the end.

Today is my last day in New York. I thought I would make a pro/con list about the city for my last post. Let me preface this by saying Seattle is the best city in the world, hands down, but New York definitely stole a little piece of my heart and I want to live here at some point in my life.

Let's start with the pros:
-The amazing public transportation system. It is so easy to get anywhere you want, and there is zero need for a car.
-The energy. The vibe here is unlike anything else I have experienced in any other city. It simply cannot be put into words.
-Everything happens here. New York is the center for publication, fashion, food, performance art, finance, and a whole myriad of other things.
-The time zone. Everything happens on the East Coast first.
-The food. Some of the best restaurants I have ever been to.
-The culture. Some of the best museums and musicals in the world. There is always something to do or entertain you.
-The parks.
-The hipsters.
-The fantastic street style.
-Everything is just cooler in New York.

The cons:
-Extreme weather. New York has both humid summers and severe, snowy winters. I come from the land of no seasons.
-Everything is more expensive.
-Water from AC units drips on the sidewalk and sometimes you if you're not paying attention. It's nasty.

I'm headed back to Seattle for a few days before I return to LA for rush school and real school. I'm not going to pretend like I am going to keep this blog up to date because I know I have a very busy couple of weeks ahead of me. I will let you know if something stirs me enough to write about it. I am for sure going to pick up regular blogging again when I study abroad in London this spring. I appreciate everyone who found my life interesting enough to pay attention to my ramblings, and I hope everyone has a great end to their summers. Later, New York!

  

trekking across the river

Monday:
After work, I met up with Jen and my mom for a bite before "Mamma Mia," which they had gotten tickets to Monday morning while I was at Us. I loved the show, partly because I did not have to listen to Pierce Brosnan attempt to sing, like in the movie version. I got goosebumps every time the actress who plays the mom sang, her voice was incredible. I thought the actress who plays the daughter was overacting, but this is her first time on Broadway so I'll cut her a little slack.

Tuesday:
My mom realized she left her debit card at the restaurant we ate at the night before, so we had to go back uptown to retrieve it before we could start our day. We took the train to the beginning of the Brooklyn Bridge on the Manhattan side and started our trek across. Even though, it was incredibly hot outside, the views of the city were spectacular and I had a lot of fun doing it. Once we reached Brooklyn, we decided to head to the water and grab lunch at The River Cafe. We shared four amazing appetizers: tuna tartar with avocado and wasabi (which Jen found out the hard way), butter lettuce salad with cheese and tomatoes, scallop ceviche, and octopus with an onion and raisin compote. Everything was beyond delicious! After lunch, we walked to Junior's, which is famous for their cheesecake, and we all split a slice of their classic dessert. We took the train back into the city because Jen and my mom had to get their stuff together and head to the airport. I hailed them a cab and said good-bye, even though I am going to be home on Saturday.

Although the three of us get in little tiffs and some times the sass and attitude can become too much, I loved having my family in New York. We always laugh a lot, even though it usually is at someone else's expense, and this trip was no different. I almost choked on my water at The River Cafe from laughing so hard. Excuse me for being cheesy, I would probably be rolling my eyes if I was reading this on someone else's blog, but I want to thank my mom for all of the amazing meals and great shows. You're the best and I love you, and, Jen, you're okay too.

Brooklyn Bridge

view from the bridge

The River Cafe

Sunday matinee

Sunday:
After we rushed tickets to "Jersey Boys," we met my cousin Brittany for brunch at Petrossian near Central Park. Jen and I each had eggs benedict, which was super yummy, and Brittany and my mom each had French toast. We took a stroll through the park and took some family pictures, before parting ways. My mom kept joking about taking a carriage ride through the park and I had to explain in detail the Lea Michele PETA video Katy showed me awhile ago. That video is for you, Suz, so take notes.

We met Jen's friend Andi, who is an accessories intern at Marie Claire for the summer, outside of the "Jersey Boys" theatre for the matinee. We all really enjoyed the show and the story because all the music was so iconic and recognizable. I had some of those songs stuck in my head for the rest of the day. After the show, we took the train back downtown and Andi took Jen to see her apartment while my mom and I went back to my place to relax. We met back up for sushi in the West Village and got to hear some outrageous and unbelievable stories about Andi's life as an intern. All I can say is I am glad I am on the editorial side of things.

highline

Saturday:
We started out the day at High Line Park. If you have not heard about the High Line, it is a relatively new park that was converted from old train tracks. There is a ton of greenery, cool benches and places to relax, and amazing views of the city. My mom spotted Chelsea Market on our way to the High Line, so we decided to get lunch there. I had a balsamic, chicken sandwich that hit the spot. After lunch, we took the train back to the Nolita area to do some vintage shopping. Jen found a great black dress at one shop, and then we wandered back through SoHo and eventually got Pinkberry in the West Village. We enjoyed our frozen treats and rested our aching feet in Washington Square Park.

