The Writer had to go back to work yesterday, which left me to explore the city on my own. In all the times I've traveled to NYC, I've never had to navigate on my own. I wasn't worried. I love subway systems and city grids, they make sense to me, unlike the winding country roads that swirl around until you have no idea who's cornfield you're in.
I hadn't slept especially well, so I spent a few hours in the morning reading in Borders and scouring Sephora's shelves for body care products that line up with my new obsession: paraben, mineral oil, and sodium laureth sulphate free.
Feeling rejuvenated from my lunch with The Writer, I headed down to SoHo for some shopping. My first destination was Topshop. I want to say that I loved it and never want to shop anywhere else, but that would be a lie. I was most impressed by the shoes, however, I found the prices, in general, to be a little outside of my budget. The clothes were of a higher quality than Forever 21, but had the same hipster shabbiness to them, for the most part. I did find a cute, vintage-inspired red and white polka dot dress that, if it weren't for the price tag, I probably would've bought. It was 100% silk, and with the heat this week, I'm finding that all I want to wear are lightweight dresses.
I was about to give up on SoHo, but I decided to give a few more stores a try. Right before a sun shower, I ducked into a little Japanese store with all kinds of interesting things. It reminded me of a miniature, Asian Ikea. I wish Ohio'd had one before I came here, because this store was stocked with all kinds of travel accessories. After the rain, I stopped at another store that reminded me of Ikea. This one had more furniture and housewares and made me want an apartment that needed decorating. I then wandered into a little boutique stocked almost entirely of dresses and shoes. Ding, ding, ding! I found a lightweight, black and white abstract print dress there. It needs a slip, but I can probably find one of those today so that I can wear the dress in the next week.
My last purchase of the day came from another boutique a little further down Broadway. This one was crowded and less classy than I prefer, but I found the perfect maxi dress that I've been searching for. I deal with a strange phenomenon when maxi dress shopping. Unlike many Americans, I have a waist and that waist needs to be defined by my clothes, otherwise I look like I'm wearing a sack. Maxi dresses are particularly difficult to shop for, because so many of them feature a gathered empire waist and flow out from under the bust line. These make me look like arms and a head perched on top of a prairie-like traffic cone. The tiered ones are the worst. They may flatter thicker girls, but me? I disappear. This maxi dress was different. It's a slightly clingy rayon/spandex blend, is strapless, and features a drawstring waistline that falls not too far from my natural waist. I love the teal color too--I see it being very versatile. Possibly the best thing about it, it was only $19.99. If you've shopped for maxi dresses lately, you know its hard to find a nice one on sale for even $30. and that's pushing it.
After that, I thought it best to remove myself from SoHo, lest I be tempted to keep shopping. I took the train back uptown to meet The Writer for dinner at Otarian, his favorite vegan restaurant. We had potato and spinach burgers and sweet potato chiplets. Yum! We did some quick grocery shopping before heading home.
Later on, we took a nighttime stroll along the High Line. It was every bit as cool as I'd imagined and I really enjoyed the quite walk with my love. I'm having such a great time on this trip, I don't think I want to leave.
Showing posts with label City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Where I'm Going: NYC Part 1
I've been kind of quiet on the blog-front these last few days. I've missed hitting "Publish Post" and oo-ing and ah-ing over my blog. Things with work, and consequently, life, have been a little more than complicated lately and I've been really down. I don't want my blog to be a place where I whine about things that aren't going my way, so I've kept my mouth shut.
If it hasn't become obvious yet, I'm super pumped about my trip to visit The Writer in NYC. The trip is a bright spot amongst my grey circumstances. He'll be working six out of the ten days I'll be there, so I'm going to have some time to explore the city on my own. I've been making a list of places I want to go, many of which we may end up at together. Planning has had me pouring over maps of Manhattan, so I feel pretty prepared to navigate alone.
1. Rita's Water Ice
Water Ice is pretty much an east coast thing. A very good thing, to be exact. Growing up in New Jersey, I can't remember a summer that didn't involve walking to a water ice shop for my favorite flavor: usually mango or mint chocolate chip. When I came to Ohio to go to college, no one had ever heard of water ice. In fact, they thought I was crazy. I think it's the name that's confusing. I was beyond excited to find a NYC location for Rita's. I can't wait to take The Writer there so he can see how it can be water and ice at the same time ;-)
If it hasn't become obvious yet, I'm super pumped about my trip to visit The Writer in NYC. The trip is a bright spot amongst my grey circumstances. He'll be working six out of the ten days I'll be there, so I'm going to have some time to explore the city on my own. I've been making a list of places I want to go, many of which we may end up at together. Planning has had me pouring over maps of Manhattan, so I feel pretty prepared to navigate alone.
1. Rita's Water Ice
 |
| (source) |
2. Topshop
When my old roommate and The Writer ventured to London last spring, they came back with such goodies from Topshop that I knew I had to go there, first chance I could. The Writer, being the sweetie that he is, sent me a text a couple weeks ago during his free week in New York that said, "Need anything from Topshop?" My reply was, "Probably!" I'm so glad he likes shopping!
3. Mood Fabrics
I'm excited to go here, and to many other fabric stores in the garment district, not only because I'm a slight fan of Project Runway, but because I am so tired of JoAnn Fabrics. There is a world beyond quilting and prom dresses, people! Why are there seven aisles of fleece? I have a list of outfits that I want to create for myself, but finding the right fabric around here has been difficult. I wonder if there's anywhere in NYC to rent a sewing booth, or something like that. If there was, I wouldn't have to pack as many clothes, since I could just make new ones once I got there!
