Mississippi & the Genie

Another week has come and gone in the city. It's unreal that I've been here for three weeks now and at the end of this work week, I will have lived here for one month! Time really is flying and I feel like my summer is slipping away even though it is only mid-June because there is still so much I want to do and see.

late night cookie dough because being an adult is hard

 

This past week at work was great again. I promised myself when I began this summer blogging experience that I would be transparent and if I had a day where I hated work, hated the city or had a bad day, I would tell about it. I think sometimes social media can twist reality because why would anyone ever Instagram a boring day or when they're upset? Thankfully and many answered prayers later though, I can say that I really do love my job at Dannijo. The days are packed and busy & I run around sometimes like a chicken with my head cut off, but I wouldn't trade a day there for anything.

Susanna's parents were in town this weekend for Mississippi in the Park and just to visit, and it was so nice seeing familiar faces in the city. The fab four roomies plus her parents went to dinner Wednesday night where we had way too many courses (nom), went shopping in SoHo, and then Saturday we all went to Mississippi in the Park in Central Park. It was a section of Central Park sectioned off and there were tents for Ole Miss, State, Southern Miss and the W. Also a lot of Mississippi cities had tents like Jackson, Tupelo and Brookhaven. It was a little slice of home (halfway home for me I guess) and I loved seeing such sweet southerners. I never thought there was a real difference between the North and the South, but there 100% is.

During Mississippi in the Park Susanna's sweet parents let us take their tickets to Aladdin with Susanna instead of them going. IT WAS SO GOOD!! The magic carpet ride literally was magic. Whatever they used to make that fly, it tricked us all. The genie was hilarious too. He sang a Disney medley which was so great, and everything that he said was so funny. He was definitely my favorite person in the play! Plus I just love a good musical. Also the colors in the set and costumes were unreal. I absolutely loved the play!

Saturday night we went out in meatpacking to The Brass Monkey and the Beer Garden at The Standard. Night life in New York is like no other night life, and let me tell you, it's hard to keep up. I guess I am just used to the Oxford scene where on a Saturday night the bar closes at 12. In New York, midnight is like the beginning of the night. I'm like, grandma over here is normally in bed.

Today we slept late, wandered around where we live and to Washington Square Park, got popsicles and planned out our week. The Dannijo sample sale is this week and we have team bonding, which I could not be more excited about. To sum up my NYC feelings so far, I really am in love with this city. I find myself never walking and looking down at my phone, instead I am constantly looking up because everything here is beautiful. I love my walks home from work every day and I love wandering alone sometimes too because it's a moment to myself.

James Franco & The Trunchbull

Saturday morning Susanna and I headed to NoHo, a new place on the map to us, and we brunched at The Smile. This was my favorite place so far! I had seen the ManRepeller eat there and about every blogger I find on Instagram had Insta'd from the restaurant. Brunch is definitely my favorite meal and that's because of two reasons. One is because you can always order a cup of coffee. The second reason is that it counts as two meals aka I don't have to pay for two meals, just one. Bless brunch. We love you.

After eating at The Smile we ventured to Times Square, which we decided we hate. We also decided that hating Times Square gives us more street cred and we are on our way to being a local. Times Square is packed way too tightly with way too many people and they move at the pace of a turtle. Possibly even slower. We ventured there though for a purpose: to meet Leighton Meester aka Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. She is in Of Mice & Men on Broadway so we went to their stage door. Sadly (Susanna may have shed some tears), Leighton didn't come out for the stage door but we got to see James Franco and Chris O'Dowd. At first I couldn't think of who Chris O'Dowd was, but he is the cop from Bridesmaids and I think I fell a little in love with him. We got so many selifes with James Franco because he kept telling everyone it was easier to "turn your camera around so I can come up behind you." I mean okay Franco, if you tell me to take a selfie with you I'm not going to complain.

Our hearts were broken by Leighton Meester so as a little pick-me-up we bought tickets to see Matilda on Broadway. I cannot tell you how excited I was and in my inner child was freaking out. As many of you probably know because I always tell people, I had the same wallpaper that Matilda did when I was a child. You know the scene at the end of the movie when she lives with Miss Honey? The wallpaper is pink bows; yeah, I had that wallpaper too.

 

Told you.

Matila was incredible and everything I could have ever have hoped for in a musical. The children were adorable & so talented. The little girl who played Matilda was only 9 years old. Miss Trunchbull was played by a man which was hilarious, especially in the Olympics scenes and he/she wore a skirt with an Olympic blouse. Everyone in the audience was literally LOLing. My favorite song was "When I Grow Up." From Bruce eating the cake, to Amanda's pig tails that the Trunchbull hates, to Matilda's powers, I loved every second of the musical. 

Today Frances, Jamie, Susanna and I went to brunch at Rosemary's where we once again fell in love with brunch spots. There is something about ordering a mimosa and salad for brunch in New York wearing a dress & converse that I don't know if I'll ever get over. It's just so real that I am here and this is home for eleven (well, now nine) weeks. Roomies that brunch together stay together, that's our motto. Once we finished wandering after brunch and of course to the roof top garden of Rosemary's we went shopping a little. Now we are all back at the apartment doing laundry as I type this. Glam? Maybe not. But this weekend was incredible! New York, you're the bees knees. 

