These Streets Will Make You Feel Brand New

Today marked the beginning of my 4th week here. So crazy. Time has seriously flown by. I'm definitely still getting acquainted, trying to figure out which neighborhoods I like to roam around the most, shop in, dine in, and so forth. I don't think I can really pick just one though. Also, today I realized there are certain moments that I really feel like I'm here, like actually living and working here. It does seem sort of surreal still when I take a step back and think about it. But these quick minutes or so are great reminders of how happy and fortunate I am to be here. For instance, today I was making my usual trek down to Penn station, passing the same places, and many of the same people who are always outside their offices smoking (yuck), and some song came on my Ipod (if I remembered I'd share) that just caused me to have an extra jolt of energy in my step and made something go off in my head that was saying, "You're in New York City! Be Happy! Look around!" Not that I'm not happy by any means but Mondays can be tough because I tend to hang in my cool apartment at a standstill since I have the day off. And I really like to constantly be on the go and fill my days here, but today was as hot as the Sahara out there, so I stayed indoors as much as I could. Chilling (literally) in my apartment is great and relaxing but when doing so, I tend to start over-thinking unnecessary things and what not, ya know? Overall, getting out of my white box was exhilarating today and for some reason, venturing down the street particularly reminded me that I am creating an amazing life here and still have so much to learn, see, and do.
In the meantime, things I'm loving right now:

1. Meeting Rumi from Fashion Toast at the Forever 21 Launch Party Thursday night!

2. Clear mascara. Perfect for keeping your curl but not as heavy looking as black (although I love caking that on without anything else at times) and won't smudge and show when it's scorching hot.

3. La Roux Pandora station

Not so much..

1. A/C broken on the subway. Over 100 degrees. Melted like a cherry popsicle in the middle of July.

2. Being homesick every Sunday. So strange. Hits me the hardest Sunday afternoons.

3. Jake and Vienna splitting. I realize this is totally last week's news (or maybe even 2 weeks ago) but the cover of the July 5th People did not make me happy when I read, "Why I left Vienna" in big, bold letters. I followed that season religiously and rooted for Vienna the entire time. Yes, I liked Vienna. I said it. When everyone couldn't stand her, I thought she was the best for him. Well, apparently not. And now all these nasty rumors are out, and I'm thinking she did it for publicity, and I just hate when things don't end happily ever after like the season finale makes it out to be. Womp Womp. Oh well, life goes on. It's just "reality" tv, right? (No, I did not make the picture below, just thought it was a funny Google image result)

TGIF

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It's Friday. As in the Friday that I have the day off. So what am I doing cuddled under my comforter scraping the bottom of my Whole Foods salsa, watching "The Last Days of Michael Jackson" on E? Well, let me fill you on the past 24 hours (since I was a slacker and didn't post yesterday) Yesterday was another "good day" at X Mag. Filled my hours with Pandora and Google searching once again. Left early at 5:30, got home and took a breath, and was right back out the door to dinner at Uva on the UES. Afterwards, my friend and I headed to the Forever 21 Times Square launch party. We arrived at the doors, stated our names, and as the doorman checked the list, we didn't feel too confident. We looked at each other like "What's going on? We RSVPed yesterday" After listing what magazine we were with and some of our bosses names, we were standing on the brand spanking new tile floor, adorned in a purple wristband.
While oohing and ahhing at all the cute new clothes and layout of the store, we reached the bottom, where the party came to life. As we were enjoying our champagne flutes, we ran into a friend from another magazine and she immediately said, "Ohhhh, you guys got purple wristbands too?!...You know that everyone with purple on is on the V.I.P list or an editor....I've had a handful of people come introduce themselves to me like I was someone important." Well, well, well...what a nice little surprise. Us twentysomethings were being perceived as big-wigs. So we carried on and chit chatted for a while, turned our heads back and forth like a tennis match at the fashion show, and were on our way out after a few hours at our first fashion-industry-networking-kind-of-event, if you will. We received our goody bags and encountered a swarm of tourists at the exit, curious to know what was going on. Pushing through the crowd, we made our way to a bar across the street. And so on...
8 a.m. this morning, Blackberry screaming in my ear, I knew I had to get up and get on the A train to get on the F to meet my boss to get the Leyendecker sweater, and bring it to Saks. I had my whole routine planned out like a printout of HopStop directions, but I did not want to pull back the covers. Twenty-five minutes later, there I was standing on the platform for the downtown A, feeling like I was run over by a train on 4 hours of sleep. Needless to say, it was one of those subway rides where I didn't slide my Wayfarers up. I had to hide my sleep-deprived face from all. And might I add, I really can't stand when people do that on the train. They try to be so mysterious behind their sunnies but it's like "Really? Everyone knows you're people watching/staring anyways...." I was finally on the F, and I probably would have fallen asleep right then and there if it wasn't for Phoenix blasting in my ears, when I did the unthinkable and leaned my head on the germ-infested hand rail to my right. Sick. Never again. I finally reached my destination, got the freaking sweater from my boss, and got right back on the train to head all the way over to Saks. I'd go on and add all the problems I came across in that time, but it's exhausting me all over to just think about it (and this post is getting rather lengthy). At last, I was back under the covers, chowing down on an everything bagel, watching the current World Cup game (Finally! Our office needs a TV! So mad I missed that 91st minute earlier this week!)
So, after a 4 hour nap, here I am, still not ready to move an inch. I suppose I'll Ebay for a little while longer and then force myself to get moving. After all, it is the weekend, which means it's time for total relaxation and fun. TGIF.

