October was dressed as January for Halloween

When I moved to New York, I knew I was going to see a lot of snow. When I found out snow was predicted for New York on Halloween weekend, everyone seemed so calm. Id snow was predicted in Alabama this early, everyone would be in a state of panic. Despite the weather predictions, My roommates and I decided to take the train to upstate NY for some apple picking and a trip to the Vanderbilt Mansion. Little did we know, we were in for an epic adventure. When we got off the train, our taxi driver that took us to the apple orchid warned us to get out of town by 2:00. Since we had just paid for our train ticket up there, we decided to ignore his advice and go on about our day. The snow really began to fall when we were at the orchid. After we were done picking apples, we decided to call the Vanderbilt mansion to make sure they were still opened before we made the trip. They said they were so we had a taxi pick us up at the orchid and drop us up at the house.The taxi ride there was terrifying, We could feel the taxi fishtailing on the icy roadways. After about 30 minutes and several flashes of the past 23 years later, we arrived at the Vanderbilt mansion only to discover that it had closed down for the day.  While we waited for the taxi to pick us back up, we had the entire Vanderbilt estate to our selves and tons of untouched snow top play in. It was amazingly beautiful. The entire day I kept feeling like I should be in Christmas Spirit, but then I kept remembering it was Halloween and I had a while before the Christmas spirit set in. 

After a nice, relaxing dinner at a picturesque, wood-pannaled wall tavern, we got back on the train for what we thought would be an hour and a half trip back to the city. What should have taken an hour and a half took four hours due to trees falling on the train and the train tracks. We ended up having to transfer to another train because the train we were on was damaged from the trees! Overall, we had a fun day that I know I will remember for a long time.

On Sunday, I knew I wanted to see how the city looked with its Halloween Snow. After a fantastically fattening lunch at Shake Shack, my friend Jenna and I decided to explore Central Park. With Jenna's camera in hand, we set out to capture the rare  October snow. 

This past weekend was sone to remember. I am hoping and praying it was not a sign of a cold, snow winter to come!

Six Months

I can't believe it has been exactly six months since the April, 27th tornados. I remember that day like it was yesterday and I am sure I will remember it forever. The entire day was just a strange day all together. I was woken up around 5:30 that morning by the threat of early morning storms. Thankfully, those storms did not hit where I was. Little did I know, I would be a direct target later that day. I sat in Starbucks in Tuscaloosa that day for several hours working on a final project that I would never have to turn in. I had a seat right by the window and I kept noticing the sky getting darker and darker. I finally decided that I should head over to a friend's apartment just in case the weather decided to take a turn for the worse. After getting Chick F Lay and attempting to do our homework, James Spann began to grab our attention more that our homework assignments. After several panicked phone calls from our families in Birmingham, we decided to go to another apartment on the bottom floor of the building. We continued working on our homework until we heard James Spann say, "If you are a student at the University of Alabama, take shelter now, It is heading straight for you". Right after this was said, the power went out. We stepped on to the back porch to check things out and after seeing the tornado, we ran inside for cover. We went into a closet underneath the stairs. Right when we closed the door to the closet, the apartment began to shake and we could hear the windows begin to shatter. The tornado sounded like a mix between a jet and an airplane. We new the exact moment when the tornado was over us because out ears were popping and the building was shaking violently. Suddenly, everything got quite and the worried phone calls began to pour in. 

This is the first things I saw when I walked outside 

I found these soldiers in my car when I was cleaning out the glass

Poor Heidi

When we stepped outside, I was shocked. The apartment I was in was not more than 300 yards from complete devastation. I had no idea that the storm was that bad. The further we walked, the worse it got. The Starbuck I was in just a few short ours earlier was destroyed. Friend's houses were complete loses. Even though I didn't know anyone who lost their life that day, the town that I lived in for a few years was gone. At that point, I had live in Alabama my entire life and had the threat of tornadoes occur countless times. So much in fact, that I had assumed this one would just bring rain, thunder and a little bit of lightning. For days, Tuscaloosa did not have phone service which made i very difficult to get in touch with friends that were also in Tuscaloosa. Finding out that all of my friends were safe was a wonderful feeling.

Even though my friends and family were safe, many people were not so lucky. Please remember to keep Tuscaloosa, and other places that were in the path of this storm in your thoughts and prayers. 

A Huge Mountain, Two Bruised Feet and One Bee Sting Later...

