It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to

This past weekend I was faced with my own immortality. Where I woke up and realized I was one step closer to the inevitable end. My days were numbered, I could feel the cold breath of death at my door. The grim reaper would soon be knocking.

Before you ask, no I didn’t have a near death experience. This was far worse than that.

I celebrated my 29th birthday.

I of course am being overly dramatic. I had been dreading 29 for the past year but now that it’s come and gone it doesn’t feel so bad. Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like how it sounds when I say it, but it’s growing on me.

I started my birthday weekend by getting drinks with one of my newest and closest friends Taryn, at a little wine and beer bar. We had a few drinks and called it a night early. (I’m old now, give me a break)

The big celebration was Saturday night. My roommate graciously secured me a table at Hotel Chantelle, one of my favorite bars. I started the night by having dinner with my boyfriend Mike and his friend Wade. Once at Hotel Chantelle there was a little confusion as to what name the table was under, but we eventually got it, a free round of drinks, and a free birthday bottle of champagne.

Now, I should warn you that since I am new to the city and don’t have many friends, I was freaking out when midnight hit and it was still just my boyfriend and I at the table. I was convinced that the few people I invited had better things to do and couldn’t be bothered to come to my party. Like I said above, I can get a tad over dramatic sometimes. My imagination like to run away from me, and usually to the dark side.

However, I could not have been more wrong. My true friends pulled through and we danced, sang, and drank until the early morning. Not only did they come, and bring friends, but almost all of them had worked all day/night and had come over as soon as they got off. It made them being there even more special to me.  I won’t be able to thank them enough. It was exactly what I needed to not only help me come to grips with my age, but also reassure me that I am starting to find my way here. I have friends, great friends actually, who will be there for me when I need them the most.

A lot of the time people who live in the city can be flaky, but it turns out they always have your back.

The actual day of my birthday, Sunday, was spent nursing my hang over with Mike, then he took me to dinner and to see Book of Mormon on Broadway. The play was amazing! Not only did he help me cross something off of my New York to do list, he also made the day very memorable for me. We got desert at The Smith, where he had them put a candle in my cookie I ordered, and he sang Happy Birthday to me while I made a wish. It was the perfect way to end the weekend.

Now its Monday, and as a side note- I got one of the jobs I interviewed at the other week. (I swear I’ll update more frequently!) I quit the others and now only have to work Mon- Fri 8:30 – 5:30. SO much free time now, I don’t even know what to do! I have plans to become a better chef and my poor boyfriend is going to end up being my guinea pig. Sorry babe!

Work it!

Thank God tomorrow is Friday!

This week has seemed to drag on forever, and finally the weekend is upon us! 

Unfortunately, this is New York, and I haven’t met a single person that works 9-5, Monday through Friday. We are the city that never sleeps, we are too busy burning the midnight oil. This isn’t Vegas, we aren’t up all night partying (ok, ok, sometimes we are). In order to live here you have to work hard, and of course, play harder.

NYC is made of different work groups, but two seem the most prominent to me.

First, you have the corporate tigers.The men and women who work 14 hours, 7 days a week to stay on top of their profession and prove why it is they make what they make. They are driven, hungry, ambitious, and poised. They work in highly competitive jobs and can’t afford (literally, unless they are smart) to let their guard down. 

On the other end of the spectrum you have the night prowlers.Those that work in the service industry who sleep all day and work all night. Their shifts usually start around six pm and go into the early hours of the morning. They are there to serve, entertain and amuse the corporate workers looking to let off steam. They keep the party going, hell, most of the time they are the party. To work in this field you have to be on top of your game socially and physically. You have to have the gift of gab, be able to keep up with the nights energy  and still look picture perfect on 5 hours of sleep to do it all over again. 

New York has perfected blending these two polar opposites into the perfect push/pull tug of war. One group needs the other to survive. To stay sane. 

I am trying to tip toe the line and dip my toes in both. I work Monday through Friday in a office job as a Copy Editor, I also work as a host and server at two different restaurants. I work night shifts, and recently signed up for weekends.

