Despite my great experience at NYU, my final decision is Columbia. Its program is simply a better match for me. Though I do enjoy the clinical stuff, the emphasis that everyone I met put on the clinical was a little overwhelming. Like Boston University, Columbia’s program is urban-based but also strong in the research category. This means that I’ll get the clinical skills and experience I’ll need to facilitate real change with clients, but that I’ll also get the macro picture, too – community organizing, planning, and management. And that fits better with my vision of where I’ll ultimately end up: back at a burgeoning non-profit helping them better serve their clients, while keeping a watchful eye on the therapeutic/clinical issues. CUSSW has a specialization called Advanced Generalist Practice and Programming, which is broader than their Clinical focus, but closer to what I want to do than their Policy focus or Social Enterprise Administration focus. All in all, I’m excited for the opportunity and cannot wait to be a student again.
That night we had the honor and pleasure of dining with the one and only BFC. After only getting slightly lost, we rendezvoused at MAX in the East Village for some bomb-ass lasagna and great conversation. Despite my sleep-deprived state, I couldn’t spend a weekend in New York without enjoying it properly, so we dropped mom off at the subway and booked it to Whiskey Town to show our faces at the birthday party of one of Ben’s friends. Whiskey Town is a nice little dive bar – pool table, juke box and all – with disappointingly un-divey prices, but a really great vibe, great music, and attractive clientele. See the picture below? Yeah that just about sums it up. After spending sufficient time there, we headed to our final destination of the night: Ben’s most recent haunt, the Blue Owl Bar. The Owl is an impeccably designed lounge on 2nd Ave and 12th St, with drinks that rival those mixed at The Association in DTLA. The crowed was perhaps a little douchey (chalk it up to being Friday night) and the prices – again – high, but the Owl does not disappoint. Now, I’m not normally the type that orders drinks in martini glasses, and definitely not the type to be sporting froo-froo mixed drinks, but with Ben’s recommendation we both got Cosmos and HOT DAMN were they good. Do yourself a favor and try one when you go.
To be continued.
