This Past Week in Brooklyn

I've been up to a lot a bit this past week:

On the Job Hunt

I called about 50 different places in Brooklyn and the LES, looking for work. Out of those 40, maybe 4 were actively hiring. After calling these places one day, I then spent the next day hoofing it around town, dropping off resumes and filling out applications (from 10 am to 11 pm!). I learned some key things through this exhausting exercise though: 1. comedy clubs are a cool place to bartend and I think I'd really like it, 2. all even avenues in NY run north, and 3. the fact that I went to bartending school actually makes my resume look worse. Bartending school isn't really looked upon as an institution of prestige where you learn how to do everything the right way. It's frowned upon as a two-bit scam where they teach you the quick-n-dirty way how to mix drinks for people who don't know the difference between a cocktail and a cockatoo.

I learned that bit from the bartender and manager at my apprenticeship. No, I didn't come away from my recent bit of hunting with a job (Aside: how did the owner of this bar tell me I had a sexy picture and that he'd definitely be calling me, but never call. I'ma come back 'n shoot your bar up, playin' wit my unstable emotions like that! I got rent to pay, don't get my hopes up!), but I did get an apprenticeship at this really cool, new old-school cocktail bar in Brooklyn. It's chill because the first thing the manager did when he met me was offer me weed (which, incidentally, I don't smoke). It's old-school because they're real masters of the cocktail. I mean, this place is among the .01% of bars around the world that make all their own syrups. This bar is so high class that KETEL ONE, COINTREAU and HENNESSEY are rail liquors. Your typical rail liquors are like... Velicoff (vodka), Ronrigo (rum), Montezuma (triple sec), Odesse (gin), and Bols (triple sec).

I spent my first day straining pecan milk into pecan paste and pecan syrup. ...And sampling drinks and interacting with the customers, of course. And let me just say, that after having a REAL cocktail... I don't think I can drink anywhere else. Oh, I can drink a Jack+Cran, but not a cocktail. Nah. I gotta have a REAL cocktail, homes. Yep, I'm becoming a snob (and for good reason). I've learned a lot through observation and listening too. I like this.

On the Home Front

So, the apprenticeship is great, but I have bills. And my living expenses require about $1,100 to flow out of my checking account each month. I need money. I really, really hate asking my mother for it, even though I have no choice right now. But it's killing me because I know she's got so many responsibilities and such and I hate being another burden. Until an opportunity opens up, Mommy is it for me though. I just gotta keep hustling, keep looking... especially at places around colleges or where a lot of college kids will go. They typically need more staff around this time of year.

Other than the bills though, I'm loving my home life. My roommates are great. I love my neighborhood. And even though Brooklyn smells like dog shit and garbage, I love it too. My room is coming together nicely... although living on the basement floor does have its drawbacks, chiefly: 1) the buggos and 2) the fact that I suffocated an alive-thing (which I think was a mouse) in my trashcan. I don't eat or allow food in my room because I don't want to attract any alive-things. My dumbass threw a muffin paper in the trashcan. All I can say is: at least the alive-thing couldn't crawl back out and I was able to kill it without seeing it by tying the trash up. Ugh. I'm so not made for that type of thing.

On the School Front

OMG. So. I start Parsons tomorrow and I'm SO excited/nervous. I can't wait to actually learn things I'm interested. And! I've already met someone in my program... she lives right above me, actually. I can't wait to meet people who are as excited by fabric as I am. I'm nervous about the learning curve and all that, but honestly... I'm just so ready.

Lesson of the Day:

(Quoted from the manager at the bar where I apprentice)

"Hesitation is death. That split second where you're deciding which way to swerve is what gets you killed. Just go with your instincts."

Grind Time

It seems like I'm always coming back from flitting off somewhere; I've got location ADD or something.

Anyway, I returned from a brief (weekend) trip back home to Maryland yesterday. I go back every 6-8 weeks to get my lovely mouth bling tightened and tuned and such. I love what the braces are doing to my teeth (my smile is THIS close to perfect now! 10 out of 10 [okay, 4 out of 4] dentists agree that my teeth themselves are pretty, so having them straightened will be even more awesome), however I can't wait until June, October at the latest, when they come off!

While I was down home, I listened to my 11 year old niece play the piano (beautiful!) and gave my soon-to-be 14 year old niece some advice about high school. (Eyes well up). I remember when I helped teach her how to read, and now she's going to high school! High school! I want to be as available for her as possible since I'm here and my sister's a single parent. I want to be the cool aunt who makes her prom dress and helps her fill out her college applications. (I definitely made sure to tell her to study, study, study for the PSAT because that's how I got my scholarship which paid for my undergrad career in its ENTIRETY).

After enjoying certain DMV delights, like LEDO'S PIZZA!, for the first time in ages and DC Chillin' with my fam, I stepped out on the town with some friends from Howard and my Bowie Crew.

