i'm the decider

and i've decided not to go to Columbia. i checked out the graduate school of public health's MPH program in health policy this past weekend for their newly admitted students day in nyc and was thoroughly unimpressed with every aspect of the school: facilities, faculty, alumni, etc - all dingy and uninspired. the only thing that did impress me was that they have an entire office devoted to helping students find off-campus housing, which spurred a momentary daydream of moving to new york and finding a sunny pre-war Morningside walkup with fixed rent and going to the corner bodega for coffee in a bag every morning before class. maybe when i have a high paying job i'll move to brooklyn for a few years and live the dream but until then i really don't want to be a poor grad student in new york city.

the rest of the weekend consisted of coffee, pastry, pizza, pizza, rain, pastry, cookie, madeline, beer, whisky, cigarette, pizza, rain, bagel, candy, beer. it was totally awesome. we stayed in Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, which is like the most adorable brownstone-lined idyll with a bodega/bar with beer garden/artisan bakery every 10 feet.

Friday after Columbia, we went to Mars Bar for a bucket of jameson each before meeting up with friends at Heathers where JD from le tigre was serendipitously djing then ended up at Manitoba's which I've heard is famous for its former punk legend and sort of asshole owner.

Then Saturday we walked down Court St, stopping in every bakery along the way (canoli, raisin croissant, banana muffin, 7 layer cookie, bagels, etc.). It got cold so we went into Brooklyn Industries and I got 2 sweaters. then we went to Grimaldi's in Dumbo and stood in line for 45 minutes in the wind for the bomb pizza which was totally worth it. on the way back we stopped in at the brooklyn flea market and found more adorable and delicious things to buy. then we went back to the house and drank coffee and beer and then got mediocre bagels in midtown before catching the bus back to DC.

and I'm going to Berkeley. fin.