Life Lately: Springspiration, Dating and Bonnes Amies

I keep telling myself that I will blog more often. That I will, dare I say, blog regularly. That I will actually revamp my blog, find a focus, regain my readership, grow my readership, reconnect with my blog friends and jump back into the wonderful world that is the blogosphere. But then life gets in the way, and well, I find myself doing any and everything instead of blogging. #fail


Alas, I am here many, many days later. I am here to give you a quick update on my little life that I am loving so dearly. 


Springspiration: I am itching to buy spring clothes! So much so that I may have popped into the ginormous 4-story Forever 21 in Times Square last week in between social engagements, and one of the first things I found is the blouse below. How cute is that?? Love the bright orange pop of color. After spending less than $20 on it (less than $20!!), I wore it to work the next day and received a record number of compliments. Now all I want to do is shop for bright-colored sheer delights, among a number of other things. What's on your Spingspiration wishlist? Mine is forever growing, but I know it includes LOADS of pinks, corals, oranges, tangerines, aquas, emeralds, and yes, even some nudes. :)

Dating: Yes, so I signed up for Match.com. And I have a date this Friday. My first date in... well, in a long time. I'm not keen on dating (and have this thing against straight, unmarried men - I know, it's bizarre), but I think I'm finally ready and willing to open myself up to it. Any dating tips?


Bonnes Amies: Since the start of the year, my social calendar has been jam packed. And since reading this book, I swear, I'm making new friends left and right. I even picked up the sales clerk at the Calypso in Soho last weekend (she just moved here from Austin and is this adorable artsy type; note to self: text her)! Most recently I got together with my dear amie Lesley who I met years and years ago at Kimberly's yoga and creativity retreat in upstate New York. We went to a pre-fashion week Nivea event where we ate blue cotton candy, hung out with Rebecca Romin and Jerry O'Connell and picked up many a tube of free lip gloss.

I miss y'all. A lot. Gros bisous.


 

Book Review: MWF Seeking BFF

I'm writing this book review, and I'm not even done with the book - that's how much I dig it. MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New BFF is nonfiction gold for 20-/30-something women who love having girlfriends. Don't believe me? Read below.

"When Rachel Bertsche first moves to Chicago, she’s thrilled to finally share a zip code, let alone an apartment, with her boyfriend. But shortly after getting married, Bertsche realizes that her new life is missing one thing: friends. Sure, she has plenty of BFFs—in New York and San Francisco and Boston and Washington, D.C. Still, in her adopted hometown, there’s no one to call at the last minute for girl talk over brunch or a reality-TV marathon over a bottle of wine. Taking matters into her own hands, Bertsche develops a plan: She’ll go on fifty-two friend-dates, one per week for a year, in hopes of meeting her new Best Friend Forever.

In her thought-provoking, uproarious memoir, Bertsche blends the story of her girl-dates (whom she meets everywhere from improv class to friend rental websites) with the latest social research to examine how difficult—and hilariously awkward—it is to make new friends as an adult. In a time when women will happily announce they need a man but are embarrassed to admit they need a BFF, Bertsche uncovers the reality that no matter how great your love life is, you’ve gotta have friends."

I bought this book on my kindle (my first actual kindle purchase!!) last week before I hopped on a plane to New Orleans for my law school bestie's, Pony's, wedding. After reading about it in several magazines, I knew I had to get my hands on it. After all, I know exactly how Rachel feels/felt. After law school, I found myself in an ah-mazing city (Austin - duh) lacking in the true friendship department. I had my other law school girl bestie, Jenny, and I had a couple of other friends I'd see semi-regularly. But the rest of the time, I found myself canceling plans with so-so friends with whom I felt little to no real connection. Quite frankly, I would have rather stayed home with Lola. So that's what I did.

Fast forward one year and a half, and I was not happy. I found myself constantly finding reasons to leave Austin, whether for the weekend or just the day, and sooner or later I found myself craving a different life altogether. Hello, NYC! 

Now my life is a series of social commitments, and I can hardly keep up. Reading this book, I find myself paying a lot more attention to my social calendar. Take yesterday, for example:

11:30 a.m. - Coffee shop catch-up avec my boys (Will and David) @ Grounded

2:00 p.m. - Brunch avec old boss/dear friend Megan @ Five Points

6:00 p.m. - Art journaling play date avec new friend/fellow art journaling enthusiast Tiffani @ her incredibly decorated apartment (more on this later - I am INSPIRED, y'all!) Psst - I was introduced to Tiffani via Valerie, another blog-y friend. Merci, Val!