We went to dinner at Arturo's in the West Village, which is a famous pizza place and was also on my mom's restaurant list. We got a pizza that was half mozzarella and anchovy and half onion, peppers, and sausage (called Arturo's fiesta). Both were delicious! After dinner, Jen and I met up with Bryce to go out, and we went to Pour House and Bar None in the East Village. We all had a really fun time dancing and singing to 90s cuts.

High Line

cool buildings in Chelsea 

at the High Line (are you kidding me with that height difference?)

JJ wine in Chelsea Market

 

SoHo shopping

Friday:
Jen and my mom both wanted to shop in SoHo, so I took them all around that area. We went into Brandy and I got a neon-pink, cropped shirt and Jen also picked up a few items. I also took them to Zara because they do not have stores in Seattle and they scored some great finds. After shopping for a while we decided to take a break for lunch. We went to Balthazar because it was on my mom's list of restaurants she wanted to go to. We shared a huge pot of seafood stew even though it was super hot and humid. It was very good, even if it wasn't the right choice for the weather. We shopped around a little bit more before heading down to the financial district to shop at Century 21, which is a designer discount store. I have heard great things about Century 21, but I was so exhausted from walking around all day I got overwhelmed and was really not in the mood to deal with unorganized chaos or motivated enough to find a killer deal. You know those dads who are forced to go shopping and eventually find a comfy place to sit and wait it out while the female members of the family shop? I assumed that role.

My mom had been eying a Brazilian food place called Churrascaria Riodizio, so we decided to go there for dinner. They do not have menus, but a prix fixe meal instead. Each person gets to have amazing appetizers at the extensive salad bar, we are talking everything from squid ceviche to sushi (yes, sushi at a Brazilian restaurant). After the starters, the waiters come around with 15 different types of meat for us to try. It was an insane amount of food, but it was excellent. Jen even got me to try a chicken heart, which was actually pretty good. For the most part the meats were normal, like ribs, lamb, steak, chicken and turkey. We all went home completely stuffed.

When we got back to the hotel there was a bit of a scuffle outside, so we positioned ourselves in the lobby to watch the action (so shameless). While we were there, a middle-aged guy and his 22-year-old cousin came by and offered to buy us drinks. The older guy was highly intoxicated and clearly wanted to hit on my mom and just brought the younger kid over to entertain Jen and me. The kid was really nice and engaging, even though none of us can remember his name. He goes to Hobart and William Smith, which is a small liberal arts college that I only know exists because Katie applied there and has told me about her visit. After a drink and hearing all about the wedding they were going to the next day, we decided to make our escape by "going to the bathroom" and did not keep our promise of returning.

really cool antique store "Loopy Mango"

Suz and Jen arrive

Thursday:
After work I took the train down to TriBeCa where Jen and my mom were staying and met them at their hotel. We decided on Mr. Chow for dinner because it is only a few blocks from the hotel and we had all heard amazing things about the food. We each got a different flavored martini: apple, French and lychee. The lychee ended up being the best one, but it was fun to try all three. For dinner we shared dumplings, shrimp in a green, herb sauce and duck. It was all very good, but the duck was by far the best. It was perfectly crisp on the outside, but still tender and juicy on the inside. After dinner we walked around in search of a gelato place for dessert. We ended up going back to the hotel to get a recommendation and one of the doormen told us to go to Odeon. We split a sundae with hazelnut, coffee and vanilla ice cream and carmel and hot fudge sauces drizzled on top. I was exhausted from a long day of work and in a very pleasant food coma, so falling asleep was beyond easy.

Mr. Chow

martinis

inside the restaurant

 

Kelly Rowland

My day started off great: I went to a chiropractor who realigned me and then got an hour-long massage. Both were much needed and felt so good! It was my first time at a chiropractor, and now I am addicted. I am currently looking for one in LA, so if anyone has a recommendation for someone near downtown let me know. Seriously though. After my massage, I got lunch and relaxed in my room for a little while before I had to get ready for an event. Kelly Rowland's new CD dropped today and she was at Planet Hollywood promoting it and doing a handprint. There was some confusion with the publicists because apparently all of the print reporters were supposed to cover her album release party later tonight. They just failed to let me know that. It was okay though because I ended up being able to do a quick interview with her. Kelly is so sweet and nice! I was happy that she was genuinely excited to see her fans and enjoyed every moment. Check out "Motivation" which is the hit off her album right now. I really loved talking to her and was so impressed by her humility. She is so thankful for her success and everything she has, and she is so down to earth. I think I might have a new girl crush.

