NYC Shopping

Happy Monday, everybody!

As I mentioned in my last post {can you remember back that far?}, I spent a good amount of my time in NY shopping. 

Here's what I picked up...

-kate spade-

supercalafragilipstick in "pop art pink"

This lipstick is awesome. I noticed on Day Old News that hot pink lips are en vogue, so I thought I'd give the trend a try. I am all for it.

monogram notecards

 Oh, how I've loved these notecards from the first moment I laid eyes on them at the kate spade website. It was such a triumph to buy them and not pay shipping, haha.

-sample sale-

Walter Baker dress

I love this dress that I got on mega discount at a sample sale at Chelsea Market. I can even wear it to work. Score!

-Michael Kors-

Gold watch

I had been coveting this watch for over a year, stalking it online like Pinterest prey. I finally broke down and bought it, and it was my best & worst purchase of my vacation. Best, because I've wanted it for so long. Worst, because it cost me an arm & a leg, and then did this on the third wear:

Yes, the gold is rubbing off. No, thank you, Michael Kors. You can have your ridiculously beautiful, expensive, low quality watch back. It was so sad to see her go.

-street vendor-

knock off Kendra Scott earrings

After seeing Sofia Vergara sporting something similar on Modern Family, I knew I needed a pair of my own. These $15 knock offs will do until they break & I'm forced to pony up $90 to replace them with the real deal.

So, there you have it, my little Manhattan shopping spree. I had intended to buy myself one treat, something more in line with the lipstick or the stationery, not really a whole outfit of treats plus paper goods. New York has a way of bringing out the indulgent side of me.

New York Recap

It's been about a week since my trip to New York City. I haven't wanted to sit down and recap the trip, because then it really is over. I had the best time, and I loved spending time with Bridgette and exploring the place she's called home for six months now.

On the plane ride from Houston (where my layover was) to LaGuardia, I met such a lovely woman. She's lived in New York for twelve years now, after dreaming about moving there for years. She told me all about what it's like living in the city, and it was such a treat to hear the love of NY in her voice. I wasn't sure how I was getting home from the airport (I guess no subways run to LaGuardia?), so she offered to share a cab with me, and she waived away my offer to split the cost. Who says New Yorkers aren't nice?

It was about 7 o'clock when I reached Bridgette's brownstone and we did the running toward each other and hugging in the street thing that I knew we would do. I assure you it was twice as awkward because of my roll-y suitcase. I met her roommate Evan, and we instantly hit it off. I mean, who wouldn't love this guy?

We were all starving, so we went to this soul food restaurant in Harlem. 

Turns out, soul food is not super vegetarian friendly, so Bridgette and I ordered a whole bunch of sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, mashed potatoes, and corn bread. It was definitely tasty.

On the walk home, we passed this church:

There are so many of these where I'm from that I couldn't help but laugh at passing one in Harlem. These churches are all beautiful brick buildings with perfect landscaping where I live, so it was definitely weird to see one that was attached to another building and was several stories high with a steeple on top. I didn't even notice what it was at first, I just said, "Oh, look. What a pretty building!" You can take the girl outta Mesa...

After dinner, we started to get ready to go out to this club where Evan had some connections.

The club was really different and wild, and it was such a fun experience to see something totally out of the ordinary. Another experience was riding the subway into Harlem at 4 am. We wrapped up the night by watching the Grey's Anatomy they had Tivo'd that week.

We started off Saturday morning by walking to the Seinfeld diner. 

When Bridgette was taking this picture for me, a guy behind her was also taking a picture of the restaurant, so I guess I'll forever be remembered in his photo album. 

There was all sorts of Seinfeld memorabilia in the diner. It was only a little awkward taking a picture of these strangers eating their lunch.

Bridgette and I each got an order of cheese fries. The perfect way to start the day, if you ask us. It's so nice to vacation with a friend who has the same weird eating habits that I do.

After finishing our fries, we headed to Chelsea to check out the high line and the Chelsea Market.

We passed the rest of the day eating and shopping. I picked up a few goodies at Kate Spade, bought a gorgeous dress at a sample sale, and spent way too much money on a watch. Saturday was basically my ideal vacation day.

After the little shopping spree, we stopped into Bridgette's work and got a couple of free margaritas. & so began our insane Cinco de Mayo festivities.

The only picture from that night:

We had literally too much fun on Saturday night and so Sunday was spent on the couch watching a Sex & the City marathon, pay-per-viewing movies, and ordering in pizza. It was a completely different type of ideal vacation day. 

Even though I feel like I had the most perfect trip imaginable, there are still so many things we didn't have a chance to do...visit the Standard Hotel, find the castle from Stepmom in Central Park, visit Astoria... I guess I'll have to get back there sooner rather than later.