Last Saturday, The Recent College Grad Group at the church I have been attending took a hiking trip to Cold Springs, New York to hike up Breakneck Mountain. We all met a little after 8 am at Grand Central Station and took an hour long train ride to the town of Cold Springs. It is hard to believe that places like this exist so close to the city. Even though I love being in the city, it was nice to get out of it and enjoy the beauty of New York State. The hike was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be. I pictured my self with a walking stick and a red bandana holding my hair back and I walked up the rolling hills of the mountain. I couldn't have been more wrong. The first mile of the hike was straight up hill. I wasn't walking along rolling hills. I was propelling my self up rocks and positioning my body in awkward angles in order to get higher up the mountain. Even though the mountain was challenging, I didn't realize how much work I was doing until the next day when I realized I was sore in places I didn't know existed. I guess I was too busy talking with amazing new friends and enjoying the beauty of what was around us!

Almost Halfway There

Picture Break!

The Top! Looking over West Point.

Group Shot!

This past Saturday has probably been my favorite Saturday in New York! I had so much fun meeting new people and taking in the beauty of everything around me! It is easy to forget how pretty nature can be!

Only In New York

This season, I have really gotten in to the new TV series Pan Am! After catching up on it last night, I couldn't stop thinking about how fabulous New York was back then. When I woke up this morning, I checked my Twitter account and learned some very exciting news! 

PAN AM IS FILMING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TODAY!! 

I texted my roommates and my mom to let them know the exciting news! Little did I know that as I was walking to the subway, I would stumble upon the set! I would be lying to you if I didn't say I didn't consider skipping work to watch the filming!

  

Weekend Trip

Even though I absolutely love New York City, it is nice to get out of the hustle and bustle every once in a while. On Saturday, I took the train from Penn Station to visit some friends in New Jersey. The next morning, we woke up and headed for the adorable town of Princeton, home of Princeton University. The town is amazing. It is full of charming shops and restaurants.

Princeton has a Kate Spade, J Crew and Lilly Pulitzer on campus.

My favorite store was the Olive Oil Store. This store has every flavor of Olive Oil you can think of. From Tuscan Herb olive oil to Dark Chocolate olive oil, I was in sample heaven. 

After shopping around town, we decided to walk around Princeton's campus. The campus is beautiful. The building reminded me of a castle. We had a lot of fun walking around and pretending we were Princeton students. 

After walking around the campus, we decided to go to one last store, J Crew. This was a problem because I have a slight obsession with J Crew. The only problem with my J Crew obsession is that I can't really afford it. This trip however, was a different story. The clearance items were marked down an extra 30% (THANKS COLUMBUS! USA! USA!) and since I had my student ID, I got an extra 15% off. I scored a great button up and a sweater vest, yes, a sweater vest, for $26.00! Before we left, we stopped by a great cupcake shop called House of Cupcakes. I know I raved about Magnolia Bakery's cupcakes, but this cupcakes was seriously the best cupcake I have ever had. I knew it would be good because The House of Cupcakes was featured on an episode of cupcake wars! They ended up winning first place and donated all of the prize money to St. Jude!

I couldn't have asked for a better weekend and will definitely make another trip to Princeton soon! 

How Sweet It Is

Last Sunday, my roomates and I walked to a street fair in Brooklyn called Atlantic Antic. Several vendors lined the block of Brooklyn with their fun and unique products. The vendors had everything from vintage clothing to fried Oreos (DELICIOUS). After pounding the pavement in Brooklyn, we decided to head in to Manhattan. Our first stop was Dylan's Candy Bar. The candy store, owned by Ralph Lauren's daughter is a candy lover's delight. They have everything from gummy worms to candy themed cocktails. The store is absolutely adorable. 

 

 Candy Stairs 

 Cupcake Table 

After leaving Dylan's candy bar, we decided to stop by Magnolia Bakery for a cupcake. If you ever have the chance to try one of these cupcakes, please do. The icing is AMAZING! 

Tonight, our sweet tooth kicked in again and we decided to try a recipe for Cake Batter Bark. You only need a few  ingredients to make this delicious desert. 

6 oz of Dark Chocolate

12 oz of White Chocolate (we used Hershey's Cookies and Cream Bars)

3 TBS of Cake Mix (We used Funfetti)

Sprinkles 

First, melt the Dark Chocolate in the Microwave.

When the chocolate is completely melted, Spread on a cookie sheet. (Use tin foil or parchment paper to prevent sticking)

Freeze for 20 minutes

Next, melt the white chocolate. After it is melted, whisk in the cake mix.

Pour white chocolate and cake mix mixture on top of the dark chocolate.

Freeze for twenty minutes.

ENJOY! 