I am getting really excited for my mom and Jen to visit! They are going to be here Thursday to Tuesday, and I can't wait to show them some great spots I have found in the city. They are staying in Tribeca, which is a part of New York I have not been to yet, so it should be fun to explore with them. The summer has gone by so fast, I can't believe I only have two more weeks left!

Sorry for the lame photo quality. I was trying not to lose my cool factor.

Kelly Rowland

Brooklyn bound

On Sunday, we went to City Bakery for breakfast, which was delicious as always, before heading to Brooklyn for vintage shopping and ice cream. Katy took us to one of her favorite consignment/vintage/thrift stores, and Katy and Katie each found a great pair of shoes. I tried on a dress, but the strap fit weird and I didn't want to have to deal with that, but it was fun looking around at all the cool stuff. Also, I realized I would not mind living in Brooklyn if I moved here after college, it seems very hip and fun.

Katy has been eating her way through New York Magazine's picks for the best ice cream places, and so we went to one located in Brooklyn. All their ice cream is made from natural, local ingredients and they have some really fun flavors. I got bubblegum, which was super yummy. They also had breakfast trash, which has a bunch of different cereals in it, and cotton candy. After cooling off for a bit we trekked to the subway entrance and headed back toward the city. I said bye to Katie and Sarah because their bus was leaving in a few hours and headed to my room for a refreshing shower.

Arthur was staying in the city Sunday night before his flight Monday morning, so we met up for dinner at Joy Burger Bar, which is only a block from my dorm. I really liked my burger, even though it was a little overcooked for me, and the honey mustard sauce I got on it. After dinner, we walked to Washington Square Park and chatted on a bench for a few hours. We spotted a few rats scurrying between the bushes. It was great catching up with him, hearing about his summer and talking about Seattleite things. It was getting close to my bed time, so we said good-bye and I ended up crashing when I got back to my room.

City Bakery

Washington Square Park

  

weekend of visitors

Bryce and I each had visitors coming last Friday so we decided it would be fun if we all went out together. After dinner Arthur and I met up to go over to Bryce's, and Katy joined us on the way to Union Square. We went to a couple of different places, one of which has karaoke. It was a lot of fun because the lyrics were displayed on several screens throughout the room so everyone could sing along. They were definitely playing the jams too. Arthur originally planned to spend the night at his friend from school's apartment, but the kid ended up going to bed before our night was over and wouldn't be able to let Arthur inside. So Arthur slept for a few hours in my dorm, but had to wake up super early to drive to Connecticut for the lax tournament. Usually, I would not have minded this, but at NYU you have to check each guest in and out. So this required me getting out of bed at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning and we all know I like my sleep. But in all seriousness, it was great seeing Arthur even if it was a short trip.

When I woke up for real a few hours later, I met Katy, Katie and Sarah in SoHo for brunch and some shopping. It was so great to finally have them in the city! We went to Brandy and again I left without a purchase. I think my no buying spree is going to end there soon because I have my eye on a super cute backpack that has been on my wish list since I first spotted it in LA. It would be perfect for back to school!

Next we went and got gelato before heading up to Katy's apartment to relax a little and escape the overwhelming heat. It was 100 degrees with intense humidity all weekend. That night we went to see "Friends With Benefits," which I thought was alright and had some funny moments. Although I love me some JT, we all agreed that "No Strings Attached," which is basically the same thing, was much better.

After the movie, we walked to dinner at a Mexican restaurant, where we all split guacamole and carne asada tacos. The food was amazing. I especially liked the steak because it was prepared perfectly and the beans. It was a long, but fun day and I broke off from the crew to sleep at my own place.

wall at the restaurant

      

pilot preview

It has been a busy couple of days at Us, and some pretty exciting things happened:

1) I finished the broken links project that I have been working on for a few weeks now. I was really happy Romina (Executive Producer for Usmagazine.com) thought I did well because she is such an important person at the magazine.
2) I got to watch 10 pilots of shows coming out this fall. This project was dangerous for me because I am a TV junkie armed with a lengthy list of shows to keep up on that has little room for additions. I will definitely have to make room on my list for a few of the shows though. Some of my favorites were "The Playboy Club," "Pan Am," and "Revenge." I don't know if I am really supposed to go into detail about the pilots, but the titles are pretty self-explanatory and you should look out for them in a couple of months.
3) We did a huge project on "Twilight" which got me super excited for the next movie coming out this November. I also enjoyed it because there is never a downside to looking at tons of Robert Pattinson photos.