New York City in May

My best friend B moved to Manhattan last November, and I've been waiting for the weather to become more hospitable to my thin Arizonan blood before I made a trip out to visit.

That time has almost arrived.

I've booked a flight for the first weekend in May. I've only visited Manhattan in the early fall, so it will be fun to see what the weather's like in spring.

Of course, buying an expensive plane tickets always calls for a travel wardrobe shopping spree, right? ;)

Manhattan Spring by atmarsh featuring striped tops

There's one thing that I can't forget to pack, as B says, "I live in Harlem, so bring your mean face."

Vacation Jamz 2011

1. Forget You by Cee Lo Green

2. Miss California by Jack's Mannequin

3. Barbie Girl by MxPx (cover)

4. The Boys of Summer by The Ataris

5. Bojangles by Pitbull

6. I Woke Up in a Car by Something Corporate

7. The Whole World by OutKast

8. Island in the Sun by Weezer

9. Jukebox Breakdown by Saves the Day

10. Holiday from Real by Jack's Mannequin

{I feel compelled to tell you that my music is so old because I stopped pirating songs a couple of years ago. When it came down to buying new music or re-loving old favorites, well, it is obvious which side won.}

Memory Lane

I was 17 and had just graduated high school the first time I went to Newport Beach with Noah's family. It was the last week of July in a bittersweet summer, whose end meant that I'd have to say goodbye to Noah and the house I grew up in & move to college {life held a twist for me just a measly month later but, at that time, I was oblivious to what the future held and felt only dread in my veins}. I don't know if bittersweet is accurate, maybe extra sweet fits better. At 17, I was a little bit wild with a flair for the dramatic; it would not be an exaggeration to say that time felt "fleeting". 

Noah & his dad picked me up from the airport, and I was wearing the cutest black eyelet dress from Forever 21, a store that I had just discovered during my last spring break of high school. That night we went to a carnival to watch some live music, and I found myself crying quietly against the music, crying toward the future. 

The next day was sunnier, and we rented a tandem bike and cycled down to Huntington Beach. We joked about how people who do couples' counseling should be forced onto a tandem- it's teamwork like I've never seen; of course we were naturals {after three or four good squabbles}. We stopped for Mexican food just off where the water meets Huntington, the beach that feels like home to a girl who spent summer days there with her Mimi. The burrito we ordered was huge, unfinishable by just two people. We packed up the leftovers and promptly left them there, my most egregious habit.

The next couple days we walked the piers and ate organic strawberries that we bought on the street. We ate pizza slices in the video arcade. We wrestled the waves and the ocean scared me with its vastness. I felt safe anyway, safe with the knowledge that Noah's a swimmer and he loves me. 

 His parents were kind and bought him a ticket to fly back to Phoenix with me. It was our first flight together, and the first time he really saw what motion sickness can be. As he rubbed my back over my sweaty t-shirt, I remember thinking that even nausea is better with him. 

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a repeat vacation in Newport with Noah's lovely family. I've already sworn Noah to the strawberries and the tandem and the big burrito. This time, I'll even remember not to forget it.

Camping Gear

Some good friends have invited us to go on a camping trip with them in a couple of weeks. I've mentioned before that I am not really the outdoorsy type, but I think that packing a few luxuires might go a long way toward making the whole experience a bit more civilized. Or, you know, I could just buck up & enjoy nature. Either way is perfectly fine, really. But, just to play devil's advocate, why don't we just innocently peruse some luxuries?

J.Crew Panama Hat

J.Crew Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Forever 21 Sunglasses

Tempur-Pedic Travel Set

Benefit Concealer Kit

Safety Girl Emergency Kit

Vera Bradley Tote

{shout out to Carolina City Girl for introducing me to these gorgeous totes}

In all honestly, I almost always get into this hardcore mood when I pack, so I'll be lucky if I even pack enough socks. Does anyone else have the "I'm so laid back, I barely need to pack at all" attitude when they plan for trips? I always end up kicking myself, but it's hard to shake the very false pretense of being adventurous.

Seattle Recap

It appears that I took a blogging hiatus last week. The hiatus was an effect of spending all weekend out of town, from 10PM on Friday to 10PM on Sunday, and trying to catch up on everything in the few short hours between getting home from Jazzercise and going to bed. I didn't write a single blog post, fold my clothes from the dryer, or check the mail, but I did manage to shower every day and pack a lunch almost every day, so I'm counting it as a win.

Shall we talk about Seattle?

{Get comfortable, this recap is a bit, ahem, detailed.}

SATURDAY:

To be perfectly honest, I planned the entire trip around where I wanted to eat in Seattle. Saturday morning, Noah & I took the light rail to an area south of Downtown Seattle to eat at Macrina Bakery. The prices were pretty steep, but the meal was so delicious. We both ordered the fried egg sandwich, and Noah said it was the best thing he ate all weekend.

