on the hunt

They say you're always searching for a boyfriend, a job or an apartment in Manhattan. I'm newly single but fine with that and all set on the job front but the third… I'm not sure. Apartment shopping in the big apple is absolute hell if I may say so. Full of sketchy landlords, pushy brokers, weirdo neighbors and the fear of bedbugs make the whole experience stressful and annoying. Not to mention, I have extremely high standards when it comes to where I live. I want a place which I won't mind investing my own time and money into to make it beautiful. But I don't want to do this crammed in a 'two bedroom' (which most of the time means one bedroom which an office or mudroom) on the upper 'whatever' side. I currently reside in Hoboken, NJ which, while I know there are some judgements because it's Jersey, I really do love. The people are young professionals all hailing from college not ready to grow up yet. Sunday means 'Sunday Funday' full of football, boozy brunch and the green beach. And every ma and pop shop is full of crazy Italian men who call you 'bella' and wave hello when you walk past because they never forget your face. So do I take the plunge and move or do I stay? I dream of the day where I can just have my own little house where I am free to decorate and redecorate to my own liking without the neighbors child upstairs running rampant at 6 am or with the smoke from next door seeping into my vents. What to do, what to do.