I am looking forward to my day off tomorrow so I can rest up before taking Arthur out on the town tomorrow night. I've been lazy with my photography, but no one should be complaining about looking at these fine fellows.

R Pattz

Tim Riggins (don't even care what his real name is)

vintage shopping

Today I had a fabulous day vintage shopping in the East Village with my friend from Us, Bryce. We went to quite a few little stores, and I found an amazing pair of slightly worn, black, ankle Frye boots. I'm obsessed. They were only $36 and would normally be a couple of hundred retail. Bryce got two shirts and some super cheap books (like a dollar each). It was really fun walking around and exploring more of the city.

After shopping, we went to Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. I got a hot dog with sauerkraut and fries (delicious) and Bryce got a burger, fries and a shake. We walked back to Union Square (where Bryce's NYU apartment is) and brainstormed questions for an event he was covering tonight. I was really excited for him because a bunch of really cool celebrities were going to be there, like Penn Badgley (need I say more). Pharrell was also attending, and he was just in the office yesterday to promote his new alcohol. A few of the interns got to sit in on the alcohol tasting and hear him talk about his new product. He was really nice, smart and funny! Counting down the days until my boy Art, Katie and Sarah are in the city!

Shake Shack

Bryce enjoying his shake

the shoes

   

MoMa

I met up with my cousin Brittany, who is living and doing research in the Bronx this summer, for brunch. We went to this place called 9 Restaurant in midtown, and I got waffles with carmel and fresh fruit. We walked a few avenues over to MoMa and spent the afternoon looking at all of the great art. They have a ton of Picasso's and Van Gogh's "Starry Night"is also there. They had a lot of contemporary exhibits on displays as well, most of which included video instillations I found provocative. We spent a few hours conquering the six floors, before we parted ways. It was great to see her and catch up on everything she has been doing this summer. It sounds like she has had a great experience here so far, and I am so happy for her! I am excited for this week because I think I am finally going to finish the broken links project I have been working on for so long, and a few of my favorite people are coming to the city. Arthur is spending the night on Friday before he goes to Connecticut for lacrosse and Katie and Sarah are going to be here this weekend also. I can't wait to see all of them and do some more fun exploring in the city.

When I was walking home from the train, I couldn't help but obsess over how much I love this city. No matter what it takes, I will live here. Even if I have to have 10 roommates in a studio apartment in Brooklyn, it's happening.

Check out some of the cool art I got to see today:

Andy Warhol 

Vincent Van Gogh

Frida Kahlo

Henri Matisse

  

It All Ends

After work yesterday, two other interns and I went to a happy hour event for 1-800 Flowers' new flower collection. Bethenny's wedding planner designed the line and we got to talk to him at the event. It was at a very cool loft in SoHo, and I had a lot of fun talking to my coworkers and getting to know them better.

After relaxing for a little while at home, I met up with Katy to head to the theater for Harry Potter. We got there around 10:45 for our 12:25 showing and the theater was already madness. There was not a pair of chairs left together, so I sat in the chair directly behind Katy. The movie was so good! I cried three times. God, it was amazing. Part of me wanted to go see it again today, but I restrained myself. 

I woke up at 12:15 today because I was so tired from the late showing. I had a Genius Bar appointment at the Apple store because I haven't been able to send e-mails from my phone for awhile. Thankfully, I finally got that fixed, even though I felt kind of dumb because it was a pretty quick fix.

I ended up having to go back to the Genius Bar later in the day because my phone froze and would not unfreeze no matter what I did. I went to a different Apple store though because I did not want to look like a total technological idiot. Good news: my phone is working like a dream now. I walked around SoHo for a little while and was completely amazed that I went into Brandy Melville and left without a purchase. I was very proud of my self control. I stopped in Zara and got a navy, strapless dress that has a zipper down the front. I love it and I can't wait to debut it sometime next week. 

Later tonight I am meeting up with my friend Bryce from work and Theresa from USC to go to a place that serves Harry Potter-themed drinks. And I thought Harry Potter Week would be over once the credits started to roll. I am working tomorrow at a street fair in Coney Island and I am praying I won't melt from the incredibly hot and humid weather we having been having. Sorry I have been slacking on the original pictures, I promise to take some tonight. Have a great weekend! 