Moments at MoMA

Friday's are for exploring since Summer Fridays at work are totally a thing in New York. Susanna and Jamie get off work at 1 and I get off at 3. Every hour counts here let me tell you! Jamie ended up getting off work late, little worker bee. Susanna and I headed uptown to go to MoMA which is free on Fridays from 4-8 pm. I like museums and art, but I don't think I'm really a museum rat like some people are. We got to see some of Andy Warhol's paintings and the amount of selfies that were taken with the Campbells's soup cans was comical.

It happened to be National Donut Day on Friday too, so of course I had to get one. No better way to celebrate National Donut Day than with an NYC donut. Well, it was from Dunkin Donuts but still. MoMA had a cute cafe that overlooked the street and an outdoors space with some artwork and sculptures outside. We had a cup of coffee (because what is sleep?) and it was tempting but we passed on dessert. Something New Yorkers love is PDA. We were sitting next to approximately 4 different couples who were holding hands across the table and I'm just like, what?

After MoMA we reunited with Frances and Jamie back at our apartment. For the first time we cooked a real meal in our apartment - noodles, fabulous right? I am happy to finally not eat storm food and packaged goods. There is a HUGE Whole Foods beside my apartment. Friday night we went out to the Bowery Electric and of course it was oldies night aka my absolutely favorite night! They played all of my favorite songs and the roomies loved every second of it.

Biking to Brooklyn

New York really is the city that never sleeps. I always thought that was just a saying, but after two weeks of living here I totally understand. At home it's okay if you have a chill day. Here in New York, there is always something happening, something to be seen, something to be bought, or something new to be eaten. FOMO (fear of missing out, duh) is real in the city. Eleven weeks sounds like a long time but I'm already two weeks into this journey!

As far as an update on work goes, I still am in love with Dannijo. Every morning I get so excited to go to work and it's probably annoying to my roommates because work is all I talk about. I really am so thankful to be spending a summer with these insanely awesome people. Monday Danielle and Jodie got ready for the CFDA awards all day and made a really cool video with Sophia Bush & Hilary Rhoda that will be out soon. Surprise of Wednesday at the office: Sophia Bush came to get some new Dannijo jewels. I was like, "remain calm, remain calm." She was so sweet!

Tuesday was our day off and I even though I have FOMO of what I am missing at the office, I tell ya people it's so real, I do love having a weekday open to make plans and see more of the city. We rented bikes from an NYU dorm in SoHo & headed to bike across the Brooklyn Bridge which was on our bucket list. I pictured casually biking, taking my time, enjoying the scenery and breeze... It was the complete opposite. SO many people had the same idea to walk and bike across the bridge, people yelled left and right at us, I stopped biking and looked down to find a spot where a hobo pooped and it was literally the complete opposite of what I imagined. I'm glad I got to see the city from the bridge, but I will most likely never venture across it on a bike again.

After biking we got salads around Union Square and went to explore the Columbia campus. We had never been that far uptown and it was a cool area. Naturally we went there because Blair and Nate from Gossip Girl attended Columbia. Susanna bought out the entire Columbia bookstore; I got a white & gold coffee mug. Sophisticated, right?

Samples sales, SoHo and Musical Chairs

Saturday morning we woke up and went to 5th Avenue to look at the DVF sample sale. I had never been to a sample sale before and it is funny how nice a store can make clothes look, but then when you see them in a warehouse building all bunched together, they don't look the same. I didn't find anything but Susanna got a new purse and a hot pink blazer, naturally.

After the sample sale we ventured to SoHo, aka where we always end up because how could you not?! We brunched at Jack's Wife Freda and even though most of the food options have either eggs or avocados in them, yuck, I loved the place. It's owned by a husband and wife, who you can read about on Man Repeller's site here. I first found out about Jack's Wife Freda from The Man Repeller's Instagram and it's open seating with windows open, everything about the place is so cute. Vegetarian probs - I got couscous and french fries to eat though. What in the world? Susanna and Frances got a hamburger, meat people.

Of course we stumbled upon Georgetown Cupcakes and Laduree SoHo; there are desserts on every corner of this city. The three of us shopped a little in Zara and Bloomingdale's then headed home. Saturday night we went to Le Bain, which is actually insane. It's a rooftop bar with glass as walls that overlooks Manhattan and the Hudson River. There was a pool on the lower floor inside and people were just casually in their swimsuits. Let me tell you, this was not Oxford's Library. We met some new friends who went with us and it was fun to see the city at night. A few lessons learned later, we headed back and crashed. Who knew work made people so tired and we have quickly become grandmas in bed by 9 pm normally.

Sunday was a lazy day. We slept late, got the $5 pizza deal, made lists of more things we want to do in the city and sat outside at Union Square for a while. I didn't think I was going to waste a day in NYC like I did on Sunday but it felt good to catch up on sleep.

Monday back to the workin' world. I really do just love work. When I am on the subway I get excited to go in and see what we are doing that day and I am so thankful that I have found a place that I enjoy so much. I did some press pulls, ran a few errands and then, as always, the day was over so quickly. Last  night we went to a HUGE musical chairs game at Bryant Park. The sun was setting and it was so funny to see everyone dancing in the park around the chairs.

The game lasted forever that we had time to go eat dinner and come back to watch the final people competing. The four of us, Jamie, Frances, Susanna and I, ate dinner at Le Pain Quotiden. Their corn chowder was delicious and we have no idea what possessed us to order it in the first place but it was totally worth it. Next on our list was to find Magnolia Bakery in Grand Central Station. Of course we copied Gossip Girl photo's of when Serena arrives at Grand Central and looked like 14-year-old fangirl's, but we could never have let the opportunity pass by!