After breakfast, we walked into the downtown area to take the underground tour of the city. I had heard that the 90-minute tour was a must-see. It was definitely a fun experience to learn so much of Seattle's founding and history. The tour guides are funny and good at what they do. The tour itself was a good time; I loved seeing all of the old items left underground.

We spent some time walking around Downtown Seattle, and I loved seeing all of the unique little landmarks. I spotted a beautiful garden with a waterfall and, after I entered, I saw that it was built to honor the people of UPS. Sort of weird, but definitely beautiful.

Next, we decided to explore Pike Place Market. It was lunch time, and I was determined to have macaroni and cheese from Beecher's Handmade Cheese. It was so divine. The marketplace was certainly lively with musicians performing and workers throwing fish. I loved seeing all the fresh flowers for sale. We ended up spending quite a bit of time in some independent bookstores in the area.

We left the market & took off for the Space Needle. We were using my iPhone's map for directions and walking and walking and walking. The map showed that we were practically right next to the Space Needle, but we still couldn't see it. It sort of just snuck up on us while we were talking about how it's probably a hoax. It definitely isn't.

At this point, it was time to have some birthday dinner. The Italian place where I had originally wanted to go was probably going to be a tad too fancy for our attire, so we scrapped that plan. Actually, we weren't even that hungry at this point, having stuffed ourselves with Beecher's Homemade Cheese not too many hours earlier. We spotted an AMC and decided to see a movie while we waited. What we had thought was just an AMC turned out to be a whole high-rise shopping center, complete with many restaurants. We decided to eat at this Mexican place after reviewing our choices on Yelp {thank you, iPhone}. Best decision ever.

After dinner, we headed back to the AMC to see The Lincoln Lawyer, which I really liked. I also really liked that, even though we were on a special trip to Seattle for my birthday, we still had a traditional dinner + movie date, too. 

SUNDAY:

So, I had read online about this toast. Apparently it is the most delicious toast that has ever been toasted in the world. How could this toast be so much more delicious than other toasts?, I asked myself. On Sunday, we took a ferry to an island to find out about this magic toast. Well, we actually walked to a light rail station and took the light rail to a station about 30 minutes away and then made a 20 minute walk to the ferry station. Except, the ferry had just left. We bought tickets for the next ferry, but we were so hungry from all the toast traveling we'd done so far that morning. We did some more walking to try to find a quick breakfast place to hold us over until we could eat the Magic Toast. Finally we were on the ferry to Bainbridge Island {Land of the Fabled Toast}. I just love being on ferries, don't you?

Bainbridge Island is such a wonderful place. Not only do they have Blackbird Bakery {where the toast is, as I can attest, more delicious than any other toasts that were ever toasted in the world}, but also tons of unique & beautiful boutiques and shops. I fell in love with a bookstore while I was there. Nothing can beat the marina, though. I just might retire right there.

We took the ferry back to Seattle and found a very authentic Chinese restaurant in the International District. We hurried through our lunch, because we were cutting it awfully close to our flight time. It was time to come home.

I am so grateful to my mom for giving me such an amazing birthday present.

Seattle Surprise

via

Last Friday, I am sitting in my training class at work when I receive a text message. It's from my mom, and it says:

"I want to send you & N to Seattle for your BD. Are you down with that?"

UM, WHAT?!

& so we're going to Seattle this weekend for my birthday.

What on earth did I ever do to deserve a mother who is sending my boyfriend and me to a city I've always wanted to visit on a birthday I was feeling a little sad about?

There are not enough postcards in all of Seattle to show her how much this means to me.

See you back here Monday when I attempt to recap what is sure to be the best weekend ever. I'll be a year older then, you know.

Vacation

Yesterday I overhead someone saying that they wanted to go on vacation. My ears almost visibly perked up. Vacation? I haven't been on vacation in forever. & then I remembered, it only feels that way, I actually was on vacation for all of July. 

Oh, Europe.

Nostalgia led me to Shutterfly, where I found a cornucopia of proof that I had, in fact, been on vacation recently. 

French Twilight!

Thank you for indulging my walk down memory lane. :)

Where do you want to vacation?

I Love NY

A certain blogger has me fighting off the green-eyed monster as of late. You see, she will be heading off to my real home for a visit this fall. Manhattan is everything I've ever dreamed of loving, and I cannot wait to be a resident in a couple years' time. Until then, and since I'm thinking Marni will not smuggle me in her luggage, allow me to indulge myself with some pictures of my Fall 2008 trip to the greatest city in the world. Now, excuse me as I weep.