  

byline

I have not told anyone my fabulous news (except for my mom) because I didn't want to jinx it, but now it is official. I got a byline in this week's issue! In other words, my work was published in Us. As a journalist seeing your byline is one of the greatest satisfactions and I feel so honored that I was the intern given this opportunity. I wrote the "What's In My Bag?" piece, but the byline is on page nine at the bottom. I am so excited to have a clip from a national magazine! Brad, my supervisor, asked me if I wanted to write something for the magazine last week and of course I said yes. So, I was introduced to an editor who explained what I needed to do. I took the transcript from Us's interview with Poppy Montgomery (the celebrity who was featured in the piece) and pulled some of the most interesting quotes. I also wrote the introduction and sub-headlines for each featured item in her bag. On Monday, Brad told me the editor said I did a really good job, so obviously I was very happy. The article was rewritten and changed for the online version, so you will have to pick up an actual issue to see it if you so desire. 

This bit of news actually goes along with Harry Potter Week because Poppy Montgomery played J.K. Rowling in a Lifetime movie about the author's life. After work tomorrow, two other interns and I are going to a happy hour party and Bethenny Frankel's wedding planner is going to be there. I am hoping I can get a little nap in between the party and the movie because I don't want to be falling asleep during it. Okay, this video is kind of stupid but it was one of the better parodies I could find on YouTube.

Poppy Montgomery's bag

Harry Potter Week

I just got back from seeing "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying," and it was absolutely amazing. Daniel Radcliffe was brilliant (yay for British word choice)! The show was hilarious, and Daniel can actually dance. If you ever have the chance definitely see this show. I knew Daniel was a smaller guy, but his true smallness cannot be masked on stage like it can in a film. He was shorter than most of the actresses even, but I thought his height actually added to the charming, boyish aspect of his character. There was also speculation that some of the Harry Potter cast might be at tonight's show because Harry Potter premiered in New York last night. Unfortunately, Emma Watson did not sneak into the theatre once the lights went out, but my Playbill did successfully make it back home with me.

"How To Succeed" kicked off Harry Potter Week (dubbed so by my great authority) which will culminate in Thursday's midnight premiere of the final installment of the Harry Potter films. I cannot wait to see the final film because all of the Harry Potter movies have been so fantastic. I have to admit I have only read 1.5 of the Harry Potter books, but before you Potter freaks get your panties in a wad, hear me out. There are plenty of people who see the film adaptations of books without ever picking up the paperback. Now you might say Harry Potter is different because of what a big deal it has become, so fine classify me as a Harry Potter FILM fan if you are going to be petty. I will probably get around to reading them all at some point, if that makes you feel better.

I am exhausted from waking up early to get rush tickets and although it was well worth it, I am going to bed now. I have big news to share with everyone tomorrow! Also, I forgot to mention in my previous posts that I found out my friend Arthur will be in town for a night next week before he goes to Connecticut for a lax tourney. Can't wait to see him!

In honor of Harry Potter Week check out this classic. Too good.         

tourist weekend: part III

We went back to Angelina's Cafe for brunch (don't ask me why Justin bought two Groupons to the same restaurant), which was kind of awkward because we were just there the afternoon before, but the food was really good so we didn't care. I got a Nutella and banana crape with a side of roasted potatoes and Justin got a steak salad. Katz's Deli is only a few blocks away from Angelina's, so we decided to get sandwiches there for our picnic in Central Park. The sandwiches were crazy expensive (about $15 each), but they were piled high with succulent pastrami and they also gave us like six pickles.

We found a shady spot in Central Park and laid down to look at the clear, blue sky. We hung out there for a few hours and ate our sandwiches before walking to The Whitney Museum. The Whitney houses American art, and some of the exhibits had very modern pieces that we both really enjoyed. My favorite was a series of gradient paintings done in Photoshop by Cory Arcangel. The colors were bright and intriguing, and his playing with blurry and sharp lines within the same composition was very interesting.

We took the train back to my dorm and got ready for dinner. We went to Amber for sushi, and they had really unique rolls that we both loved. After dinner, we went to "Horrible Bosses," which was hilarious and I definitely recommend everyone should see it. It was one of the best Jennifer Aniston movies I have seen for awhile, even though she is not one of the main characters. I was glad to see her depart from a typical rom com for something with more wit. We went to the late show so it was almost midnight when we left the theater, and we were both really tired. I was thankful I was going to work late (and staying late) on Monday so I could get a chance to catch up on some sleep. Justin's flight was at 9:30 a.m. though, so we had to wake up pretty early so he wasn't late.

I had a great weekend with Justin and I was so happy to have him in New York! I got to explore new places in the city and do things I had not gotten the chance to do yet. Although his trip was short, but sweet, I felt like we did a lot. Now, I only have a few things left on my list of things to do in New York this summer. The last few things are High Line Park, Ground Zero, the Public Library and MoMa (which I am going to go to with my cousin Brittany this Sunday). I think I will get the chance to do everything left on the list when Katie (visiting the weekend of July 23rd) or my mom and Jen (visiting July 27th-August 2nd) come to the city. Tomorrow I am waking up early and rushing tickets to "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying," which stars Daniel Radcliffe. I hope everyone has a good week!

