.

And then there’s Manuel the Brazilian who keeps yelling at me to shake my Boom Boom. “What the….?  I hear you ask”.  So, I was drawn in by an infomercial on one of the millions of newest exercise fads – Brazilian Butt (or as Manuel calls it Boom Boom) Lift.  What can I say?...Genetics weren’t too kind to me.  Manuel is a Brazilian instructor who has the secret to giving any woman the perfect Brazilian body.  Anyway, so I started my Brazilian ‘classes’ this week – aka me in my apartment with my tv.  like the yoga, these classes were also excrutiatingly painful, but unlike yoga not relaxing in the slight bit.  But, I am feeling good, energized and committed.  My muscles on the other hand were screaming.

So, on Sunday I booked in for a massage at Ohm Spa (keeping with the yoga theme).  The beauty of NYC is that everything is open late even on Sundays, so I managed to book in for a 5:30 appointment to finish my weekend of perfectly (and just in time to see the Giants win their match to make it to the Superbowl).  I have been on the hunt for a good masseuse as one of the luxuries I afford myself is a good massage on a regular basis.  I hadn’t had any luck thus far, but Ohm Spa came highly recommended on the internet for not being so expensive, but really good quality…my cynical husband would tell me though that those reviews are written by the company… but in the absence of any other source of recommendation I thought I would give it a go.  I arrive and make it to the 7^th floor of building - the atmosphere of the spa is not bad, but not luxurious like Asian spas or even Endota, but it smells nice and it’s getting me in the zone.  But then my massage started by Tiffany.  All I can say is Tiffany is a master – this would have to be THE BESTEST OF BEST massages I have ever had, and I’ve had a lot!  I floated home, had a magnificent sleep and woke up to find that the tension in my muscles had been kneaded away by “Tiffany the master masseuse”.

So, this week I’m in Canada until Wednesday (it’s now Tuesday) and Thursday is Australia day and whilst you will all be enjoying a day off in the sun, I will be working, but me and my Aussie compadres are hosting an Australian Day morning tea at the office – yes, it was my lame idea…  I’ll let you know how we go.

Anyway, keep in touch J, and "speak" to you next week!... 

Michele