Happy Halloween!

If you know me, you know I love all holidays and Halloween definitely falls very close to the top of that ranked list - just barely below my tops Christmas and Valentine's Day.  And I am so excited to celebrate my first New York Halloween this weekend - the girls and I have a busy weekend planned and I couldn't be more excited.  Can't reveal the big costume yet but I have left a hint below.  Not hard to believe that it's probably my favorite part of the costume!
 


RED LIPS

  

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Boston!

Doesn't get much more fallish than this

One of the things I was most excited about when planning my Big Apple move was the idea of quick weekend trips to all the fun cities so easily accessible from New York.  So you can imagine how excited I was to find out that New York makes it even easier to visit all these wonderful cities with hourly bus departures to fun cities like Boston, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia all without much prior planning required and at extremely reasonable prices.

Since August, Kelley, Kristen, and I have been dreaming about how wonderful Boston must be in the fall and that we couldn't imagine anything more fallish than a weekend spent soaking in all it's history and charm.  It was decided then that we had to reserve a weekend in October to experience what Boston had to offer us in the fall.  So last weekend, for just about $40 and 4 hours on the "MegaBus" through Connecticut, we were able to experience a perfect Northeastern weekend.  The weather was chillier than I had anticipated, but the beautiful fall colors definitely made up for it.  We spent all weekend admiring the orange, yellow, and red leaves and living  out the pages of a 5th grade textbook.  It's amazing how much American history that city has - Paul Revere, Boston Tea Party, even the cemetery where Mother Goose is buried.  I can't wait to have many more fun weekend getaways like this in other great American cities!

Can you believe those colors?!

Seriously cute Boston door!

S'mores under the Boston stars

 New England Clam Chowder - Must do for a Boston trip

It's My 2 Month Anniversary!

Today is my 2 month anniversary of living in this great city!  On one hand it feels like the time has flown by but on the other I can't believe I've only been here 2 months.  My weeks go by so fast, and I have seen and done so much that I can't believe its only been 2 months.  So in honor of my anniversary, I thought I would dedicate this post to a few of my new favorite things in New York.  Undoubtedly these will all continue to change but for now here's what I love:

Bryant Park: My new favorite place to go on a nice weather day

I worked right around the corner from Bryant Park for a few days and I loved eating my lunch at one of the cute outside lawn tables.  Around lunch time the park is full of other 9-to-5er's and moms with their cute kids.  And it is surprisingly quiet and peaceful.  

Empire State Building: My new favorite thing to look for at night

Being one of the more famous architectural structures in New York, I was very familiar with the Empire State Building, I've waited in the monstrous lines to visit the top, and know the great view of the city it provides, but before moving to New York I didn't realize that just about every night it lights up in color!  Most often it is to signify an organization, charity, or special event - but no matter what the color happens to be, I love when I catch a glimpse of it peaking through other buildings. 

(secretly really hoping it looks like this on Valentine's Day)

Brunch: My new favorite weekend meal

BRUNCH! - clearly this isn't me at brunch though

Prior to 2 months ago, I really didn't like breakfast or breakfast food or coffee or eating real food so early, but 2 months in and New Yorkers love of weekend brunch has changed me!  It now is by far my favorite weekend meal and probably my favorite meal of the week too.  Bottomless coffee, mimosas, and warm food - really what's not to love?

*my 2 month anniversary was actually yesterday, but I failed to get those posted in time 
oh and in the apartment adventures...our ceiling started leaking tonight - eek!

My Trench Coat Left Me In The Trenches

Hello!


This week has brought on some crazy NYC weather!  Not any crazier than anything I have experienced in Oklahoma, but the way New Yorkers handle crazy weather is very different!  In Oklahoma if I woke up to thunderstorms, monsoon like rain, and dark clouds it would be a slight inconvenience but my troubles would end when I dryly made it to my car before driving to work.  In New York I find myself needing to be much more organized and prepared.  After about a week of living here and finding myself stranded more than once without an umbrella, I now am sure to never leave the house without it and it actually never leaves my "city bag" in case a sudden rain shower pops up.  Another thing I quickly learned would be a staple in my wardrobe is a trench coat.  After searching for a few weeks, I finally found a really adorable one and have been dying to wear it!  After enduring several showers without it as a result of my lack of planning when leaving the house, I decided to hang it visibly in my closet (my closet is actually an exaggeration - it's actually Kelley and I's 2x2 nook where we hang our belongings on one rack...good thing Kelley and I don't like clothes or anything...) that way the next time it rained I would remember to grab it.  So you can imagine my excitement on Monday morning when I knew NYC had about a 100% chance of rain and I saw the trench hanging in my closet - I grabbed it on the way out the door and slipped it on just as I was walking out of my apartment to a less than enjoyable drizzle and some intense humidity (you can forget about your hair looking good when NYC has any type of precipitation.)  I was very happy to arrive to work nice, dry, and happy that my clothes wouldn't be wet for the rest of the day!!  I left work that day and decided since it wasn't raining I would walk the 28ish blocks home.  I made it about 20 of those blocks before the sky opened up and major rain started to come down.  Since I have learned to plan ahead, I popped open the umbrella I was storing in my trench pocket and happily kept walking.  BUT as I got closer to home, the rain started to come down harder, the wind started to blow, and my umbrella which gets ridiculously tiny when closed started to feel like it was covering less and less of me.  By the time I made it home, my trench coat was drenched (clearly not waterproof), 15 pounds heavier because it had absorbed all the rain I was walking through, and not only that but the water soaked through my coat and got my work outfit wet too - I was drenched!!  I'm not sure if I remember a time getting that wet from rain...AND check out this 10 day forecast

YIKES!

