Week 1 at DANNIJO

I don't know how to type all my expressions at work but I can sum it up with: I LOVE IT!!

Tuesday at 10 we arrived at the office, well, everyone arrived at about 9:45 (early bird gets the worm?), and we were served breakfast and met the Dannijo team, which is only about 10 people. The showroom is amazing and it is decorated just how I imagined it would be. I love how close knit they all are and it is like one family.

I am doing marketing and sales, working one-on-one with two Dannijo girls. Every intern was assigned to one specific aspect of Dannijo, but we all work together a lot so we overlap. Danielle and Jodie, aka Dannijo, are awesome. They come in the office every day and we all work in the same room. I really am just on cloud nine about this whole experience and it is only week 1.

During the day I do things like press pulls and send them to magazines, organize the showroom, assist with marketing and sales, learn the line sheets of all of the jewelry and more. I have learned a valuable lesson and that is to not wear heels to work -- I learned it the hard way. Day 1 I thought I would be so cute and wear brand new heels and I left the day with bloody feet, Susanna thought I needed stitches that's how gross it was.

On Fridays we get off work at 3 which is nice. Summer Fridays are definitely a bonus and give me more time to explore. Yesterday after work I met up with Susanna & Jamie and we went to get macarons at Laudree. We took them to the Central Park Sailing Pond to eat. I got: (2) pistachio, chocolate, vanilla, coffee and orange blossom. My macaron money was coming in handy for those of you who know I called it that.

First Weekend in the City

Day one in New York City? Check. Yesterday around 7:25 p.m. I landed at LaGuardia, got my bags and got into my cab alone to head to our hotel where I was meeting Susanna. On the way into LaGuardia in the plane I saw the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center Building, which I had never seen before. The Empire State Building was lit up red, white and blue at the top for Memorial Day Weekend.

Once I got to the hotel Susanna and I got ready and walked a few blocks to find dinner where we stumbled upon Angelo's Pizza. We split the onion and pepper pizza which was HUGE but delicious! After dinner the two of us came back to the hotel and made our NYC Bucket Lists; it made us think of the fun aspects to New York instead of get nervous and anxious in the hotel room, which we were doing.

It's weird to just hop off of a plane and land in a somewhat foreign city and know that this will be your home for 11 weeks. It hit me when I got to hotel that this whole experience was real and that this was no four day vacation.

This morning I woke up at 6:50 a.m. central time. What in the world was I thinking? I couldn't sleep though when I knew the city was a few steps away. Susanna and I got ready and walked to the subway to buy our first MetroCard. We definitely felt like real New Yorkers! The two of us headed to Union Square to drink our Starbucks and figure out where our building is that we were living in. We looked around Union Square which is one of my favorite areas that I have visited. Thankfully I get to call this place my home for 11 weeks.

After coffee we got on the subway to head to Susanna's internship on Broadway at Tarte. From there we walked to Bryant Park and ate lunch at the Southwest Porch. Accidentally we stumbled upon a wedding and it was such a hidden gem. From Bryant Park we walked to the subway and rode to Central Park. It's so touristy (yes, I said touristy after only living here 4 days) but it still is so beautiful. I waved hello to Eloise at the Plaza then quickly waved goodbye as we headed to meet Frances at the hotel.

Frances got lost on the subway. Oh Franz.. We met up at Washington Square Park where we got our student IDs and then ventured to Meatpacking where Frances & I work. We saw the Alice + Olivia headquarters and the DANNIJO showroom. It was so unreal standing there knowing I would be ringing the bell to go up in just a few days.

For dinner the four of us, Fran's friend Ren is the 4th, went to Ellen's Stardust Diner on Times Square. It is 100% a tourist trap but how could someone pass up your waiters and waitresses singing to you?! I was in broadway heaven. The waitresses sang songs from Frozen and Les Mis, and all that was missing with Wicked! Our waitress' name was Zerby and basically we were just laughing out loud the whole time.

Monday was a boring day, we moved into our apartment which is nice after we added some good TLC and a massive trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond. I celebrated with a huge ice cream cone. Let me tell you, there is food on every corner and it is so hard to pass up the $2 pretzel every day.

Happy 19th, Charlotte!

Happy 19th Birthday Charlotte!! I have been slacking on my birthday blog posts but there is simply no way I could forget to do yours, especially since you've reminded me since the day that we met in October to make sure to do a blog post for you :)

Here are my top 10 reasons why Charlotte deserves a great 19th birthday:

1. She is the other part of the "min-me" series featuring me, Katherine and Ali

2. Charlotte has her own blog which inspires and challenges me every day. You can check out her blog and some of her story by clicking on this link.
3. She is the biggest diva, #2 behind Sassy, the head diva of course!
4. She is absolutely hilarious on SnapChat and therefore I am always forced to take a screenshot. So sorry BabyChar, but there is no possible way I could only look at these photos for 10 seconds or less:

5. Even though she knows I don't like it, Charlotte enjoys reading my blog posts out loud to everyone in the room when she knows I get so embarrassed. I suppose I forgive you Charlotte.

6. Charlotte loves a good FaceTime chat, nightly text, or calling me asking me to tuck her into her own bed. We fully embrace the Pledge Trainer & baby dolphin aspect that Tri Delta has to offer us and I wouldn't have it any other way.

7. The first time Charlotte and I had an encounter was when I was her Pledge Trainer and she claims that I was sassy when I told her she would have to wait until next week to get a booklet, that I had already put the others away in the closet. I refuse to believe I would ever be sassy, especially to a baby dolphin. This memory though does make for a good laugh, but I'll never believe you Char that I was snappy! 