See more pictures from this weekend and my summer in New York on Facebook.

Katz's

Central Park

The Whitney

              

tourist weekend: part deux

We woke up early to get student rush tickets to "Catch Me If You Can," and we were the first ones in line at the box office. After we got our tickets, we walked through Times Square, stopping in a few stores and eventually making our way to the Empire State Building. It took us awhile to get to the 86th floor (so many lines), but it was worth the wait. That view is absolutely spectacular, no matter how many times you have seen it. It was a perfectly clear day, and we could see into the states neighboring New York. Even though I was surrounded by pushy tourists equipped with Canons and Nikons, I felt oddly peaceful looking out at the city.

We made our way to Angelina's Cafe for lunch, where we each got salads (mine was almonds, goat cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers over baby arugula -- nom). Then we walked through SoHo on our way home. We stopped in a few stores, but neither of us bought anything (I made a point to stay away from Brandy). It was a beautiful day for a nice walk. We had some downtime before getting ready and heading back uptown for "Catch Me If You Can."

We were disappointed to find our seats were in the second to last row of the mezzanine, thankfully there were seats open a few rows lower, so we moved once the lights dimmed. We actually had a pretty good view in our new seats and we both really liked the show. Norbert Leo Butz, who played the detective in the show and won the Tony for best actor in a musical, was amazing. After the show, we took the train to a restaurant/bar for dinner and shared asian-inspired pulled pork sliders and edamame. Sadly we left our Playbills on the bar, but we were both fully expecting that to happen. I went to bed exhausted with my feet aching, but excited we fit so much in that day.

waiting for the box office to open

Times Square

view from Empire State Building

Empire State Building

      

tourist weekend

I apologize for being so unreliable with my posts, it has been a crazy week, but hopefully my Cape Cod adventures were entertaining enough to hold you over. Justin came to visit on Thursday, so I met him right after I got home from work and we grabbed dinner at the dining hall. We decided to have a relaxing night, catch up on "Weeds," a show we only watch together, and prepare for the busy weekend ahead. We also went to get gelato at this amazing place right by Katy's apartment, and we ended up running into Katy and her whole family.

Justin had never been to New York, so I had prepared a list of touristy things for us to do. After breakfast Friday morning, we took the train to Battery Park and got tickets for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The line to get on the ferry was insanely long and we estimated it would take a few hours to get to the front, but it ended up only being around an hour -- thank God.

The views of the city from the ferry were beautiful, even though the day was kind of cloudy and grey, and the Statue of Liberty was very impressive. I had never been to Liberty Island before because the first time I visited New York and attempted to go it was too foggy for the boats to make the trip. It was very cool to see such an iconic piece of history and American symbol of freedom in person, and I was really glad we went.

Next was Ellis Island, where we wandered through the museum and learned about immigration to the United States. The first thing I did was try to look up some of my ancestors. I attempted to just enter "Zech" in the system, but it required a first name, so I just entered a "J." My dad used to say that our family name was originally Zechinstein until our ancestors came to America and it was shortened to Zech. I honestly believed this was true until about the seventh or eighth grade, when my dad casually said he had been kidding all of these years. I have a vivid memory of Jen and me looking up Zechinstein in this massive dictionary in our elementary school library (it means green trophy in case you were wondering). Anyway, my favorite part of the museum was learning about the different intelligence tests doctors invented for the immigrants. I thought it was interesting they mostly used puzzles because they did not require translators for instructions. There are quotes throughout the museum and my favorite was a girl's response to the question: which direction do you clean stairs, top to bottom or bottom to top? Her answer: "I didn't come to America to clean stairs." I love it.

When we walked outside to get in line for the ferry back to Battery Park, it started to rain. Thankfully, we were the last two passengers on the next ferry and did not have to wait that long outside without an umbrella. The rainy afternoon spoiled our plans for the rest of the day (walk through Central Park). Justin, who felt like he was on a lucky streak because of some clutch guesses on hanging with friends (download the app right now), demanded we go and buy lottery tickets. So we grabbed my umbrella and ran down the block to a mini mart. Even though Justin did not win anything from his scratch tickets, the trip was well worth it because I am 95 percent sure I saw Zach Braff from "Scrubs" (he had his rain coat hood on and an umbrella which cast some doubt). I just looked him up and he is from New Jersey, so it is very likely he lives in New York, plus, he seems like he was a New York vibe.