Scatterbrained

My mind is quite scattered right now and I can't focus on a single thing to elaborate on. So I figured I'd leak what's going on up top:

1. Today was a great day in the office. By a great day, I mean a slow day, and by a slow day, I mean my boss wasn't there, meaning I had 4 tabs open completely unrelated to work: Pandora, Facebook, CocoPerez, and Twitter. Ok, so I was sort of working...my task for the day was to find cool, artsy pictures and I did come across some, thanks to links on Twitter and such. I did feel bad for the other gals who were busy bees all day but we simply did not have as much to accomplish. It's not like I don't work my behind off every other day....

2. I totally splurged in the sweets dept. today, One of the girls brought in Magnolia cupcakes and I didn't remember they were in the fridge until I got back from lunch after inhaling fro-yo in the caf (which was topped with loads of chocolate chips and sprinkles) and getting my daily Cherry Jelly Bellies in the news shop. Oh well. Live a little, right? It was delish and well worth the cals.

3. However....feeling a tad guilty for caving for my sweet tooth, I got back on the treadmill after a little week escape. I was doing really well with going last week and then I started making up excuses like being too tired, having a headache, having people to call back, etc. But just when I was going to settle back down on my bed post-dinner tonight, I flipped like a light switch and was in my Nikes before I knew it on my way down to the gym. Motto of the night: Just do it. HA.

4. I'm super excited because I just learned that I have Friday off-whooohoo. 3-day work week. How am I going to spend my Friday? Visit relatives on Long Island? Visit a good friend in Westchester? Lay out in Sheep Meadow? Ehhh...we'll figure that out when it gets here I guess.

5. Also pumped because a few of us from X Mag are gonna check out The Frying Pan tomorrow for din and drinks and are then heading to the Forever 21 Launch Party in Times Square. Should be a good time and fun for all of us to hang outside of the office!

In the meantime, Would You Wear....



A utility/military look dress or skirt? The military look has been around for a bit but with summer in full swing, it's a little more relaxed now without as many buttons and strong shoulders. Khaki has been making a slight comeback and also keep your eyes peeled for dark green, which fits into this trend, and will be a big color come Fall!

