"Wash & Fold" and Other Miscellany

Across the street from my apartment is a laundromat. There are actually many, many laundromats in our neighborhood because when you live in Ye Olde Row House, you probably don't have a washer dryer in your teensy living space. I used a laundromat frequently when I lived in Chicago, and I actually really liked it. Maybe that's cause I'm a nutter, or maybe it's just another one of those environments where all kinds of people are forced to mix and face the fact that no matter who you are, you will eventually have to wash your clothes.

But hark... I spied a sign on the local laudromat that said "Wash & Fold Services." My husband told me that he used to always use Wash&Fold when he lived in Manhattan, and I thought the idea of someone else washing and folding your dirty underwear was kind of skangy. But being a New New Yorker who feels compelled to immerse herself in new things, I decided to give it a try. I dropped off two big laundry bags to the lady who ran the place. My bags weighed 12 pounds each, and for her to Wash&Fold them would be at total of $16. She said they would be ready later in the day. I have to admit, I was afraid something would go missing or come back ruined. Or that I would be judged on my dirty clothes or something.

But guess what? When Rick brought the clean laundry home, any resistance I might have had melted clean away into the piles of perfectly folded, sweet-smelling, fresh-from-the-dryer clothes. Oh, this was the good life! It was like when you wake up on Monday morning as a kid, and your mom had done all the laundry the night before. Utterly divine. I am forever sold on the Wash&Fold.

Now if they only offered dishwashing services...

Other things:

* I can see the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building from my neighborhood. Where we are in Brooklyn is right across the river from their homes in Manhattan. They look so cool lit up at night! The lights on the Empire State Building change depending on the holiday or season. Right now it's red, white and blue. I'm not sure if this is the default setting or if it's cause the 5th anniversary of 9.11 is next week.

* Last night we witnessed a group of adults running desperately after a softee-serve ice cream truck yelling "Ice Cream Man!!! ICE CREAM MAN!!! COME BACK! Waaaiiiit!!" It was pretty funny. We caught up with him later in the evening, and promptly spoiled our dinner with choco cones.

* This is not really a New York thing, but I need to say something about it anyway. I am really sad that Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, is gone. Maybe that's silly to some, but I think my bosom friend Nicole said it best when she said that we rarely get to see someone so joyfully performing the exact job that they were put on this Earth to do. And if you ever saw Steve Irwin on Amimal Planet doing his "job," you understand. We should all be so lucky as to immerse ourselves in an occupation and lifestyle that makes us as happy as it makes those around us. Well played, Steve Irwin.

Mission for today: find the nearest mailbox and the DMV.