Justin bought a ton of Groupons in preparation for his trip, so we planned most of our weekend meals around them. We walked to dinner at Paul and Jimmy's in the East Village. The food was great (I had pasta with sausage, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes), but it was a very awkward dining experience. When we first got there at about 8:30, there were only three other parties in the restaurant. We were also eventually the only diners in the restaurant, so we felt like the waiter was sort of watching us eat, waiting for us to finish so everyone could go home. It was odd for New York especially because people eat so late here. Justin and I have realized though that a lot of businesses on Groupon are struggling and are trying to generate more revenue (one restaurant I bought a Groupon for went out of business). Overall, it was a great day!

Statue of Liberty

the city from Liberty Island

Ellis Island           

reflections

The next morning we woke up, cleaned up and packed up. On our way out of town we stopped to get lunch for the road, and I finally got the lobster roll I had been determined to get the whole trip. I am glad I held out until the last day because the lobster roll I had was absolutely delicious. There was a lot of traffic on our way back to Boston, so much so that we were concerned we were going to miss our 4:30 p.m. bus. With less than I minute to spare, Katy and I jumped out of the cab (leaving Sarah and Katie to handle paying) and sprinted through the bus terminal. I arrived to the line before Katy and thought we had made it, but it turned out that the people waiting in line were there for the 5:00 bus. When the bus driver came in to start letting people on the bus, we were the first ones on the stand-by list and thankfully there were empty places for us on the bus. New York bound!

There are a couple of things I want to reflect on (yes, I went to a Jesuit high school and we do lots of reflections) from our trip to the Cape:

1) The geography of the Cape is very unique because it is all completely unstable sand. The dune above the beach where everything is built is slowly deteriorating and eventually all of Cape Cod will no longer exist.

2) Part of me wants to forget the traditional lifestyle society sets as a standard, with money being the ultimate priority and goal. I want to travel, see everything and end up wherever feels right. A simple, beach lifestyle is so appealing to me. I would be perfectly content running a beachfront restaurant or rental shop in some exotic location, while dining on local, natural fare, reading all the books I have never had the opportunity to read, soaking up the sunshine, enjoying all of the beautiful things in this world and hopefully sharing it all with someone I love. Is that too much to ask? Part of me is totally terrified of graduating college and getting stuck in my career without having these experiences I so desire. Maybe I will take a few years and travel around the world once I graduate, who’s with me?

3) I have some of the best friends in the world. They are all accomplished, driven, smart, beautiful people who I am so lucky to be surrounded by.

4) I am very good at lots of things.

If you haven't yet start reading Katie's blog.

lobster roll

The Fourth

Happy Fourth of July! Decked out in red, white and blue, we lined the sidewalk for the Wellfleet parade. It started with a bunch of old cars, most of which were in fabulous condition and were beautiful to see. Then the real parade started with different floats, banners and talents. Anyone can sign up to be in the parade so there was quite the array of people: from burnt-out “Keep the Cape Cool” hippies and pirates to tween baton twirlers and the world’s fastest oyster shucker with everything in between. There was also a clam that squirted water and Smokey the Bear. It was really fun and we loved attempting to get candy tossed to us (we positioned ourselves next to young kids for better odds).

After the parade, we went to The Wicked Oyster for brunch and I had blueberry pancakes that were super good. Then we headed back to the cottage with our minds set on the beach. Katy, Sarah and I put on wetsuits and decided to go boogie boarding. I had not participated in that sport since the last time I was in Hawaii quite a few years ago, but I was excited to have some fun in the water. I caught a lot of great waves and had so much fun, especially because the water was so much more bearable safe in my wetsuit. The spot where the waves were breaking the best became overcrowded (I ended up running into a woman who jutted out in front of me on a wave), so we moved back over to where our stuff was. Katie decided she was going to try to boogie, so we tried to catch a few more waves where it was less crowded. After we got out of the water, we read and lounged in the sun. Sarah and I, who are both fair-skinned, shared the shade. In the afternoon, we buried Katie in the sand and shaped the classic mermaid figure around her buried body. She had never been buried before, so it was really fun. Katie and I went back up to the house because she wanted to shower and get the sand off of her. After she showered we both hung out on the deck, and right when I was about to go shower Katy and Sarah returned and wanted to go to a pond. I agreed to go, but Katie decided to stay put in her clean state. We swam out to a raft in Long Pond for a quick dip before dinner. We also picked up baking supplies because Sarah wanted to make short cake with berries for dessert.