City Life

 

Entrance to Prospect Park

I am having a love affair with New York. Sometimes, when I step in to the city from the subway station, or see the Williamsburg Bridge lit up at night, I catch myself smiling, mesmerized by it all. Even thought I love Manhattan, I am also having a love affair with Brooklyn. I live in an adorable neighborhood in Brooklyn. I am in walking distance to the cutest shops and restaurants. Everything here is so charming. Living in Brooklyn is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city, while still offering all of the perks of city living. My roommates and I love to explore our neighborhood. Every time we explore, we find something new and exciting. Last week, we walked to Prospect Park in Brooklyn. This park was HUGE! The park was filled with people and their dogs enjoying the last few weeks of warm weather. We discovered running paths, a skating rink, a zoo, and even a place to paddle boat!

 We also like to walk to the Brooklyn Bridge. You get excellent views of the city while getting great exercise. The picture to the left is a picture of the Freedom Tower. (This is where the World Trade Centers once stood). I thought this picture was beautiful, yet erie all at the same time.

Brooklyn Bridge

I still can't believe I am actually here! I am living every minute of it and can't wait to see what other adventures I get my self in to! 

Meet Mr. Penguin Garcia Ashley Lucas!

 There is nothing like coming home from a long day to find a package waiting for you at your door. Especially when you see that is from a dear friend all the way in Alabama! There is really nothing like opening that package to find...

A Penguin!!

I know this seems odd, but I promise, it's not as strange or random as it sounds! My friend, Ashley May has known about my love and admiration for penguins ever since I asked her for one for my birthday. One day last week, Ashley let me know that she had found poor Mr. Penguin Garcia Ashley Lucas abandoned on the side of the road. Being the wonderful friend that she is, she remembered that I still wanted a pet penguin. Even though my penguin doesn't require a "doggy door" to get in and out of the freezer, I still love him and can't wait to take him on NYC adventures! 

Feels Like Fall In NYC

Statue in Madison Square Park

Concert at The Living Room 

"One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years." ~ Thomas Wolfe

My First fill weekend in New York was wonderful. I could not have asked for a better time. After work on Friday, I met up with some friends in Madison Square Park. We headed to a fun bar where we all pretended we were friends with some guy named Nigel in order to get the VIP wristbands. Little did the guy at the door know, that we had NO CLUE who Nigel was. We just wanted half price drinks! Later that night, I met up with some friends from Auburn to catch a small concert at a cozy little place in the Lower East Side called the living room. The music was amazing and the musicians were so nice. They came up and talked to us like we had known them for years. 

Former UA Quarterback and NY Jets player Greg McElroy

View of Union Square from Forever 21

Saturday was a great day to explore Manhattan. Ashley and I spent the day walking around the city hoping in and out of any store that caught our eye. From Kate Spade to Madewell, we found something that we would kill to have. The Free People store is AMAZING. It looks exactly like you would imagine. Once you walk in, you will never want to leave! After shopping all day, I decided it was time for some Alabama football. I headed to the Alabama Alumni Association of New York viewing party to watch the game with fellow Bama Fans. I met my future husband that night. His name is Greg McElroy. A former QB for Alabama, and a current player for the NY Jets, I know that we will have a great life together full of football and fun! After out shutout against N. Texas, I met up with some friends in the Financial District. We went to one of their friends apartments on Wall Street. This apartment was MASSIVE. The apartment had 5 bedrooms and several bathrooms which is extremely rare in NYC. The Apartment was directly across from Trump Tower, to the right of the New York Stock Exchange, and next door to Tiffany's. Perfect Location! 

View o the Trump Tower from Wall Street Apartment 

 On Sunday, Ashley and I explored Brooklyn. I felt like I was on a movie set. Fall was in the air and people were milling all about. We walked past beautiful brownstones and through a small country fair. We stumbled upon many unique things on our walk. From a massive outdoor book fair, to a small local product market, I discovered that Brooklyn is a well kept secret. Brooklyn is an escape from the city, while still being a big city. Its tree lined sidewalks and pedestrian filled streets make you feel as though you truly belong in New York.Later that day, Ashley and I took the Subway into Manhattan to try out a new church. We both enjoyed it and are planning on getting involved! After church, we headed to the Tribeca Hotel for a free screening of "The September Issue"' a documentary about Vogue magazine's September 2007 issue. We really enjoyed the movie! It was interesting to learn about all the work that goes on in the magazine world. I am exciting about learning more about free stuff to do in the city!

First Cold Night In New York!

 This Building Is Across From My Office! In the daytime, you can see the gold on the pointy party of the building!

This is my desk! Send me pictures so I can put them on my sad picture-less bulletin board!

