31 days: New York, New York

I try to go to New York City as much as I can. My grandparents took me to the city for the first time when I was young, probably between 8 and 10. It was so long ago that we got to see the Twin Towers when we were there. I returned to NYC the summer before my sophomore year of high school, and again that year for my Sweet 16, then lived there for a month the summer before my sophomore year of college and finally, went last summer to visit family. I am obsessed with New York City because I am addicted to the energy you feel when your there. The sounds, the smells (not all good) and the hustle-bustle of the people just make me feel at home.

Ever since I got my internship (and to be honest when I started applying for internships) I started thinking about when I lived in the city. I went with AJ to study fashion at Parsons. I was an amazing opportunity to live in Greenwich Village with a good friend and learn in such an amazing place as the Parsons building in the Fashion District, right off of Times Sq.

The first week was really rough. I hadn’t been to NYC in roughly four years and I didn’t have the instant connection to the city I felt on previous visits. I was Lawrenced-out, and totally missing the Mid-Western hospitality of my college town. In New York, if you say excuse me to a person, they look at you funny! Classes were hard, I missed my family and the city was overwhelming. But after that first week, my connection came back and I started to walk really fast and feel like I belonged.

AJ, MB and I did the most amazing things that summer, but we missed out on some great things too. Here is a list of things we did that I’d like to revisit, and a list of things we didn’t do that I MUST do this time.

Dids:

Shakespere in the Park (It’s free and there’s usually a celebrity in the cast. We saw the amazing Anne Hathaway in the even better Twelfth Night)

Watch Serendipity, then eat at Serendipity III and visit Dillons Candy Bar while waiting to be seated for three hours.

See Broadway Shows with half price tickets (AJ and I saw Little Mermaid the Musical and Avenue Q)

Go to the New York Public Library and look at the Pictures section—it’s an amazing time for a photo/history buff. Also, visit the amazing magazine shop near the lib.

Buy lunch at places like Pax or Prett and eat it in Bryant Park.

Go to Museums for free or minimal cents

Visit Central Park

Vintage Shopping in Brooklyn (aka get totally overwhelmed in Beacon’s Closet—It’s MASSIVE)

Watch the cart escalators at Bed, Bath and Beyond

Attend a Jazz Brunch at Café Loup

Take walks around Chelsea and the Village

Trek to Brooklyn just to go to Target

Visit the Prada Flagship Store in Soho

Go to the Chelsea Market in the Old Nabisco Factory (Eat Fat Witches)

Visit amazing art supplies stores like Pearl Paint

Stand outside of the Tony’s and watch celebs walk the red carpet

Light a candle at St. Patrick's Cathedral

Eat Pinkberry AT LEAST twice a week

Visit Mood, and take advantage of their generous swatching

And of course all the touristy things that NEVER get old like seeing the Statue of Liberty and going to Times Square

Didn’t Get to Dos:

Visit the Museum of Sex

Go to the UN

Go to the Hamptoms

Be on Cash Cab

Go to 21+ bars/ clubs (especially excited for the ones in the Village!)

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

Watch a movie outside

And if I’m really lucky, maybe I’ll take a weekend to the Jersey shore to visit Karma (judge all you want)

Won’t dos:

Buy fakes on Canal Street

Go to sketchy clubs

Buy New York Minute for $22 (but only because I already did)

Pout

It makes me proud to say that I’ve done almost everything on NYC must do lists, and even happier to know that whatever I didn’t do I’ll more than likely do this summer. NYC won’t be the same without my family and friends, but it will be wonderful to make new memories with new people I meet!