ROOSEVELT, BRUNCH & PONG 

FRIDAY 

On Friday I was able to join in on a client meeting / site visit at the Rainbow Room at the Rockefeller Center. The room is extremely opulent but the view is far more impressive! 
Since the room is on the 65th floor the view is just high enough to see every building, park and street without creating an ant-size effect. It is incredible! 

Later after work I ran some errands around Soho, walked around Union Square, and then met my roommates for dinner. 

Stephen got off relatively early so we were able to meet for the rest of the night! 

We took the tram over to Roosevelt Island. The island was quiet and provided a great view looking back at Manhattan! 

SATURDAY 

Saturday morning Stephen and I went to Sarabeth's for brunch with our good friends Alex & Dillon. We all met up at the Flat Iron Building and walked a few streets from there. 

^^ how we wish we looked "candidly" 

^^ how we really looked candidly

(the amount of places I carry a hair brush to is extremely embarrassing) 

 The table next to us had ordered this breakfast-pizza and we were all drooling over it. 

So we went big and ordered it as an appetizer to share. 

This is why it's important to pick good friends. 

^^ chicken sausage, avocado and spinach frittata with THE BEST pumpkin muffin ever on the side 

(their homemade jam is to die for) 

After brunch, Stephen & I walked and shopped around the area for a while. 

Stephen went into work for the rest of the afternoon and I finally got to explore the ABC Carpet & Home shop. I had heard about this place (mainly from the LoveTaza blog) for forever and it surpassed all my expectations. I think the two stores take up like two blocks and are filled with the most amazing stuff (that I will probably never be able to afford) 

^^see, HUGE 

^^ & also very cool 

It started pouring rain, which is getting suuuper old. So I ran to the grocery store and headed home. 

We were able to get together with a big group of LDS couples working in finance that are living in the city. We started at The Eately for a quick dinner and ended at this social club for a few hours where we talked and played ping pong

 ... Since we're all post/current BYU students who have to get our zoob-fill??

 It was really fun to meet some more of the "banker-wives" as well as a few old friends! 

^^ so, so much rain 

Quick highlights of the Week! 

SUNDAY

After a great week in Maui with my family I had a long day of traveling back to nyc. I got in Sunday morning, made it to church, and was able to walk around (favorite smoothies in hand) along the ports in the late-afternoon with Stephen!

 Unfortunately it starting POURING rain (harder than I've ever experienced... ever) so we had to run home from the subway station getting completely soaked along the way ... and were stuck inside for the rest of the night (opposite of a highlight). But fun to be back in the city and with Stephen nonetheless! 

MONDAY & TUESDAY 

I worked a lot these days but really enjoyed being able to do some more editorial work! We did a piece with Martha Stewart magazine this week and I was also able to communicate with some clients! A little desk work made me feel validated as a soon-to-be graduated college student :) 

On Tuesday night a big group of us had a girls' night! (because all of the boys work such late hours) We saw Inside Out near Union Square. Loved it!!! 

WEDNESDAY 

This was a really fun day! Work was really relaxed because most everyone took the day off. (the wedding world is definitely not a Mon-Fri 9am-5pm kind of a business) 

SO I was able to meet my roommate, Ali, for lunch at this cafeteria-style restaurant, Dig In, just a few avenues over from my work. We kept saying it's like a rustic / New York version of Lemonade in Los Angeles. We loved it. 

^^ they are known for their market plates. Everything is farm to table, which I love. This was their wild salmon on buckeye wheat rice (?) with a spinach + mango salad and roasted sweet potatoes on the side. It's the best because you can basically customize your own plate-- a protein over a grain with one cold side and one warm side. I wish I could go every single day!! 

^^ passing the flower markets on the way to lunch 

After work I went to the Chelsea Market with the other intern at my work. We wanted to grab some books at their cute book shop at the west end of the market. 

After I walked to Soho to meet up with Ali and Alex. We window shopped and chatted outside of  Momofuku's Milk Bar with desserts. From cake bites to their cereal soft serve everything was just as good as it's hyped up to be! 

(although I personally think the cake bites win it all) 

Ali's in search for wedding shoes right now so I went with her to Bergdorf Goodman to look at their shoe gallery. It was unreal(istic) and amazing. 

THURSDAY 

I had a lot of client meeting with my work today so we were running around a lot. I always really like the  days with extra running around because I think it's a really good way to discover new streets, shops, restaurants ... 

