December 23, 2013

New York City, New York.

It was below freezing outside the morning we headed to New York City. We quickly packed our bags, grabbed an egg sandwich at Darwin’s (our favorite local sandwich shop) and prepared to make the trek from Eric’s house to the Harvard Square subway stop. The night before, almost a foot of snow had dropped in on the city and while it had temporarily turned things into a beautiful winter wonderland of sorts, it made it a bit tough to get around the next day. We allowed ourselves what would have usually been plenty of time to walk over, but carrying all of our luggage through the snowy streets (packing light is not a skill of mine) in our puffy winter clothes slowed us down a bit. Soon realizing that the subway approach was no longer an option, we went for plan b and hopped in a cab. Crawling along the traffic-lined roads, we began to worry as the clock ticked down closer and closer to our bus departure time. Finally, with only five minutes until departure time and still a couple blocks away from South Station (where all the buses leave from Boston), we decided to get out of the cab in the middle of the street and make a run for it. Basically, it consisted of Eric sprinting across traffic with both of our huge bags on his back (what a guy!), as I trotted at a much slower pace a few feet behind (oh hey New Year’s resolution #1: I need to insert more cardio into my workouts!) After we sprinted up the escalators, we were relieved to find that weeee made it! We were even able to sit next to each other (and some other people) in the very last row of the bus, where we cozied up for the next SIX AND A HALF HOURS until alas they dropped us off on some busy street in the middle of NEW YORK CITY.

While I have to admit, it certainly wasn’t the easiest ordeal getting there, as soon as we got off the bus, stepped out into busy streets and took in a big whiff of that cold, bustling, city air, I knew it was all worth it. And because it takes quite a bit of time and energy for us to get there, we really try to make all of our time count while in the big city. So vastly different than Los Angeles, it’s a ton of fun to go around and explore a new city as tourists. We made the same trip last year around the holidays, and if you’re not in the spirit, I can almost bet, with full certainty, that a day in central park or Rockefeller Center will have you singing “falalala’s" in no time. This year, we took some time to try out some new amazing restaurants, caught a beautiful view from the “Top of the Rock” and saw Once on Broadway! Certainly one of the best shows I can remember seeing in years, I just didn't want it to end.

While the constant overflow of human traffic, noisy streets, and chaotic cab drivers can all be a bit much, I really find New York to be a breath of fresh air. Everything is changing, everyone seems to be so alive and ready to seize the day- I guess it's official, I love New York.

Highlights from NYC:

SALA: Some of the most amazing tapas food I’ve ever had. Now I’ve never been to Spain, but I imagine this was what it should taste like. They have a dish with fried goat cheese, honey, and candied onions that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. YUM!
ONCE: The beautiful songs that I grew to love from the movie are transformed in a breathtaking way, as this unconventional musical was able to affect me so profoundly, I found myself moved to tears. The songs were brilliant. Each cast member was uniquely talented and the choreography, direction, and style were all remarkably unlike any performance I have ever seen. I truly did not want it to end. If you get the chance- you really should go check it out.
ROCKEFELLER CENTER: It’s always been exciting for me to see places that I grew up only knowing through images on T.V. I loved checking out this little hub of news and knowledge while getting my dose of holiday cheer watching the ice skaters and enjoy a hot chocolate in the cold. Isn’t it funny how we always imagine that things are going to be much larger in real life than they actually are? Maybe that’s just me. Regardless- it was still an impressive place to check out!

I wore this holiday dress to our date night out to the theater. The weather warmed up a bit more and after the blistering temps earlier in the week- it felt great to be able to wear a dress and tights at night! I like to call this look “Fifty Shades of Red”. I paired my new red Forever21 purse with this adorably festive red and black polka-dot Qmack dress from Macy’s and topped it off with my new red Sephora lipstick. Too much red? I’ll let you be the judge. Around the holidays, and on a romantic night out to the theater, I figured it was the best time, if ever, to layer on the red. I was also finally able to wear this gorgeous white stone cluster ring from Loopsway! I’ve been waiting for the perfect night to wear this glamerous piece and I am so excited to share it with you guys. It’s classic and bold with a bit of a vintage flair and yet again, I love the affordability of the unique pieces from this collection. If you haven’t checked out Loopsway yet- you must!