Today was the first cold day in NYC. Compared to how cold its going to get though, today was nothing. Today was another good day at work! I sat in some meetings to discuss what the Heineken products are going to look like for the end of the year and the beginning of next year. For lunch, I ate on the roof top again. It was a little chilly and it started to sprinkle just was we finished. The roof top is absolutely LOVELY. You have a great view of Madison Square park, and the Empire State Building. 

You can see the tip of it in this picture! Towards the end of the day, I actually got to try my hand at some of the things I will actually be doing! It took a few minutes to decide the best and most efficient way to do it, but I got through it!

As many of you know, I made a trip to NYC in July to interview. When I was there, I met a really sweet girl on the train who is my age and working in the city. We kept in touch over the summer at met for after work drinks tonight at the Black Door. It was a short walk from both of our offices and a great place for the young professional crowd. After a few minutes at the Black Door, we took the train to Hoboken, New Jersey to hang out with some of her friends! It was so great meeting other girls my age who work in the city! We all had a lot of fun together and plan to hang out again soon.

Did I mention that someone asked me if I was from England the other day? I wish I had a British accent, but I had to inform him that my accent is in fact, Southern.

As Rebecca Black would say, "Its Friday (In NYC that is) Friday gotta get down on Friday"

Looking forward to my first weekend in the city!

5th and 23rd

I love where my office is located. It is in an area called the Flat Iron District. This area is named for a building that looks like...you guessed it...an iron!  My office is located on 5th ave and 23rd street. It is close to great restaurants and shopping. Today I found out that there is a beer garden on the roof deck!  Anyway, today the Heineken production team went to Hampshire Country Club in Mamaroneck, New York for a cookout. The country club was beautiful. The outdoor patio looked out over the river. We had a great view of beautiful sail boats. We enjoyed great food, wine, and Heineken products, of course. Around five, I hopped on a train and headed to TriBeCa to meet my friend Jenna for dinner. TriBeCa stands for Triangle Below Canal Street. Leonardo DiCaprio, Mariah Carey, Robert DiNiro, and Meryl Streep live in this area. Jenna and I ate at an amazing tapas place called Flor De Sol. We shared some tapas and celebrated being in New York City by toasting with White Wine Sangrias. So far, I am loving NYC and can't wait to explore some more!

http://www.flordesolnyc.com/index2.htm

First Day On The Job!

My Office!

Today was my first day of my new job! So far, I really think I am going to like it! I took the subway in to Manhattan and had sometime to kill before I had to be in the office at 9:30. In the picture, you can see green railing in the background. That is where I get of the subway! Very Convenient! When I got off the Subway, I walked across the street and sat on a bench in Madison Square Park. I enjoyed people watching while reading the news paper! I spent the first few hours of the day learning about the company. My co-workers took me out to a DELICIOUS restaurant called Punch! They have the best sweet potato fries I have ever had. (Although J Clyde's in Birmingham has great ones too) The rest of the day, I just learned about what I will be doing! I am excited about learning more about what I will be doing and really getting a feel for everyday life in NYC!

9/11/2011

Today is the ten year anniversary of September 11. When the planes struck the Twin Towers ten years ago, I was in seventh grade. I had no idea that the twin towers even existed. Who would have thought that ten years later, I would be living in that very city. Ten years ago, I couldn't fully grasp how terrible the attacks were. I can only imagine how terrified everyone must have been. Tonight, were are going to the Brooklyn Academy of Music for a free screening of the movie Manhattan and to remember those who were lost that day and to honor the heroes that served. *Never Forget*

I'm Officially a New York Resident!

After two flights and a long nauseating taxi ride, I am officially a resident of NYC! I never thought this day would come, but after several late nights of sending out resumes an two trips to the city over the summer for interviews, I have finally made it. Tomorrow is my first day at my new job! I am incredibly excited to learn about what I will be doing, but I am terrified that I won't do a good job. I am working for G2 Branding and Design as a Production Associate for the Heineken advertising account. I'm sure things will be great and I will update tomorrow!

Start Spreading The News

The time has come! After many years of dreaming to live in New York City, I am finally taking the plundge and moving to the city. If you asked me where I would be a year ago, the last place I thought I would be in New York. But after many unexpected events, it seems as though New York is where I am meant to be. I have an amazing job that I am extremely excited about and lucky to have. I am nervous about starting, but I have a feeling I am where I am suppossed to be. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Birmingham. I have family and many friends in Birmingham whom I will miss everyday, but for now, I am ready for a change of sceanery. (I wish this new sceanery included SEC football) I'm not putting a time limit on how long I will be there. I could be one year, or maybe forever. I am incredibly scared, but so excited to take on this new adventure!