Opening Ceremony, Orientation and LAUNCH

These past two weeks were just a snapshot of what's to come for the next 13 months. Opening ceremony in Segovia was momentous, taking place in the old Medieval church. The grounds were truly breathtaking. Since then, it's been networking, orientation, drinks and more networking. Quite exhausting, frankly.

Opening Ceremony at IE University in Segovia

The LAUNCH program had modules in communication, teambuilding, decision making, architecture, etc. Though some of this may be redundant, it was a good refresher and it set the stage for the intensive year. A good takeaway for this first phase is to have an open-mind in order to consider new perspectives of things you think you may already know.

First Classes and the Matrix

Yesterday capped the first day of classes with pre-courses in Financial Accounting and Quantitative Analysis. It's helpful for me, since I haven't taken any of these classes at all or in years, so some of the material is quite intimidating. The pre-courses focus more on fundamentals and background. Further into this week of pre-course and official coursework, we'll get more into the practical aspects and how these concepts apply to every day business.

The puzzling matrix.

"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."

Landing in Madrid

It's been 9 days since we've landed in Madrid and theres been no stopping. However, on the plane trip here, I thought we were literally about to turn back to New York. Just as we could see the Madrid horizon, a couple of thousand feet up and away from the runway, our plane started to ascent and hover around the airport. It was surprising at the moment, but the pilot assured us there was just runway traffic below. (Something that you think would be cleared at least 20,000 feet before landing.)

Since finally landing it's been running around communicating with broken Spanglish looking for an apartment, phone, food, etc. and meeting new classmates.

We've found some barrios which are somewhat comparable to NYC - Malasana (like East Village), Salamanca, where IE Business School is (like Upper East Side).

Here are some shots of the things we've seen:

Madrid airport

Courtyard view from our temporary apartment

Long Island Day Trip - Wine Country

This past weekend we spent a much needed day outside of the city with friends, so we ventured out to the Long Island Wine Country in Suffolk County for wine tasting. It's easy enough to get to from the Long Island Expressway (LIE).

To me, the quality of the wine country here is not quite up to par with the Napa Valley, but there are great attributes to this northeast wine region. They say that the region is comparable to the French Bordeaux region, as it has similar temperature, soils and lays on the same latitude.

The rieslings are quite nice and many wineries use the red wine grape Petit Verdot as part of the blends.

Long Island Wine Country

Here are the wineries we checked out:

• Paumanok
• Laurel Lake
• Pindar - we picked up a bottle of the Pythagoras. It has characteristics of a merlot.
• Clovis Point - try the 2007 Chardonnay

Pindar (left); Clovis Point (right)

Vineyards during the cold season

From Broadway to Gran Via

As I start purging and repurging my over 6 years of NYC I can't help but think of the neighborhoods I'd like to live in if I were to come back. Since living downtown over the past 4 years, it's been quite convenient, having access to the best local spots, up and coming bars and cultural attractions. I've always had an eye on Gramercy Park, given it's central location to theaters, concert halls, restaurants and shopping, but also quiet residential streets. This part of Broadway intersects Union Square Park. The article my org wrote just reaffirmed why it would be a great place to live - Must See Gramercy.

Gramercy Park

As I embark to Madrid, I look forward to my first place off of the Gran Via (The Great Way). This has been designated the Broadway of Madrid with theaters, hotels, shopping and grandiose buildings. More on Gran Via.

Do you have any photos of Gran Via to share? Comment!

Gran Via

The West Side

Oh, the places I've been on the West Side...

This first week has been about exploring and re-exploring the left hemisphere of the island of Manhattan.

Salsa on Tuesdays - Columbus 72nd. This club has free lessons. The crowd is slightly older, but nonetheless, you'll find some salseros.

Ditch Plains - I haven't hung out in the West Village that much these days and it's always as charming as ever. This place is great for drinks and apps - get the fried pickles and nachos with chicken. It was great to catch up with a few old colleagues - how time flies!

