The Beach is That Way

Growing up in Florida, I was definitely spoiled having the beach a 5 minute drive away and a sailboat in my backyard. I'll admit I had a bit of separation anxiety leaving the beach in Florida when I moved to Athens, GA and I still whine constantly about the weather and lack of good beaches in NYC (I guess you can't have it all).

Although I don't think I'll ever get used to an hour train ride and paying to go on the public beach, yesterday I discovered that good beaches aren't as impossible to get to as I thought.

Not bad for a day trip! Now that we've ventured to Long Beach, we have the rest of the summer to discover new beach spots...

Limelight... a month ago

Whoops. Usually I'm better about posting about new NYC discoveries, but this one is way overdue. After reading this New York Mag article, I was intrigued to go check out the new Limelight Marketplace that opened a few months ago. I can't decide if I was more excited to check out the fun shops and restaurants or walk around imagining what this place may have been like when it was a crazy 80s club, but it was fun to do a combination of both.

From the outside, the Limelight still looks like an old church. In fact, from the inside certain parts still resemble a church - I love that they kept the stained glass and arching ceiling structures.

While we didn't buy anything, it definitely was a fun place to wander around and explore for an afternoon - and close to home on 20th and 6th! In addition to the shops, there's a cute little market, Cupcake Stop (our favorite), a gelato shop and more. AND there will be a Grimaldi's/maybe already is - it was supposed to open in May when the whole mall opened but apparently has been delayed to who knows when. It wasn't open when we visited, but I'm excited to go back and check it out. Since I still have yet to eat at the Grimaldi's in Brooklyn (boo for epic lines and not enough time), I'm pretty excited to try the place - despite what everyone says about the best part being walking over the bridge to get there. I've already done the walking over the bridge part, now I just want to try the pizza :)

Super Swarm

Of course I haven't had time to post since I've been back from LA... back to NY, back to hectic reality. Can't really complain though, I like keeping busy and have had lots of fun stuff going on since I got back.

Had a perfect NY weekend after having withdrawals from my city and my friends. Fun nights out on Friday and Saturday. Highlights of the weekend night outings was definitely the intense 80s bar crawl we found ourselves a part of. Never again will I NOT dress up for a theme party. Who knew you could possibly feel so out of place in a black dress?

Saturday was suuuper relaxing. The first day I haven't really had to be "on" in quite awhile so it was nice to enjoy an Ess A Bagel and chill for a bit. Sunday was my favorite kind of NYC day, which was spent brunching and basically wandering around. We discovered a new brunch fave, The Park (I'd only been there for an event at night - had no idea it was open for brunch), walked the High Line, and eventually made our way to the Big Apple BBQ.

For the second year in a row, I went to Big Apple BBQ and didn't actually eat BBQ... I don't know how to alter my plans for next year so I can actually get there at a good time with no lines, but I've now tried Saturday and Sunday and both are insane! I guess it's just an example of how any good thing that you get excited about in this city just comes with insane lines. That includes everything from BBQ festivals to a trip to Trader Joes (am I the only one excited by shopping there?)... it's just one of those things you get used to in the city. At least now there's an upside to the crazy lines....

Disconnect to Reconnect

There have been tons of stories and studies about how dependent our generation is on technology. There was Gen X, Gen Y, now Gen V – “Generation Virtual.” I like to think I’m not that dependent on technology, of course I need it to do my job but I can also enjoy some quiet time away from my laptop and my iPhone.

I guess I didn’t realize how attached I am to my email until the flight attendant on my JetBlue flight just informed me that there is no WiFi on board. I’m embarrassed to say I literally gasped and just stared at her blankly. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled the last few times I’ve flown, but over the last few months I have yet to be on a flight without WiFi and assumed that all flights are equipped with it now – especially a five hour flight from LA to NY!

Sometimes I take advantage of in-flight WiFi, sometimes I don’t, but there’s a certain level of security knowing its there if I want it. Today would definitely be one of those days that I’d like to use it and get some work done (not to mention I told my boss I’d be online as soon as wheels were up… whoops). And yes, I’m typing this into a word doc and will have to copy and pasted it to post later but I thought I’d go ahead and write it while I can.

So I take it back. I’m not someone who can be away from technology for extended periods of time. I know it’s good to take a break from it every now and then to “detox” but I think I’d much prefer that on a choice basis, not because someone took my precious WiFi away from me.

Now what to do for the next 4 hours and 30 minutes to JFK? Good think for that marathon of Real Housewives of New York…

"We draw our neighborhoods around us like a comforting blanket"

Oddly enough after my two posts about NYC vs. LA, I just read a great article in LA Mag (I can't find my love, NY Mag, here anywhere!) about growing up in LA and loving everything about it. One of the things that struck me as true (which applies to New York also) was how the author really saw the sprawling city as many little neighborhoods, and she just embraced her neighborhood as a comfort zone.