Why? Is it because I’m new and want to meet people? Is it because I’m not sure what I want to do? Is it because I dont enjoy any time to myself, what so ever? No. Its because New York is expensive. Seriously expensive. I’m working three jobs to try to make rent and feed myself, expensive.

I have been on multiple interviews trying to catch the elusive job that will pay enough for me to quit the other two. After dipping my toes in both waters for the past six months, I want nothing more than to dive head first into the corporate world. I’m hungry, I’m driven. I want it BAD. I’m borderline desperate now.

I love the people I have met working in the service industry, but its hard to keep up with them. Physically draining.

That is why I have two interviews tomorrow morning. I am hoping by this time tomorrow I will have two companies vying over my attention. I will not let the last dozen interviews I’ve been on bring me down. They have help to perfect my interview answers. I will go in to those interviews tomorrow, and I will crush it. 

And if not, well, free time is over-rated anyhow.

Wish me luck, and cross your fingers.

 

 

 

Anniversary

My boyfriend and I celebrated our one year anniversary yesterday. Little back story for you – He was born and raised in NY and we met in California before I moved to New York.
Anyhow, to celebrate he planned a whole day of recreating some of our past dates with a new twist. I wont be going into all the mushy details, because I feel like that is something for me to hold on to privately and not blast all over the internet but here are the bullet points accompanied by a overly adorable picture.

We started the day with brunch at The Smith downtown. (love this spot, although I feel like the one in Midtown is better.. and I swear that’s not just because it is conveniently located to me!) After we filled ourselves with waffles, eggs, steak and champagne (P.S.free drinks with certain meals on sundays. Good to know!)we were onto our next stop.
Roosevelt island!

If you are planning on visiting Roosevelt I not only highly suggest it, but insist you take the air tram. It costs the same as a subway fare and the view is worth it. We got there and decided to wonder around. The island is adorable, and I get the feeling that if one lives there they don’t leave. I know I wouldn’t. Its a little slice of suburbs four minutes away from the city and they have everything you can need on the island. After spending a hour or so there we took the subway back to the city and headed to Central Park.

Our next stop at Central Park was of course the ice rink. You cant live in New York and NOT go ice skating at least once. We strapped on our skates and took off. Well, he took off. I kind of gripped the edge and wobbled off. The weather was perfect, the music was great, and even though I swear the kids zig-zagging through the crowds on the ice were out to kill me, it was a blast.
We called it quits when I couldn’t feel my ears or nose, also thankfully before I fell, and walked around the upper East Side.

This was the first time since I moved here that I have walked above 60th street (Don’t judge me! Its been cold!) and I was pleasantly surprised. It was quiet, and quaint. I may have to plan a day to explore more.
We finished the day with an amazing dinner at Fig and Olive and drinks at the Roosevelt hotel, since we had met at the Roosevelt hotel in L.A. (lets all say “Aww” at the same time).

It was the perfect day, with the perfect boyfriend and I couldn’t have asked for more.

As for today- its back to the grind and the three jobs I am currently holding down. Cant wait to see what the week holds!

Short Intro

I moved to the great city of New York at the end of July. I had thought of starting a blog then but like most ideas one has, it got pushed aside and never really came to term. So… its the first month of the new year and I decided screw it! Better late than never. 

I moved to New York in hopes of changing my life around. About this time last year I had one of the biggest Oh Shit moments of my life. I saw my future start to play out in front of my eyes, and I wasn’t happy about it. I was 28 and felt like I had never really lived. So like any well balanced adult I decided selling 90% of my possessions and moving to NYC was the right choice for me. 

Turns out I was right. 

 

In the last six months of living in the city I feel like I have seen things and been a part of things I would never have gotten the opportunity to do had I still been in So. Cal. My only regret is that I hadn’t documented everything sooner. 

None the less.. I promise to be more diligent going forward, and since I don’t want this blog to be all about my past, since I am creating a new future, I will not be back posting. 

 

Here’s to 2013!

My new hood

My new neighborhood. Fast-paced, loud, crowded midtown. I’m living in the heart of the city, conveniently located a few blocks from Central Park, Bryant Park, Time Square and Rockefeller Center.