We ended up going to Grand Central in Adams Morgan. I definitely recommend it. You can walk in dressed chill, enjoy movies such as Finding Nemo (yes, "I shall call you My Squishy and you shall be mine," Finding Nemo) on the flat screens downstairs, and dance around like you haven't got a care in the word (i.e. jumping the "invisible rope". And after it's all over you can engage in some playful banter with the entirely too pressed cops outside and grab a JUMBO (and I mean JUMBO) slice from next door. #GoodNights happen here.

Going to Adams Morgan definitely made me miss DC 40x more than I've been missing it. I haven't really had time to miss DC since I've been back so frequently, and I actually like New York now, but going out on the town just made my heart ache a bit when it was over. I have to have a residence in DC/MD when I get successful (no, I will not put up a link to the Drake + Trey Songz jont because I'm so tired of hearing Drake everywhere I turn). When I become rich enough so that taking a shuttle flight between DC and NY is nothing, I will do it. DC really has my heart and I can't deny it.

But now I'm back in New York, still searching for a job that will allow me to pay my rent. My tuition is being paid for by my mother (this semester/year, at least), but I've got to cover my rent and bills myself. I can't let her do that too. I need something to pan out with the quickness, too. I really want to keep the bartending job, but being a real estate agent or apartment shower person or whatever is lookin' kind of attractive too. We'll see who hits me back (if they hit me back) first.

Just had orientation for school and the theme seems to be: you THINK you know what you're getting into but you have absolutely NO idea. This is a fashion hazing process. In the words of Shane Sparks, "I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just trying to prepare you." ...Too late. I'm scared.

PS... Shane is SUCH a hater!

Growl. I'm Hunting Again.

So, I'm on the job hunt again.

Going on open calls, hitting up random bars, calling places, etc.

I'm realistic, yet optimistic.

Just went to another bikini-themed restaurant/club. I really hope I get this one; it's not as much money per week, but I really, really liked the atmosphere. All of the employees seemed to like each other, the managers I spoke with were nice and completely un-hood. The entire vibe of the place was relaxed and friendly. Me likey.

I'm getting tired of running around, but that's the hustle.

School starts in two weeks, as well. Eep! Orientation next week. Eep! I'm SO scared/excited. Can't wait.

Tales from the Hunt

I spent the entirety of last night on Craigslist, responding to postings.

I got one hit back from this Latin club within an hour of sending them my shizzle.  They wanted an interview today.

Between my "of indeterminate and curiously mixed heritage" looks and the general pretty-hot-and-tempting nature of my bartending photos, I think that's what got me such a rapid hit back... because it definitely couldn't have been my skimp resume.

I woke this morning (later than I meant to) and did more Craigslist stuff, and then I got ready to skiddadle and go to my interview.  An hour away.

I would prefer to work somewhere closer to my apartment or my school, but beggars can't be choosy.  And although I'm currently living off of money from my trust fund, I don't want to keep doing that.  I'd like it to remain there as a cushion.  So!  Off I went into the pouring rain to hop on a train in hope of the gain... of a job.  (I never was that good at rhyming.).  

Smart Nikki remembered to bring her resume and photo selection as well as my mixology certificate (not that it actually means much).

Stupid Nikki forgot to bring the number I was supposed to call to be let into the building.  Luckily, Stupid Nikki has great friends whom I can trust to go into my email account for me and find vital information.  Lucky Nikki.

So, I go into the club and there's like 6 young Latina women practicing for a beauty pageant or something.  The guy directing them across the floor is SO flamboyant.  Cross-culturally, the dynamic of the small-town beauty pageant/fashion show/hair show is the same.  Lots of young women with stars and dollar signs in their eyes and some guy in some combination of silk, leather and spandex with a slight lisp showing them how to strut in heels.  I love universality.

I'm met by the bar manager, who gives me a rapid interview.

As she scanned over my resume, her eyebrows rose, "Oh, you went to bartending school, good good.  ...So how much experience you have?"

I thought about lying on my resume, but you can't lie about years of behind-the-bar experience when you're OBVIOUSLY only 21.  And I wasn't about to say 6 months; hell no!  "Well, I've been bartending unofficially since I was seventeen," I laughed easily.

"Well, I'll put down 5 years then," she smiled back.

Score!

She took a look at my photo selection.  "Wow.  Beautiful.  Very nice.  Yeah, I remember these pictures."

Yep.  I look pretty killa-killa in a bikini, yo!

Score!  I took a memorable photo!

We talked a little more about the club and what my requirements would be.  I made sure to tell her I speak Spanish.  (I wasn't lying.  I speak enough Spanish to get by.  We just have to keep it to the present or past tense.  And speak mas despacio and use simple words and phrases, por favor.).  

It's all the way uptown (or I'll be in the Bronx location), but l don't mind that right now.  I just want to make money.  Plus!  If I get hired by this club I'll get to practice my Spanish (and probably learn some creative phrases, lol) and learn some new dances.  I can sacrifice an hour of time for cultural enlightenment.  If they want to train me, I'll find out by the end of the week.

In the meantime:

Going for another interview in Queens tomorrow.  Randomly stopping by two Brooklyn bars as well.  Still all over Craigslist.

hustleBABYhustle.