I got off work in the late afternoon and walked The High Line for a long portion of the way home. At the end of the High Line I ran into this rustic garage market, Ganesvoort. 

I loved walking through it (and was wishing I was 1. hungry + 2. had a friend there with me!!). But I did make room for this PB & J shake from a juice stand outside. PB & J -- I mean it was like made for me or something!? 

Lucky for me, Stephen got off early this night! We went to a Thai restaurant near his place called Gnam! It was really great. We sat at the bar and got to see them make everything fresh! We walked north for a while and passed like 10 nail salons. Every time I tried getting Stephen to stop and get a pedicure with me. He was not into at all (so the nails were not touched). I'm kind of glad about it. But that was our night! 

Thursday was work as usual. And laundry, packing... the boring things. Although Natalie and I got within two feet from a cockroach while in the basement laundry room ... of course we ran out screaming, ah! 

So... the fun day: Friday 

EATING & BIRTHDAYS 

(because they belong together like that)

Friday was fun! Ali, Natalie and I tried a new place for lunch in Chelsea called Cafeteria. We were all wanting to breakfast food so we had some omelettes and croissant french toast going on. 

We walked around West Village and the Upper East Side because we wanted to walk around and see the city but it was also way too hot to stay outside without any air conditioning breaks. I actually went into the five-story Kate Spade on Madison this day! It was out of this world AMAZING. 

I needed to pick some Levain cookies up for Stephen's birthday so we walked across the park to the Upper West Side. IT WAS SO HOT. We picked up some cookies (you could get one for free by liking them on facebook-- SCORE) but left the shop because it is so tiny you can barely stand in there! We took our cookies (and drugstore-bought sodas) to a nearby Starbucks and chatted for at least an hour. Again, just to avoid the hot thick air outside. It was really fun though. This man was painting sketches in his watercolor book across the table from us and we couldn't stop starring-- they were incredible. There is a lot of talent in this city! 

We went back to our apartment to clean up a bit. I had a group of our friends meet at Limbardi's Pizza in Little Italy to celebrate Stephen's birthday a little early since I'll be in Hawaii for the actual date. He didn't know about it so we walked over there to buy some extra time and try to be the last ones. 

It was all of the girls without their significant others when we first arrived-- Welcome to your all-girls-party, Stephen?! (this is what comes with crazy and unpredictable work hours) BUT the boys were there just minutes after! We got lucky that they were all able to make it!! 

It was so much fun to get together as a big group! It's hard with schedules and small spaces around here to do it as often as we do in Provo so it was totally a special treat to see everyone! 

^^ Obviously we are really good at taking pictures 

After a few of us walked through Little Italy to eat gelato and stare at all of the flavors of cannoli's (can't you have three desserts in one day??)... and then walked home. 

Sidenote-- one of my favorite things about New York is that you can walk everywhere! It feels so nice to have so many options of places to eat/ things to do or see so accessible! 

THE APOLLO 

Last night Stephen & I went to Amateur Night at The Apollo Theatre. 

We stood in line behind the owner of The Clippers, as Stephen would say, "waddup LA" 

So now we have floor seats to all future games. 

(that's not true) 

Anyway, the show provides one of the most entertaining nights out there! It is a high-energy show rooted with soul and talent while being extremely interactive. The whole time you, as an audience member, are singing, dancing, holding hands, applauding or booing ... it is a blast. 

During intermission there was a DJ that played music for everyone to dance for ten minutes. The most random group of people got on stage and did this dance together. I guess there is a music video that explains the whole thing? Because they all knew how to do it? I felt old for not knowing about it... until this 50 year old got up and knew the whole thing. So then I just felt uncool. 

It was a great night!! 

(also at work today we got another intern, Kendall-- so now I'm not the only one who doesn't speak Spanish and have a friend to talk to!! It's so wonderful!! She's totally the cutest) 

THE FRICK & WASHINGTON SQUARE

Most of the office got home from Vermont Monday night so they took Tuesday off. Since I was one of three people in the office that day I left early in the afternoon. 

The rest of the night was free! So I walked to The Frick Museum from work. 

The Frick is the former mansion of Henry Clay Frick that houses his private collection of art. I loved it-- there was a video that explained his life as well as the history of the museum (I watched it twice alone because it felt so good to sit down in the cool air... )

All of the art pieces were incredible-- most of the collection was impressionist landscapes and portraits, which are my favorite. There was also a lot of Chinese and French pottery and dining sets that were fun. 