On To The Next One

We had a great meeting today in the office. A department wide meeting with an awesome Q & A session. It was informative, inspiring, and refreshing for all who attended. But it also got me thinking a great deal. We discussed a range of things like how long everyone has been at X Mag, the huge web of how everyone is connected, and also what other jobs everyone had prior to X Mag. In a nutshell, everyone interned their butts off and worked their way up. "Okay..." I thought silently to myself..."I'm off to a good start, right?" Well yes and no. Yes, because sure, I love what I do every day and love the people I work with and am building great relationships. But on the other hand, am I 110% positive magazines, more specifically, fashion within a magazine is what I want to do forever and ever? I mean, up until this fork in the road, I've been pretty sure. But after hearing those above me explain their journey that led them to X Mag, I realized they did not consistently work for a magazine.
As a matter of fact, they couldn't stop saying to try new things while you can, and don't stick to one specific area just yet. Here I am, all along, feeling confident knowing that I've had my heart set on working for a magazine, but now (with that quizzical Bradshaw look on my face), I'm thinking, "Am I that passionate about magazines or fashion?" If the answer is fashion (which I don't have an answer at this point hence this post), then I could try on lotsa different hats...fashion PR, trend forecasting, marketing, freelance styling...the list goes on. So all in all, I guess the question I've really got to get to the bottom of is if a job at a magazine is my perfect fit. And I've got time, which is comforting but not a whole lot.
If I plan on staying in NYC indefinitely, I've got to get the ball rolling with July right around the corner. I've got to start handing out my resume like the annoying people who stand outside Dunkin Donuts every morning handing out fliers. But the kicker of this whole shebang is that my first-choice job may not be available. Odds are I won't land my ideal job right away and I'll have to try on those other hats, shoes, whatever. What I'm saying is, I guess I'll have to take whatever I can get at this point, whether it's a mag or a PR company.
But ultimately, that meeting really got me thinking and was a wake up call that said, "Hey! Don't be so narrow minded! There are plenty of options out there." So, even if X Mag can't squeeze me in at the end of all this, I'll be on to the next one, and eventually satisfied wherever I might end up. Variety is the spice of life and the more experience, the better.

In the meantime, I've got my eye on...



A couple of things I've been absolutely loving lately are plain white tees and sequins...separately. But when I spotted this tee on Asos, it caught my eye with the striking combination of the two. Love it.

Politics, Schmolitics

I knew what I was getting into. Sure, I've never actually experienced it in the office but I knew it existed. I've been warned a bajillion times by my dad that it exists. It's something you can't escape and get wrapped up in. "IT" is office politics. "It's all about who you know," "CYA," "Don't trust anyone"...I've heard all the advice since my first job working at a smoothie joint. Now, it's the real deal. It's the cliques, social cattiness, and hierarchies I've always thought about and wondered about their existence and how intense it gets. Forewarning: The following text might evolve into a serious venting sesh. So over at X Mag, I work on the way bottom of the totem pole. I'm talking like the foundation the totem pole sits on in the ground. Therefore, I don't have a say, for anything, no matter how small it may be. I'm voiceless.

However, there are others who also hang with me at the most southern part of the pole that feel they have more power and can do as they please. Why? Beats me. But it's pretty irritating to say at the least. There's a bunch of us that are in the same boat, have the same positions, so why must one think she is better than the rest? We're supposed to be working as a team, right? No, that logic is pretty much out the door because it's now the peak of week 3, and the competition is just heating up.
I previously mentioned that I did not have "an in" like the rest and sometimes I feel like that is almost working against me. I didn't have some mutual friend or someone my dad knew hand me the job. At times, I feel like that is creating a problem because I don't have a point person to go to like everyone else. I am just me. Furthermore, those who knew someone receive better treatment, or "special treatment." Our bosses are more casual with them and I get a sense that they trust them more. It's unfair. We're all doing the same kind of work, we all started at the same time (well it's a matter of 3 days apart, big whoop).
On another note, I'm starting to wonder if people ever learned basic manners. I'm talking "Please," "Thank you," "Excuse me," and the like. While I hear those kind words from the gals in my position, rarely do I ever hear anything remotely close to what's polite from those who are above us. Yes, of course we'll do what you want us to do for you but will it really hurt you to say "Please" while asking? I know these people have a heart somewhere inside and are fully capable of using words they learned back in grade school. But no, they consistently just demand things from us in their notoriously snooty tones. Whatever. I'm slowly learning to just suck it up and smile..but of course I still blow off steam with the rest around the lunch table for an hour. I swear, I wouldn't make it through my days if it wasn't for that hour. "Some days you're the pigeon and others you're the statue." Well, I'm pretty positive I'll always be a statue for now, and those above me will be permanent pigeons.

In the meantime...Would You Wear...


Bright red lipstick? Supposedly, this is going to be a big beauty trend come fall along with matching your lips to your outfit...

It's All About the Little Things

During the course of the day, there are several things that pop up and strike a chord with me as something I want to write about. But it doesn't necessarily have to be something complex, or about life at X Mag, or the latest celeb gossip, or fashion. Why not be about something simple? My morning at the office was rather slow today and my trusty mug of Biggby coffee was not cutting it. I grew a little frustrated with myself and decided to go back to my apt. for lunch. I'm finding that it's nice to actually leave the building instead of being encased in the same glass walls for 8-10 hours a day. I was still feeling sort of sluggish at my apt. so I reached for a Luigi's Italian Ice.