Although NYC (and by NYC I typically mean Manhattan, not the 5 boroughs. is that PC?) is much more compact than Los Angeles, it's true that you have to find your neighborhood and niche within any city, no matter how overwhelming the overall city may be.

When people tell me they could "never live in New York," most of the time I really think it's because when they picture New York, they picture Times Square, Broadway, bright lights, etc. And let's be honest... who wants to live in Times Square? I basically did for a summer, it's not fun, and I spent as much time as possible far away from my apartment exploring other parts of the city.

The real way to live in New York is to find your niche and get comfortable in that area. You find your bagel shop, your laundromat, your CVS, etc. and it feels like home. No matter where I move in the city, Gramercy will always feel like home since it's the first place I really settled down - any lease over a year in Manhattan is settling down right?

Side note: Gramercy may literally be home for awhile because I refuse to move out of the neighborhood until I can get into this park. Can anyone with a key help a girl out??

Middle of the Year Resolutions?

I thought traveling for work would be the busiest I've ever been, but somehow I have more downtime on this trip than I'd expected. I guess it makes sense because my friends are all back in New York, so once my work is done for the day I'm not tempted to run off to happy hour, dinner, shopping, the movies, etc. I have to say, it's kind of nice to catch up on my Netflix queue (new obsession) and apparently it makes me much better at keeping my blog updated.

With this newfound free time, I've been reading back through some old posts and reflecting - I'm still in my nostalgic omg-I've-lived-in-NYC-for-a-year phase. Going back to the beginning, I came across some old stuff at the beginning of 2009. Crazy how I had no idea where I would be now and it's all fallen into place!

The best thing I found had to be my "2009 New Years Resolutions" ... while I can't do a look where I am a year later post since I was anti-blog at the start of 2010, I'm taking this free time to look back anyway. Who says you can't have June Resolutions?

Jess's 2009 Resolutions:

• Find a way to balance school, 2 jobs, an internship and a social life. I kind of lacked on the last part last semester, so it's a good thing my jobs are my social life. Okay so this one is now irrelevant... but I guess I survived?
  
• Put enough money in my savings account before I graduate to at least cover my first month's rent in NYC. Check more or less... although at this point I don't think I realized "first month's rent" = first month's rent, last month's rent, several month security deposit, and brokers fee... thanks Mom and Dad.
• Become more knowledgeable about the Internet & social media. Not sure I can check this off. You can always learn more... ongoing life goal?
• Work on my blog's exposure and getting more readers. Eh, not crossing this off. I think I keep this guy updated more for me than anything, it's like a journal. Readers/comments are just added fun.
• Graduate. CHECK! *pat on the back*
• Find an apartment I like/can afford in NYC. The first requirement should be easy, we'll see about the second one... Check! It's definitely a starter apartment, but I love it and am staying for at least another year.
• Make a true effort to keep in touch with friends after graduation/moving. My best friends from home have an email chain (which they like to make fun of my blog on, so maybe this post will make it into said email chain) that does wonders for keeping us all in touch. Not checking this off though because I can always get better.
• Start an entry-level job or internship (ideally shortly after graduation). Check! *another pat on the back*
• Finish cleaning out my room at my parents' house. And accept that I really now have to start calling it "my parents' house" instead of "my house". Big fail. Mom had to do this and redecorate. Whoops...
• Clean out/re-paint my townhouse in Athens. Another fail... again, thanks Mom :)

So I didn't do so bad! Checked off all the big life goals for 2009. Now I just need to come up with plans for 2010 (now that we're 5 months into it). More to come...

NYC vs. LA part 2

Elle and Wendy, you completely made my day with your comments! It's really fun to get perspective, especially from two girls who have spent a decent amount of time living in both NYC and LA - definitely makes you think.

I guess what it comes down to is that there's no real perfect city for everyone, there's just somewhere that is perfect for you, and that place may change day to day. Like I said in my last post, Sarasota was perfect for me up through high school, Athens was perfect for the next four years, and New York has my heart for now. You can analyze pros and cons, but everywhere has its advantages and disadvantages - and so does every situation. The one thing I really really can't stand about New York is the winter, but there truly is something charming about walking through snow flurries and getting excited about the holiday decorations throughout the city. Yes, people are mean in New York but it makes you stronger... you know what they say, live in New York but leave before it makes you hard; live in California but leave before it makes you get too soft. Maybe that's how I'll decide I need to leave New York... right when I'm on the verge of becoming a terrible person. Kidding :)

Most of my pros and cons were just me trying to be silly. No matter how many things I can pick apart to love or hate about New York, it's right for me at this point on my life and who knows how much longer. Aaaaaand on that note, it's only appropriate to end this with a genius quote from Sex and the City (that I think Elle, you introduced me to actually)...

"If you can only have one great love, the city just may be mine. And I can't have nobody talking shit about my boyfriend."