I took my time in the museum and came to the conclusion that museums are always best alone. Everyone finds different things interesting and it feels good to take some time to learn and think independently. I really enjoyed my time! 

^^ I always love walking past The New York Public Library 

From the museum I wandered a bit around the Upper East Side. Wished I was shopping in the five-story Flagship Tory Burch Store. Also wished I was shopping in the Kate Spade shop. I took a picture of the outside instead because it looked so beautiful... and kept walking (haha) 

^^ All of those floors: Kate Spade (jaw-dropped) 

I caught a subway to met Alex in Soho to have dinner at the Chobani Station. 

Chobani Station is not just greek yogurt with sweet toppings like I assumed, it actually has more of a savory menu. It was the perfect place to meet Alex at since we've both been obsessed with Chobani flips while living together this past year. 

 ^^avocado & mango dip with blue corn tortilla chips. 

It was my first time seeing A-Olp (who is no longer A-Olp) since her wedding a month ago! I loved catching up with her!! 

We walked over to the Birchbox store across the street where you can make your own box of samples. It was perfect timing before packing for my trip this upcoming Saturday! 

After we walked up to Washington Square Park-- the weather was perfect, which made the park extra enjoyable as well as beautiful. 

Later that night I met up with Stephen. We went to the Eately for a quick dinner and walked around the Greenwich area ... and also back through Washington Square Park-- also beautiful at night! 

BRUNCH & THE DAY OFF 

Today was Stephen's first day of training at Credit Suisse. He had a late start at 11am so we were able to meet for breakfast before he went into the office. I met him at his place by Union Square and we walked down to The Butcher's Daughter off Elizabeth Street in Soho. 

The Butcher's Daughter is a juice bar and vegetarian restaurant I've been wanting to try since last summer (mainly because of how cool it looks). We loved it. 

^^ Stephen got an egg sandwich with cashew cheese and some form of vegetarian bacon? Ha kind of odd? But good! We split avocado toast with lime and curry seasoning. And I had a coconut-milk-yogurt fruit parfait with granola and goji berries. Yum. 

^^ The restaurant has a juice bar attached to the side of it so we went in to check it out 

I splurged on a juice because I picked up the flu on my work trip 

(yes, I'm aware watermelon doesn't cure the flu but it sounded a 100x's better than carrot juice... sorry not sorry) 

For the rest of the day I worked out, ran errands, and then wandered around Midtown and West Village (if I ever have a chance to wander, West Village is always my first stop) 

I met up with my roommates Ali & Natalie at Culture, a "healthy" yogurt shop. They had peanut butter & jelly as the flavor of the day so I think this means it's the beginning of a beautiful relationship. It was so good! 

I ended the night at Stephen's for a quick visit to hear about his first day. It was a wonderful day off! 

VERMONT 

I went to Vermont with my team for a destination wedding this week! It was an... adventure (the kind where you work the hardest you ever have in your life from 7am to midnight) I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But at least it was really beautiful?? 

The drive north was one of the most gorgeous sights. Matured trees, green mountains, running rivers and wild flowers surrounded every highway. Once we got to Woodstock, everything got even better (visually). The natural landscape and colonial homes/shops make it a must-see destination! (maybe one day I'll be back to enjoy it!) 

This destination wedding was a four-day celebration from a welcome part to a post-wedding brunch and we did it all. For each event there were amazing venues, custom tents + lighting, lavish catering, cocktail bars, bands, etc. As the design team we made flowers arrangements, took care of all the details, set floor plans (moving tables, chairs, lounge chairs, bars... I think I just got home from fat camp)-- it was crazy. 

Along with the non-stop work of creativity and manual labor, I was surrounded with a pretty diverse group. Being with these people was a learning experience all in itself-- kind of like sociology classes in real life. There were moments where I felt like I was on a reality TV show... but I learned as much from the people as I did from the experience of setting flowers and hauling furniture around. 

^^ the rehearsal dinner at Simon Pearce Glass 

^^ Reading How to Make Friends and Influence People (much needed for this trip) and eating breakfast on the porch early in the morning
...while the rest of the group fought hangovers

 ^^ aaand the big reception 

This reception tent was built custom at the Billings Farm from ground up. It was like Restoration meets Saks Fifth Avenue ... but even better. All those chairs... Yes, I moved every single one of them. 

AND I'm soo happy to have gotten through it!