Not too much sugar. Not too much taste. Simply perfection. And a nice little pick-me-up to bring me out of the afternoon slump I was in. So, if you're experiencing this during your work day, head down to the nearest Duane Reade and grab some candy and seize your sugar or chocolate craving while also giving yourself a teensy bit of energy. The girls and I at the office have also gotten into the habit of snagging some delish jelly beans after lunch as a little sugar boost to get thru the second half of the day.

In the meantime...I've got my eye on:



Shashi Golden Nugget Bracelets...an easy, affordable way to add some summer bling to your wrist and complement your typical, everyday bracelet or watch. Check 'em out on shopbop.com or freepeople.com

Swallowed My Pride

Burnt my waffles. Got on the wrong train. Mixup at the Dr.'s office. Channel 4 aka ABC aka The Bachelorette wasn't working. Twitter is "over capacity." Needless to say, it's been a rough day off. I don't work Mondays, which is sort of an awkward day off if you ask me-it's kind of backwards and I'd rather start my 3-day weekend on Fridays. Anyways, I had planned on crossing things off my to-do list like hitting up Whole Foods (check), laundry (fail), poster store (fail), printing pics (fail), etc., etc. Instead, my day was turned upside down because I had to go to an urgent care clinic for an ongoing issue (no worries, nothing serious).
So I'm totally new to the city and I can't imagine how many clinics and Drs there are here, so of course, I just typed in "urgent care nyc" into Google. I found the one closest to me and made an appointment...after calling my mom about 12 times to discuss insurance, the clinic, and so on. After the most frustrating conversation with a receptionist I've probably ever had, and seeing a Dr. that didn't help me at all besides giving me 2 other Dr.'s numbers that could help, I left the building not having any idea where the nearest train station was or which line to take back to my place. I really really hate having to whip out The Map because I hate making myself appear to be a tourist in a place where I'm really not one anymore. And I also really hate asking an MTA employee. What I really like is to challenge myself and try to find the right route. I figure this is the best way to learn. Well, I wasn't in the mood to put myself up to this feat today when I was way Uptown (the clinic was not as close as Google Maps made it seem) and I was about to collapse.
Exhausted, with a throbbing foot (part of the problem), I shuffled over to the MTA worker and asked how to get home. I did it. Probably one of the few times I have thus far. And she probably saved me alot of time and frustration. Might I also add that earlier in the day when en route to Whole Foods, I came up from the stairs of the station looking incredibly confused on which direction to turn (as usual), so just took a guess (also as usual) and turned right. When Whole Foods wasn't in sight, I swallowed my pride and asked a random girl walking by. She replied with, "Yea, it's right there." And I immediately felt like the biggest idiot because the big, green letters were about 1/4 block away from me. But you know what I realized? Who cares if I have to ask people for directions? The fact of the matter is that I am a newbie here and I don't know my way around all of town. Sure, I know some areas better than others but it's impossible to know it all in 2 weeks. And as I walked away from her, I was still a little ruffled that I had to ask a passerby but why? I'm never going to see her again and she was a great help. So my lesson of the day is when in doubt, ask and don't pout. It's really not a big deal.

In the meantime, things I'm loving right now:

1) Michael Kors was inducted into the FiFi Hall of Fame at the annual award show (FiFi Awards are like the Oscars for fragrances) on Thursday night

2) Scarlett Johansson winning her first award last night (Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Onstage) at the 64th Tony Awards and looking very glamorous with her updo

3) American Apparel's new long n loose button down available in a variety of colors

Not so much:

1) Kim Kardash's updo at the FiFi awards...too intense and much better on ScarJo

2) The operator on the Times Square Shuttle refusing to open the doors on the side of the platform where many people were waiting, making everyone rush up the stairs over to the other side (Why? I don't know. He said to "blame the MTA booth worker for not turning off the sign..Whatever)

3) Getting into the habit of staying up late and hitting snooze way too many times in the am.