In between was catching up with my roomie, another unexpected dear amie Annika. By the end of the day (around 12:30 a.m.), I realized I had been talking for about 12 hours straight. Phew! I was exhausted, but also feeling quite accomplished. All my conversations had been by choice, AND, more importantly, deeply satisfying on many levels. Throughout the course of the day, I had discussed, in no particular order: politics, interior design, goal-setting, boys, boys and more boys, hair color, fashion, self-confidence and affirmations, food... the list goes on and on. I wanted to whip out my iPhone and text Rachel about my successful day (that is, until I realized, we're not BFF's in real life - such a shame).

That is yet another reason I enjoy this book - because Rachel is totally and completely the kind of BFF I would want, so I can relate to her wants/needs/desires when it comes to bestfriendship. 

I highly recommend this book. It's funny, it's endearing, but it's also wicked smart and insightful. What more can you ask for from a BFF?

P.S. Also? I'm feeling so ridiculously, stupidly, blissfully grateful for the friendships in my life. How did I get so lucky? Note to self: Be a better friend in 2012.

 

Days 18-20... Scenes From Le Weekend

drinking Caronas on the Hudson @ the Frying Pan with fun friends

spending quality time avec Roomie Trois (the petite blonde)

and her friend Mallory

cucumber/cilantro/sugar-in-the-raw martini @ Rabbit in the Moon

in Greenwich Village

fun times with old and new friends

scary movie night on Wall Street (yes, I am holding a bottle of Prosecco)

I am loving NYC more and more the longer I'm here. I've (mostly) mastered the subway system, I've made incredible new friends, I LOVE my apartment, and I am more sure than ever that I made the right decision moving here. I hope you too had a fun and fabulous weekend. Lots of love from moi to you.

Day 17... All Over the Place

This post will be all over the place because my day (and mood, apparently) is all over the place today. First, I painted this morning. WOO HOO! It's the first time I've woken up before 10 a.m. since I've been here (SHAME), and I did it all in the name of a beautiful pink room. I absolutely adore it and can't wait to finish decorating so I can post pictures!

Second, I passed Lucy Liu on the sidewalk today!! She literally walked right past me, and I never stare at the people around me (b/c otherwise I'd probably fall over and get crushed by the crowds), but I happened to be looking to my left and there she was in all her petite Asian beauty. (She is SHORT btw.) First celebrity sighting, and it was in my 'hood! Exciting!!

Third, there's no Paper Source in this city (thank God - that place is DANGERous), but there is a Kate's Paperie. Kate's Paperie is Paper Source in miniature form, and it's darling. I stopped by this afternoon to pick up some hot pink ribbon, and I had to snap a pic of the cute window.

Fourth, I had no concerete plans for the evening, and although some friends invited me out, I opted for a chill night since the rest of my weekend is quickly filling up. It was a gorgeous evening so I decided to go for a long walk and eventually found my way to Union Square. I remembered that the only Trader Joe's in the city is in Union's Square so I found it, picked up some goodies (read: chocolate covered everything), and proceeded to wait in the longest line I've ever waited in for groceries. It was well worth it though, and I enjoyed my long walk home avec dark chocolate covered raisins. A 2nd Trader Joe's is opening mere minutes from my apartment, and I can't wait. Whole Foods, je t'adore, but sometimes you can be a little bit too much.

Fifth, for some reason every time I speak on the phone with my Mom, I end up crying. I don't know why, it's something about the familiarity of her voice or something, but it gets me every single time. Tonight, however, I had good reason to cry. A couple of nights ago when we talked (yes, I talk to my Mom practically every day) she told me that she'd buy my a plane ticket to Dallas for my birthday (AUGUST 11!). I was stoked! I wasn't planning to go back to TX until Thanksgiving, so the knowledge that I could see my parents, eat free delicious food, and visit Super Target in just a couple of months was tres exciting. Unfortunately, I completely misunderstood the conversation. My mom meant that she'd buy me the ticket home for Thanksgiving... not August. After I pitched a mini fit, she then told me that I couldn't expect to come home only a couple of months after getting here, and that I was about to be 27 and needed to learn how to stand on my own. What can I say? I'm the baby of the family!

Note: I don't cry because I'm lonely or bored. I was lonely the first week here, but since then I've started to feel like this is truly my home. I've met loads of people and have exciting things happening every day. Tonight as I walked around the city, I couldn't stop smiling at the knowledge that I finally made it here, and that I truly love it. I love this city. I love love love it. (Ask me again in January how I feel.)

Sixth, my weekend plans consist of: Brooklyn Flea with my friend Noel on Saturday morning, cocktails at the Maritime Hotel tomorrow night with Roomie Trois and her friend Mallory, brunch in at the Roebling Tea Room on Sunday with my new friend Wendy and her roomies Michelle and Erin, church with Roomie Trois, and possibly dinner Sunday evening in Queens with a friend of my sister's from college. What do you have planned for le weekend?