8.One day Charlotte will be Olivia Pope living in Washington, D.C. and I will take the train to visit her on the weekends where we will only eat Georgetown Cupcakes

9. She's OCD which I admire since I have OCD tendencies with my closet :)

10. Charlotte has taught me so much about myself and others within this one year of us knowing each other. I am grateful that the Lord placed her in my life as a baby dolphin and that we instantly bonded after she got over her fear of me & thinking I was a mean New Member Educator, hah. I admire your boldness through your blog and you really are the best! Love you Char!

Time to celebrate the big 1-9!!

BNA to LGA

The day has almost come -- tomorrow afternoon I will be boarding my plane with a one-way ticket in my hand to New York City. My bags are packed and I'm ready to go. I'll be landing in New York tomorrow night & meeting up with Susanna at the airport to catch a cab to our hotel. Tears of joy & tears of fear might explode as I see her tomorrow!

On Sunday we will be practicing taking the subway to both of our internships, looking around Union Square & finding what is close to us, and also meeting up with Frances, our 3rd roommate, once her flight lands. There are some things I am sure of, and that is that there is a Whole Foods, Forever21 and Barnes and Noble a few steps away. My three favorite stores, that is all I need! Monday is move-in day at Carlyle Court and then Tuesday is the big day - day 1 of my internship at Dannijo. I am arriving at 10 am with the two other interns and we will be greeted with breakfast; coffee + new friends, right up my alley, right?

I am so anxious to board that flight. I don't think I will be able to sit still on the plane ride. I know that the Lord has placed me in New York for the summer and I can't wait to see all of the unknown things and events that are to come out of this 11 week adventure. To the city that never sleeps, here I come! I am going to blog as much as I can, including photos & details of what I do, wear, eat, see, and experience. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for more frequent updates!

New York, here I come!

XOXO,
Chandler in the City

Ali, my roomie & the stationery-whiz of Bushel & a Peck Stationery, made these new graphics for my weekly blog posts. I will update the blog using each of these titles for: What Chandler Eats, What Chandler Sees, What Chandler Wears and Where Chandler Works.

Wrapping up

This morning when I woke up at 8:30, my 8 am class was cancelled (Hallelujah!), I was overcome with anxiety. My "Countdown App" on my iPhone informed me that it is one week until my 21st birthday. You'd think I would have been excited, right?

Instantly so many events started running through my head. My birthday being closer, which means exams are next, then I have to say goodbye to everyone for the summer, then I am home barely for two weeks, then I hop on a plane to New York for 11 weeks. Panic, anxiety and fear completely overtook my morning.

As the afternoon progressed though, I felt silly for not being thankful for those events. I'm lucky enough to have made it to almost 21, to have incredible friends that are hard to leave, and I have the opportunity to go to New York for a summer. Sure, I know I can be sad and scared, but I don't want those feelings to overshadow the complete joy I have in my life.

Somehow I've blinked and here I am wrapping up my junior year of college. It seems unreal to me that my junior year of high school was four years ago. I've had quite the year. Beginning in August 2013 I started all of my journalism classes, ventured to New Orleans and New York for the first time, fell in love with a new city, watched the Rebels become the Music City Bowl champions, spent an unreal amount of time with my two roommates and pledge class, bonded with the freshman pledge class, and basically enjoyed every moment of being in Oxford, Mississippi.

There's a quote that says, "How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?" from Winnie-the-Pooh. Recently there has been a new reason every day to make me think of this quote. The seniors are graduating, my bible study leader is moving to Birmingham and I'm saying goodbye for 15 weeks to all of my closest friends who I see every day. PSA: We don't know what personal space is anymore.

This school year has taught me so much and I am incredibly sad for it to end. Each day I am surrounded by my best friend who encourage me in every way. If only my family were here as well, I would have it made! I appreciate the time of my life that I am in right now more than ever, and I appreciate time in general. I'm encouraging myself and would love to encourage you all to appreciate every moment you have and sometimes you just have to look around and see everyone's faces instead of the screen of your phone, and you'll know how incredibly lucky you are to call these people your own.

To those of you who I spend every day with, I cannot thank you enough for being here for me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are the ones that make all the difference. College wouldn't be a second home if it weren't for you. Lets wrap up the year on a great note!

What I Like Wednesday

 

My Touristy New York City Bucket List

1. eat at Central Park Boathouse
2. go to the Top of the Rock
3. run in Central Park
4. visit MoMa 
5. take a photo by the LOVE statue on 6th & W. 55th
6. go to the Chelsea Market
7. venture to Brooklyn for the flea market 
8. go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
9. play in the Washington Square Park fountains
10. see a play on Broadway -- I'm looking at you, Wicked.
11. go to movie night in Bryant Park
12. visit the New York Public Library
13. on a Saturday go to Smorgasburg in Brooklyn
14. watch a performance live from The Today Show
15. go to an outdoor concert or play; Bryant Park
16. walk the Brooklyn Bridge
17. go to a Yankee's game -- can't leave without getting ice cream in a baseball helmet
18. see the Statue of Liberty
19. eat at Shake Shack -- hold the meat, extra fries
20. visit the High Line
21. find Carrie Bradshaw's apartment
22. buy something from a sample sale

The list is ever-growing and changing & I have many different titled lists. (Lists are my life). If you have any suggestions or top places to see that are iconic to the Big Apple, please comment below! Other list titles that I will soon share are "The Real New Yorker Bucket List" which consists of local coffee shops and things that maybe I won't be too touristy to do. During the summer I'm also going to compile my own list of my favorite things I did and can't wait to share that too!

Comment below with your favorite places and spaces, restaurants too! It's almost one month until I board my plane with my one way ticket. Don't worry, I'm coming back eventually. 

xoxo,
Chandler (almost in the City)