At Last

Finally. I've sat here for the past week and a half in my mini studio apartment, if you will, trying to come up with some witty, catchy, cute title for my blog and now, I've settled. It's really quite ridiculous because it's just a name. The content is what will really matter, right? So as I'm lying on my cozy, down comforter bed, staring at the bright red New Yorker Hotel sign that's staring right back at me, there are hundreds of thoughts, moments, and ideas that are flying by each other in my head. It's such a relief to finally be able to just type away and let my hands do the talking. But wait, let's pump the brakes for a second, I don't want to get to Carrie Bradshaw. Sure, I'm all about being quizzical and tilting my head one way and pondering something for a while, but that's not what this is about. I feel like I have to set some guidelines for myself, seeing that this is my first, real, big-girl, blog. But before I do, here's a brief intro about myself. I'm a Midwesterner from a small town in the Big Mitten. Ha.

I've always dreamed of moving/living in NYC and well...it's here. For the past two weeks, I've been falling in love...or maybe it's just a major infatuation for now. I can't get over this place. Anything from weaseling my way thru the morning commuters in Penn Station to sprawling out in the fresh, green lawn in Sheep Meadow in the park to the dazzling nightlife, I love taking in each and every minute.

So what am I doing here? Well, I'm not really at liberty to say however I'm aching to share my stories at the office. For now, let's just say I work at a magazine and from here on out, I'll refer to that as X Mag. Sorta like "The Nanny Diaries" with Mrs. X...that worked, right? Characters' names in my stories will also be withheld but I'm promising I will do my best to share the closest to the truth. Anyways, I landed this awesome job, or as many have put it, "every girl's dream job," by simply sending my cover letter and resume out back in February. It really was that simple. No, I did not know anyone or have some "in" like the rest. It was just purely me going out on a limb and giving it my best shot. Here I am. Three months later and saying goodnight to the city that doesn't sleep each night. It really didn't seem real at first. But now, it's becoming a routine and it's only the closing of week 2 tomorrow. We've probably all heard it a bajillion times but it really is the absolute truth: New York City has so much to offer. There are so many different walks of life here. It's a big change to go from a small city that is probably as big as 10 blocks here, if that. I made a remark to my friend that you literally feel like one day is really three days. I go so many places (well, on the weekends at least) and see so many different things in 24 hours, that I don't feel like I'm in the same, single place. It's crazy. Central Park. SoHo. Meatpacking. Midtown. It's so exhilarating to be able to pop in one neighborhood and be in the next 10 minutes later by train.

Oh! The subway-before I forget. So I was super overwhelmed 2 weeks ago because there are so many freaking lines and colors and numbers and ahhh but now I can say with confidence, I'm starting to nail it...yes, without the assistance from my HopStop app. And while on the subject of the subway, it's one of my favorite places or things about the city. Not only am I very intrigued by the intricate system and how it all works but also by the people who ride it. One day I'm going to just strike up a conversation with some random rider, I swear. I feel like once you step thru those shiny doors, your lips are sealed until your stop. Even if you're with someone. Everyone is silent, probably thinking about their meeting they're running late to, or when they have to pick up their kids, or how exhausted they are, or what groceries they have to buy. If I were to ride a bus or something at home, I definitely think people would chat or strike up a conversation. So, each day, I enter, listen to my Ipod and tap my toes, and exit. Exit thinking about what the other people were thinking about-that's the thing. Like I leave the subway with lingering thoughts? Is that weird? I think so. I can't help but think about the people I encounter, ya know? Ok, I'm getting "Carried" away here. Focus.

As I record my new daily lifestyle, I really hope not to complain too much. Sure, it's easy to vent once you start typing. Like when you're catching up with a friend or sibling (my sister and I do this all the time) and you just jump from one subject to the next, inserting little complaints here and there. But that is ok. Because why stay bottled up? Am I contradicting myself? A bit. Well, hopefully my daily rundowns aren't over-the-top with the venting. Another rule I should follow: limiting my posts. Like this one, look at how long it's gotten. Ridiculous. I just can't stop cranking it out. Probably because I've been wanting to start this for the past 9 nights and it hadn't happened. And lastly, I want to create a variety of posts. Sure, I'll share anecdotes and other odds and ends but also post random, out of the ordinary things, and of course, fashion updates. "Happy, happy fashion-there is not much more to it than that." (Marc Jacobs)

So without rereading this post or editing (which I always do!), I'm hitting publish and tossing my blog virginity card out. It's almost 2 a.m. and these days my Blackberry goes off at 7:30. Yikes. I'm thinking the coffee will be need to be extra strong in the a.m. and the speed walking will shift into high gear. Cheers to life in the Big Apple..at last!