Day 12... Happy

(Pic from dinner Saturday night. Roomie Deux is on the right of moi and Roomie Trois is on the left!)

Today was one of those amazing lazy free flow days that begins with a brunch date in Tribeca and ends with a Tony's viewing party on Wall Street (how lame was Catherine Zeta Jones' speech btw??). Mix in a rainy stroll through SoHo, a couple watermelon martinis, and loads of fun new friends, and you've got yourself the perfect Sunday.

Yes, tonight I'm happy to be in NYC. It's not always easy though, and I'm not going to lie and pretend my life here is nothing but brunches, shopping and cocktails (although yes, lately, it seems that way). I miss Lola daily, I cry daily, I've never felt so far away from my family, and sometimes I stop and ask myself, "What the hell am I doing?" With no clear idea of what's coming ahead, I'm both excited and scared out of my mind. I've never not had a plan... it's terrifying. Also? I'm broke. Well, I'm going to be broke fairly soon, and the reality of that, my friends, is very very much freaking me out.

But I'm so grateful that you're here, and that I can come here after good days and after bad days and know that you'll be here to listen. Thank you. I love you. (Come visit!)

Days 9-10... Oops!

Totally forgot to post yesterday - my bad! Last night I went to dinner at Josie's on the Upper West Side with a blog reader. Josie's is delicious, and their super fresh fruity cocktails are fantastic! I can't wait to go back and try more. Merci for a fabulous evening, Tracy!

Today I am waiting (yet again) for the Fedex guy to deliver another package from Mommy dearest. This one contains my Dyson hand vac (YES!), my Hello Kitty blanket (uh huh...), and some more goodies. It's cheaper for my Mom to send me my stuff from home than for me to buy it here so I'm expecting more packages in the future. The downside to not having a doorman is that I have to either wait at home for the packages to arrive or risk having to go pick it up later. Since these packages are not small, I figure chillaxin' at home is worth it. Although considering it's already 4 p.m., I'm starting to get a little antsy...

Luckily I have loads of fun plans tonight and this weekend. Tonight I'm meeting a very old friend for dinner at BCD Tofu House in Koreatown. Can I just tell you how PSYCHED I am to be in the presence of good Korean food for once?? Afterwards I'm meeting up with my friends Will and Ryan for a party in the 'hood and then we're hoping to meet up with other friends Steph and David later. I imagine the evening be a delicious whirlwind of parties, cocktails, bars and dancing. I'm down! What're you guys up to this weekend?

Day 6... A Basic Human Right

I love you all for commiserating with me over my shower woes. The good news is that the cleaning ladies came today, and my shower is now sparkling! (Well... as sparkling as it can get here.) I bought a drain cover (to catch the hair) and informed my roomie of my goal to keep the drain clear... I hope she got the hint.



After marveling at the cleanliness of the bathroom, I decided to take a morning stroll over to Chelsea Market since it was closed last night. The Anthropologie at Chelsea Market is PHENOMENAL. Seriously, one of the best Anthropologie's I've ever seen. Gorgeous layout, multiple floors... I felt like I was in a museum. And? Despite the beauty surrounding me, I didn't purchase a single thing. Which leads me to my next point...

This is a city of consumerism, for sure. Besides the multitude of beautiful shops, there's the food... oh the food. The amount of money I've spent on food since I've gotten to the city (not even one whole week) is astounding, and well, I am nervous. Because, you see, I am (or I'm supposed to be) on a strict budget here, and I've already blown the food bit. And it's hard because I've never had to pay that much attention to the money I spend on food. No, I don't go out for $200 dinners frequently (or EVER if I'm paying), but I don't hesitate to drop $40 here for dinner or $5 there for an iced coffee. Food is a basic human right! It's not like buying shoes or makeup, right? Wrong. I've got to get my food spending in control, but I'm just not sure how. Right now I'm scheduling meeting after meeting with friends of friends and other contacts, and they all revolve around food. That's not always going to be the norm, but what am I supposed to do now? I need to meet people! Not just for social reasons, but to make professional connections as well.

Tonight, for example, I met up with a friend of a friend at The Smith in the East Village for a late dinner. Although this dinner was fairly cheap (I didn't get a drink, and I ordered an appetizer salad and a side dish) at $18, it's still $18, ya know? But the time spent with her was priceless, and let's be honest, you have to multitask in this city. People have little time as it is so if it's not over brunch or dinner or drinks, it's not happening. And although cooking saves money, it still ain't cheap. Groceries here are expensive, AND my roomies don't cook which means there's no cookware. (So far my "cooking" has consisted of making green smoothies and heating Amy's frozen burritos.)