Faces & Names - For a joint going away party, my office hosted drinks at this clever after work spot. Caricature paintings of celebs adorn the walls. After some delicious thai food (I'll have to dedicate a post to this subject), we walked home because it was so beautiful and managed to take in the glow of Lincoln Center and its fountain.

East Village/Lower East Side - New Find Everyday

Sadly, yesterday was my last day as an East Villager. But, the last couple of weeks, I was able to experience some delish treats that make the area so palatable for anyone and everyone.

Lula's Sweet Apothecary - for those who love dairy, but can't handle too much, this confections-vintage inspired shop has a creamy ice cream menu. I was floored with the raspberry cheescake ice cream and patrons swear by the sundaes.

Meatball Shop - wanna sit and eat meatballs? fuggedabouit! "to stay" this joint is at least an hour wait for a table. The best thing to do is order and take these balls "to go".

Now, for my final weeks as a New Yorker, I'll be traipsing around the Upper West Side, dodging strollers and canes alike.

NYSE

Out of all the New York City sights, attractions, star gazing and big lights the New York Stock Exchange will be one of my most memorable. Even though I was there for a cocktail event recently, I could feel the rapid exchanges and chaos.

Shovelling the Snowy Road to the MBA

No snowstorm stopping us now!

Visa applications were submitted this week, after a tedious process and much money spent to expedite. In one month I'll skip to the Spanish consulate and pick up our Visas!

Now that the goal of attaining an MBA is getting closer, I'm reflecting on the steps I've taken to actually come to this point. A graduate degree was a goal that I've always thought about, but I needed to pursue it when it was the right time and for the right reasons. Midway into my career, I feel that I'm at a good place where I can confidently contribute my experience to a high level program. And at the same time, really gain new knowledge to make me a more desired professional, whether it's working for another company or doing my own thing. I also want to leverage this degree towards a career I enjoy, using the skills to create and solve challenges.

Another point that has nudged me in this MBA pursuit is the representation, or lack thereof, of women in upper management positions. I've been lucky enough to work with companies with women high level executives, but overall, there is still an underrepresentation of women in business. Another interesting tidbit to mention is that there still is a low ratio of women pursuing an MBA. The average is just about 3 out of 10. I'm not saying that there's a direct correlation of men and women who have MBA's to those in higher management positions with the degrees, but it's definitely something to note.

Taking the time for an MBA is a huge investment in terms of career building, but there are also compromises that are made. Hopefully, in the long run I will reap great rewards. Here's an article on options for women to get on the road to their graduate degree and they'll find that it's doable. A women's point of view: Is it the right time to do an MBA?

Even the snowiest January in NYC ever (38") can't block the road to the MBA.

Here are some snow photos from my neighborhood.

Trip Downtown Memory Lane

As I continue the countdown to leaving New York City, I took a trip downtown for lunch to meet some of my city colleagues at Zigolini's for a TGIF breath. When I was worked in the Municipal building and near the WTC site previously, I rarely made it out for lunch outside of a 3 block radius. The restuarants and charm of that area is underrated. Granted, it is a ghost town at night, once the shops and restaurants stop servicing the work force. But, with the small streets and waterfront, you get a glimpse of the old New York before the noise of monumental buildings, bright lights and honking cabs.

TGIF didn't come soon enough as this week seemed particularly long. Two snowstorms were supposed to collide on Tuesday night, so the city anticipated another snow day with up to 12" of snow. School and offices were to be closed, however, Wednesday came along and the snow mounds were just short of bunny slopes. Here's a clip of this past Wednesday morning.

Friday Salsa Classes Changed

My usual salsa classes on Fridays have changed pricing and structure. Unfortunately, studio rent increases have made the instructor create a more structured class where you have to attend every week and at least for 3 hours. Classes are still $5 per hour and 3 hours long ($15 total). If you have the time and can commit to 6 consecutive weeks of fundamental instruction, check it out! Classes are in NYC in Hell's Kitchen! Frank Ritmo Mambo Salsa