Ideal Bite

HI, I'm Jen Nash. Jen Boulden's NYC doppelganger, and yes at parties we alway introduce each other by saying: "Hi, I'm Jen and this is my other friend Jen." People immediately know just how dorky were are...but it still makes me laugh. (Newhart reference for those who missed it.)

Anyway, a bundle of years ago I met an investment banker who biked all over Manhattan. Suit. Tie. $500 shoes. He didn't care. He love the exercise. The speed. The ecofriendlyness. And I guess he liked showing up sweaty for meetings too. Anyway, I was so inspired by him I bought a $50.00 bike. Then I bought a $60.00 lock / chain combo, and to please my mom a bright yellow helmet. (See I told you I was dorky.) From that day on, I was a total addict. I'd bike to first dates. I'd bike to work. I'd bike to meetings. I'd bike for fun. For errands. And above all, because it sure beat walking. Don't get me wrong, if it was a 5 mile ride and I was wearing a long white skirt, I'd cheat by biking to the nearest subway and hopping that. But generally speaking, I was very committed to bike as often as I could. But still, some sacrifices were made. I did end up with grease marks on the long white skirt. I missed out on countless 'back of the cab' make-out sessions cause I had to bike home at the endof a date. I flipped over the handle bars at four am, and the bike had to be carried a few blocks till aburly trash guy twisted the handle bars back into place. And of course there's the time I was on my way to a job interview in Tribecca. I had biked over to the West Side Highway, cause that's usually a very peaceful, casual bikeride, when I decided to make a quick phone call. I was only on my cell a minute or two when out of nowhere came a huge Hasidic family. I squeezed the breaks with one hand (yes, yes shame on me for not wearing a headset) but that was ineffective as I was riding a $50 bike that was about 20 years old. So instead of taking out the three year old in the pack, I flung myself to the ground.

Now my knee was bleeding. My favorite jeans were ripped and I'm about to be late. So of course I finish the 3 miles down to Varick Street, stapled my jeans together-for that uber cool downtown chic look and worked the interview like a pro. (Yes, despite the blood stain, I got the gig.) Needless to say to this day I have a scar the size of two quarters on my knee that reads: DO NOT BIKE AND TALK ON THE PHONE. So yeah, I totally love eco-friendly, public transportation.

- Jen Nash

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