My weekend to do list now consists of enjoying that little window of sun on Saturday and Sunday while searching for a cute pair of rain boots, a waterproof coat, and a sturdy umbrella - I've seen a lot of these walking around the city lately

Mushroom Umbrellas

Oh I have an update on the mouse in da house...after disappearing for nearly a week, he made his presence known by sticking himself to the sticky trap one night...yes I discovered him on the way to the morning shower - and I even heard him squeak "good morning"!  More about that here!!  Just in the knick of time too, because that same day my first city visitor showed up!!!  

My newly engaged sister - first time to see her post bling so we had to take a cheesy pic!

I took Erin all around the city - she specifically requested we hit many "local spots."  Weekend highlights included an asian dumpling lunch at a tiny little East Village dumpling shop (probably Erin's favorite meal of the trip), trip to the JCrew bridal store, cupcakes in Central Park, 2 Broadway shows, Chelsea Market, Highline Park, a bottomless mimosa Sunday brunch, the purchase of 3 new pairs of shoes for Erin, and lots more shopping!

 Pretty New York skyline in the background

One more quick mention must be made to our other weekend visitor...bestie Kelsey came for a quick trip and it was so wonderful seeing her, catching up with her, and most importantly spending her last night as an unengaged girl with her!!!  Congrats Kelsey and Kev!!

Last time to see that finger without a ring on it!!

Thanks for reading!  

A Month and A Half in Review

A Central Park picnic

I'm back!  So about two weeks ago, I started my second post with the title reading "A Month in Review" but that post clearly never happened so it has now become a month and a half in review, but I'm giving it a second try.  


Since my move to New York City...I have had 3 New York addresses, 3 New York jobs, a trip to the Hamptons, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.  I am now just one borough shy of visiting all 5 New York boroughs (a personal goal I set for myself) - I hear there isn't much that would bring me to Staten Island - but I'm sure I can come up with a reason somehow.  I feel like in my 6 short weeks of living here I have seen, done, and experienced so much!  About 99.5% of those experiences being truly awesome!  That .05% of nonawesome-ness can only be attributed to the little things you don't think about and take advantage of while living in spacious Oklahoma...big closets, elevators when moving 5 suitcases up 5 flights of stairs, unblistered feet, oh and most importantly mice free homes.  


Yes that was a plural statement we have had more than one mouse scare...what I first thought was a result of living in a less than spectacular first apartment when we experienced mouse sighting number one (and by we experienced, I mean Kelley experienced).  I was lucky enough to have been distracted (probably by thoughts of the Hamptons weekend we had just returned from) when Kelley saw the little critter dart out from under our bed and across the room.  You would have thought the mouse was curled up right next to us in bed by the amount of screaming Kelley was doing, while I obliviously sat on the bed wondering why she couldn't form words to explain her yells.  I finally understood and rapidly joined her in the hallway, bare foot, in pajamas, and phoneless - it was there that we discussed a plan and argued over who was going to go back in there and get a cell phone.  Plans were finally agreed upon about an hour later, sticky traps set out, and mouse number one caught.  We were fortunate that address number 2 began what we thought was the end of our mice streak...However we were wrong, this brings me to the most recent mouse sighting in apartment number 3.  Adorable apartment number 3 - Kelley and I were so blinded by the cute wood floors, ability to unpack our suitcases with closet space, spice rack, and a dishwasher, that we (we being Kelley again) couldn't believe that there was a live, baby mouse crawling in the trashcan while Kelley was disposing of her dinner trash.  Once again she screamed, interrupted my shower, and handled this sighting just about the same as the first.  It's been a week, the mouse has made a few more appearances and even smartly avoided the sticky part of the sticky trap while enjoying the peanut butter lure on the trap, but is still taking up residence in our apartment.  Our only reassurance with this sighting is that our male roommate nonchalantly promises he will dispose of "Mickey/Ratatouille/Stuart" IF ever found.  


Turns out this post hasn't been much of a review...so it looks like my next post will be "A Month and A Half in Review - Part 2"  I'll add some pictures to tide you over...

First Weekend in New York

NYC Sooners do OU gameday

Moustache party...why not?

I'm a Blogger!

Hello!  I have finally given in and decided to start a blog!  After announcing my move to New York City, I had many requests from friends and family to start a blog so everyone could follow along on my adventures! My first thoughts were "No, I don't think I'd be a very good blogger" or "I'm sure I won't have anything interesting enough to say" but after living in New York City for LESS than a month, I think I have some pretty great material!  


Now I can't promise that my entries will be as entertaining as roommate Kelley's (check out her blog for a very humorous spin on our everyday life encounters), but I hope that I will at least keep you updated on my life and the amazing experiences I am having!!