We had BBQ chicken, zucchini, salad and baked potatoes for dinner and Sarah’s short cake with blueberries, strawberries and Cool Whip for dessert (very patriotic). Julie, who is a food stylist, styled mine and it was almost too pretty to eat… almost. Later that night we watched the fireworks coming from the beach from the deck. It was a great view because the cottage is on the dune way above the beach, so the fireworks were much closer to us. One group of people had an astonishing amount of fireworks for us to enjoy, and Katy and Julie saw them picking up all their trash the next morning (so nice and so green). We also made s’mores from the gas grill outside and Katie, Sarah and I played Scrabble (#winning). I went to bed not wanting to leave the Cape the next day, but happy for the time I got to spend in such a beautiful place with some of my favorite people.

fireworks

         

P-town

We started off the day at Dyer Pond, and with foam noodles in tow we swam to a rope swing and jumped into the water from it a few times. Well actually, most of us (except for me on my first attempt) dragged from the rope rather than jumped. A little farther down the shore was a tree that had fallen over the lake. The tree was elevated a few feet above the water, so we all (expect for Katie) took turns jumping off the end. A pretty shaky tree and it was kind of scary, but still a lot of fun. On our swim back to the beach we saw a turtle sunning on a log in the water with a baby turtle on its back. They both had bright yellow bellies and were so cute.

We spent the afternoon in town, which was very sweet and quaint. We started out with lunch at The Lighthouse and I had a great bacon and blue cheese burger. Then we popped into a few stores, like Periwinkle, which is a home and garden goods shop that had really cute frames and bedding. This store also made me want a house to decorate so badly! Next we went to a stationery store that had unique cards, journals, notepads, and obviously stationary.

Originally the plan was to go to Provincetown for the Fourth of July, but we decided to go Sunday night because Scott (Katy’s dad) had to leave during the day Monday. We drove to the tip of the Cape and walked around P-town before our late dinner reservation. The main street was full of people, and decorated with marine, American and gay pride flags. Katy took us to The Penny Patch, which used to be a penny candy store, and although the candy is a little more than a penny now, it was still fun to load up a basket with all the best treats. If you know me at all you know that I have inherited quite the sweet tooth. Provincetown has a very openly gay community and the main street was filled with men in drag passing out fliers to shows. Two men had the world’s smallest towels covering themselves and one of them claimed he could see us “de-toweling” him with our eyes—hilarious. We stopped into a few t-shirt shops (my purchase cannot be revealed at this time) and a marine supply store that had really cool decorative things and tons of vintage stuff.

Finally it was time for dinner at Ciro and Sal’s, which is an Italian restaurant tucked away down a nondescript side street. I had linguine with clams in a white wine sauce, which was delicious. After dinner we drove home and I quickly fell asleep to the soothing sound of the ocean.

Periwinkle, love the distressed wood

Provincetown

more design inspiration

Ciro and Sal's nom nom

                         

beach combers

Saturday was overcast so we decided to start the day at the flea market, which had a mixture of cheap knick-knacks, vintage and unique finds. We all got charms from one stand, and mine is double-sided pewter with a J on either side. It is kind of difficult to explain, but I have been looking for a silver J charm to put on a long chain I already have and I loved this one for how unique it is. One man was selling vintage postcards from all over the world (some even had writing on the back) and they were really cool to look at. I also loved the old buoys and glass bottles; they made me really want a cottage of my own to decorate.

We went to The Beach Comber for lunch and I got a po boy sandwich (which has fried oysters on it for those that don’t know), which I have been craving since I had one in Seattle about a month ago. We also had a massive plate of nachos to start (like bigger than my head), which was delicious. We burned off our lunch by walking home on the beach. We went to Great Pond to cool off for a little bit before going back home to shower. The shower is outside of the house (don’t worry it is still private) and has a spectacular view of the ocean. I did not think I would, but I really enjoyed the outdoor shower because it felt very natural.

For dinner we went to the harbor for, of course, seafood and to watch the sunset (well, not the actual sun setting because it sets in the west, but the colors in the sky). I got the clam chowder at Mac’s Seafood and it was rustic with huge chunks of potato and juicy clams, needless to say it was very good. We walked down to the beach and took some pictures. The sky was absolutely beautiful, full of pinks, oranges and purples. 

We also played putt-putt golf and obviously I was victorious. Although, Sarah did give me a run for my money and was only behind two strokes. The guy who was working let us all play for only five dollars, which is the usual cost for one adult. I forgot to mention how spectacular the night sky also was because there were so many more visible stars that were amazingly bright. I hadn’t looked at real stars like that in so long and I was in absolute awe.

If you want another perspective on the trip, take a look at Katie's blog.

The Beach Comber

massive nachos and Katie's poor photography skills

walking to the beach from The Beach Comber

Mac's Seafood and Katie's awesome photography skills

sunset at the harbor

boats at the harbor