With the start of the new school year, the NeatEngine has been mad busy. It seems like those warm summer nights of free concerts, movies, and outdoor dances are now a distant memory. And for the first time in 3 years, the NeatEngine is in New York for the Fall season. With the cooler temperatures, it's time to move indoors. But I've been away for so long, my knowledge of "indoor New York" is limited. What to do? Where to go? What to see? On Friday the 13th, some of these questions were answered and with it, my luck changed for the better.

Two of my press releases (about some exciting events at my school) made their way into the Garden City News:

Waldorf Students Visit Metropolitan Opera
Annual Fall Fair Returns to Waldorf School

And after putting it off for nearly 5 years, the NeatEngine finally picked up his new car on Friday. (A brief sidenote: the NeatEngine still maintains a loving, appreciative and supportive relationship with any and all forms of public transportation. Has the NeatEngline "sold out?" No! In my heart, this was a difficult decision and I finally realized that I need to stop asking friends, family and colleagues for rides - especially if I live on Long Island.)

Public transit is still an important part of my life. So later that evening, the NeatEngine rode the LIRR into Manhattan for a delicious dinner and some good company at Sip-Sak (928 2nd Ave. between 49th and 50th Sts.) followed by drinks at the French-Vietnamese restaurant/lounge Le Colonial (149 E. 57th St. between Lexington and Third Aves). Yes, for a "Friday the 13th," it was a surprisingly good day!

Yesterday afternoon, the NeatEngine and his friends checked out CultureFest 2006 at Battery Park. (With a list like this, I now have some answers to those questions.) Afterwards, we enjoyed some tasty burgers, nachos and beer at Ulysses' (58 Stone St.)

Now if only the NeatEngine could share his good luck with the Mets. They lost horribly last night in the NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals (Cardinals now lead the series 2-1.)