4. Magnolia Bakery
CUP. CAKES. I might not be able to eat them, they are so gorgeous! The Writer told me that they had Magnolia cupcakes at his internship this weekend and they looked divine. Even though I read someplace recently that Crumb cupcakes are better, I still have to go to Magnolia. Who knows, maybe I'll go to Crumb, too. Stay tuned for the post in which I mourn the return of my love handles because I spent days consuming only delicious cupcakes.
5. Central Park
This is one place that I've been before, but am excited to go back to. I may spend an afternoon at the Central Park Zoo, or just lounge in the sun with a book. I may borrow The Writer's bicycle and ride around the whole park for a day. I'll probably need the extra exercise after indulging in too many Magnolia cupcakes!
There are many more places on my list, but I'm saving them for another day. If anyone's going to be in the city July 6-10 and wants to join me on my solo adventures, shoot me an email and we can meet up!
 |
| (source) |
3. Mood Fabrics
 |
| (source) |
4. Magnolia Bakery
 |
| (source) |
5. Central Park
 |
| (source) |
There are many more places on my list, but I'm saving them for another day. If anyone's going to be in the city July 6-10 and wants to join me on my solo adventures, shoot me an email and we can meet up!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Cold City
Its amazing how things can change so quickly. Even more interesting is how I've noticed a shift in my perceptions of other, seemingly unrelated things since this most recent change began.
One of my bosses, who is a good friend of mine from college, and I sat down for coffee a week before I was to leave for Florida. It was also my second payday since working for him. I hadn't seen him around the studio much that week and I knew he'd had some personal things going on. Almost as soon as we sat down, he informed me that it was quite likely that he and his business partner would be closing the business and, in any case, they were not able to pay me my contracted amount anymore. I was really glad that I'd been on my way to The Writer's place when I stopped for coffee, because I burst into tears the minute I was through his door, which I'm sure the TV repair guys who were there at the time really appreciated.
My work situation was a pretty unique one. I was hired to do public relations and marketing for this friend's dance studio, however, their business was unable to pay me enough to make it my full-time job, so I was also hired by the adjoining fitness center to man the common front desk. It was a pretty advantageous set-up, had it worked, since I was essentially being paid twice to sit there once and I was off by noon almost everyday. I had left my somewhat unstable position in retail and turned down another decent offer to take this job. So, when I found out that it was going to be ending, I felt like I had been thrown back to square one. It had barely been a month since I'd started and I'd hated the feeling of insecurity that I'd had when I was job hunting the last time. I'm sure that many people in America are familiar with this feeling, given the current economy.
When things were going well at my dual jobs, I didn't mind working in the downtown area. I could deal with the toothless, jobless, and mostly uneducated individuals who spoke their demands to me in half-sentences. I liked the view of the old buildings and being able to walk to my hair stylist's after work. Even though this city's crime and poverty rates are depressingly high, the city felt almost romantic to me. I've always loved the feel of old cities and hope that life frequently finds me in their hustle and bustle.
This city is different for me now. I loathe the cold sky that blankets it. The buildings are stark and crumbling and there's no money anywhere to restore them. Restoration is no where in sight for the people either. So, who was I, to think that my own restoration and profitability lay in one of these buildings or that these people who paid for their gym memberships with government checks would lead to a business that would support my own income? Perhaps I was foolish, perhaps this is just another bump in the post-winter, potholed road I've been on.
A potential opportunity may have presented itself yesterday, and for this, I am hopeful. It, like my last employment venture, could be profitable. It's closer to what I want to be doing, but I don't want to get my hopes up. Best case scenario: it detracts from the failure of the last month and a half's work and leads to something huge in another city.
One of my bosses, who is a good friend of mine from college, and I sat down for coffee a week before I was to leave for Florida. It was also my second payday since working for him. I hadn't seen him around the studio much that week and I knew he'd had some personal things going on. Almost as soon as we sat down, he informed me that it was quite likely that he and his business partner would be closing the business and, in any case, they were not able to pay me my contracted amount anymore. I was really glad that I'd been on my way to The Writer's place when I stopped for coffee, because I burst into tears the minute I was through his door, which I'm sure the TV repair guys who were there at the time really appreciated.
My work situation was a pretty unique one. I was hired to do public relations and marketing for this friend's dance studio, however, their business was unable to pay me enough to make it my full-time job, so I was also hired by the adjoining fitness center to man the common front desk. It was a pretty advantageous set-up, had it worked, since I was essentially being paid twice to sit there once and I was off by noon almost everyday. I had left my somewhat unstable position in retail and turned down another decent offer to take this job. So, when I found out that it was going to be ending, I felt like I had been thrown back to square one. It had barely been a month since I'd started and I'd hated the feeling of insecurity that I'd had when I was job hunting the last time. I'm sure that many people in America are familiar with this feeling, given the current economy.
When things were going well at my dual jobs, I didn't mind working in the downtown area. I could deal with the toothless, jobless, and mostly uneducated individuals who spoke their demands to me in half-sentences. I liked the view of the old buildings and being able to walk to my hair stylist's after work. Even though this city's crime and poverty rates are depressingly high, the city felt almost romantic to me. I've always loved the feel of old cities and hope that life frequently finds me in their hustle and bustle.
This city is different for me now. I loathe the cold sky that blankets it. The buildings are stark and crumbling and there's no money anywhere to restore them. Restoration is no where in sight for the people either. So, who was I, to think that my own restoration and profitability lay in one of these buildings or that these people who paid for their gym memberships with government checks would lead to a business that would support my own income? Perhaps I was foolish, perhaps this is just another bump in the post-winter, potholed road I've been on.
A potential opportunity may have presented itself yesterday, and for this, I am hopeful. It, like my last employment venture, could be profitable. It's closer to what I want to be doing, but I don't want to get my hopes up. Best case scenario: it detracts from the failure of the last month and a half's work and leads to something huge in another city.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