This is what I signed up for - living in a city that 2-3x more expensive at probably 40% the salary (and I don't even have a salary yet!). This is all part of the journey, the adventure, the struggle, but just thinking about my lack of spending money is un peu depressing. Sigh. Despite all that, I'm still in love with the city. I just need to learn how to live in it without spending a fortune.

Day 5... City Love

{Image: www.nytimes.com}

Today I loved the city. It started with brunch in the West Village at EXTRA VIRGIN with Roomie Trois. The West Village is home to the most coveted real estate in the city, as it is as charming as charming gets. Tree lined sidewalks, darling brownstones, and hip little bistros and shops on every corner. I adore it and love that it's walking distance from my apartment. Roomie and I were thankfully seated indoors but at a huge window facing the street so we could people watch. Gorgeous and effortless chic women and well-dressed older couples littered the streets, and I hoped to catch a glimpse of a favorite celebrity, as many of them live in the area. I didn't see anyone famous (this time), but Roomie Trois and I had a fabulous brunch, and I absolutely adore her and am glad I've found a friend in the apartment.

After brunch I ran to Chase and Whole Foods and then back home to escape the heat and humidity. After a long afternoon nap (in the A/C!), I woke up and decided eating in would be a good idea after 2 rich brunches in a row. I whipped up a green smoothie and heated a frozen Amy's burrito (okay, so I didn't really cook) and relaxed. Around 8:45 I found myself itching to get outside once again before it got super dark outside. I threw on a tank dress and ran out the door only to realize that the winds had shifted, and it was lovely and COOL and breezy and not humid at ALL outside. What a pleasant surprise! Despite being a little chilly, I wandered down to the Chelsea Market, crossed over into the Meatpacking District, and made my way back to the apartment. I adore my neighborhood and the fact that I can walk so easily to all these great areas. As I walked I couldn't help but smile. Do I really live here? Is it too good to be true? Despite the gross shower and dealing with multiple roommates with cleanliness standards a bit subpar to mine and wondering how on earth I'm going to cook in a kitchen with no counter space and no saucepan in sight, I'm still happy to be here. This is city love.

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend. Lots and lots love from moi to you.

Day 4... Bonjour, Brooklyn!

I had a FABULOUS day! My sleeping schedule is way off so my day began rather late (okay... close to noon if I'm going to be honest), and I quickly got up, got ready and headed out to meet my new friend Noel at brunch.


The Organic Grill is a darling (read: tiny) joint in the East Village, and I just adored it. I ordered the "Indecisive Sampler" or something along those lines which included blueberry pancakes, tofu scramble, and your choice of tempeh bacon or soy sausage. I opted for yukon gold home fries instead of the bacon or sausage option, but I'm eager to try them in the future. The pancakes were yummy, and the tofu scramble was PHENOM! I don't know how they season and cook their tofu, but it's fantastic! Not soggy or tofu-y or anything. Really great flavor with super fresh veggies. I was tres impressed. And Noel? Well, she's just fabulous. We hit it off immediately, and I'm so grateful to my friend Lindsay for setting us up (THANK YOU, LINDS!!!).

After brunch, we took the L train over to Williamsburg and walked to McCarren Park where the Renegade Craft Fair was happening. What fun! TONS of booths and lots of hip people (and pregnant women for some reason). We perused booth after booth. Naturally, all the letterpress/paperproducts were my faves, and yes, I may have purchased a couple things but not nearly as many as I wanted. I also got an amazing pair of earrings which I'll photograph next time I wear them. They're... interesting. ;)


After hours of walking, we headed back to Bedford Avenue and met up with one of Noel's friends from HS. He has a sweet (and huge) loft, and he treated us to lemonade/vodka cocktails upon arrival. It was so hot and sticky outside, so the drink was ideal. After finishing our beverages, we headed back to Manhatten, and Noel and I parted ways with promises of lots of future dates (including the Brooklyn Flea - can't wait for that!).

Later tonight I met my friend Steph and her two gal pals for dinner at Bobo. The restaurant was nice, but we were seated outside so we spent the entire meal sweating. Nonetheless conversation was good and the food was tasty, but not fantastic. After dinner, we frequented a couple bars in the Village, and I remembered all too well how much I can't stand overcrowded bars full of singles trying to pick each other up. My friend Steph said I need an attitude adjustment, and she's absolutely right. But I just do not see myself meeting anyone worth meeting at a bar... is that wrong of me? I mean, who knows who you can meet? It's NYC, right? Hmm, I don't know. It really got me thinking... when will I be ready and willing to "meet" people again? (And by people, I obviously mean men.) Je ne said pas. More on that later...

All in all, I had a beautiful Saturday. And despite my multiple showers today, I still love love love walking around this incredible city. But now? It's time for sleep. Bon nuit.