In the last week

Hi friends, sorry it has been a while since my last post. Since you've last seen me I have made it to Chinatown twice. The first time was during the wee hours of the morning where we karaoked in a very small, cash only, Tsing Tao serving Chinese bar, with several other strange Americans. I never expected Kristin and I would get so excited when the Dancing Queen and Garth Brooks's records came on. (Among many other horrible songs that we happily danced along to.) When' the last time you had "Hawaiian Punch", Asian beer and Funyuns???
The second time I went to Chinatown was one afternoon. I hopped on the B train and hopped off at Grand Ave, only to be knocked off my feet at the familiar smell of.... no one really knows. Although Chinatown was pretty disapointing (especially if you've actually been to China) they sure do have the smells correct. The small markets full of fresh fish, dried fish, herbs etc. really now how to make youurn the other way. Not to mention it is probably the only area in Manhattan that does not have a Starbucks on every corner.


Saturday was a lazy day, again spent in Central Park with 2/3 of Manhattan, catching up on gossip magazines and rehashing tales from the night before. The day ended with a picnic, watching the last summer movie shown on the big screen on the south side of the park. (Shown was August Rush, worth the rent.) Oh I forgot to mention that we almost ate 1 lb. of Cheez-Its. Thanks a lot KDub and Food Emporium.


I managed to visit my first tourist attraction this week as well: the Brooklyn Bridge.

Just around the corner

I have to tell you, this city is never short of surprises. Whether it's a garden amongst the cement or a woman sun bathing with a neck brace on in Central Park, there is always something causing you to look twice.

* My apologies for failing to have a photo of the neck brace.

The city's dirt

It's not all glamorous!

(Not that my feet looked much differently in Dallas.... retail isn't the cleanest job)

View from my towel

Sunday was spent in the park, on a towel, reading The Glass Castle, in 85 degree weather, with a belly busting from blueberry pancakes. Don't tell me you're not jealous.

Reunited

A late Friday night with pitchers and pitchers of margaritas...

(Martha and Kristin, elementary school friends)

The quick morning errand

This morning I decided to run a quick errand to CB2 in search of a chair I had seen online. So I got on the B train and headed down to Soho. I stayed there all day! I just kept going in store after store. (No, I didn't break the bank... I'm poor!) My favorite find was the Pearl River Market. It was a huge market full of beautiful handmade paper, dishes from China and Japan, kimonos, imported treats, loose leaf teas, and sooooo much more.

I've arrived

With only some minor challenges at the airport this morning (who really goes to the airport without mishaps?), I arrived in NYC. Yes, I was originally flying on Delta, transferred to American... and I even got to check two bags without being charged $35. What a deal!

* Everything happened so suddenly that Mom and I had only few seconds to shed the goodbye tears. Oh but I miss her so....

The weekend of "see you laters"

I spent my final Dallas weekend (because according to Melinda I am dying) saying goodbye to some of my favorite people. (Please no hard feelings if I didn't see you this weekend.) Sunday morning I woke up after Melinda and I had a very uneventful slumber party (I fell asleep right away) crying. I knew it was time to go home, which meant it was time to say my farewell parting words to the women that I spend the majority of my life with. With glossy eyes I said goodbye to my roommate of 5 years. (Yes, 5 years, we can't get enough of each other.) I left my keys on the island of my favorite apartment ever. I sat on the floor of my very empty room while Melinda prayed for my trip, my journey, our relationship, and our memories. And then laughing through our tears we quoted some very people we know... ourselves. And finally, my sweet friend Rachellee, who agreed to take some of my junk because she is just positive it will sell in her garage sale. I love you for taking my junk! And I love you for drinking root beer with me (among many other reasons!)

It's never easy to say "see you later", but I'm thankful my last day was spent with you.

* When you're lonely, just say "Praise the Lord!" (Thanks Rory.)

Friday night pallet

With the late night sell of my bed (oh what a blessing!) I was left with a very exhausting and very bedless Friday night. Therefore there was nothing else to do but create a pallet. Yes, that is a round papasan chair cushion covered with a sheet. Luckily I am a side sleeper that wraps their body around a body pillow, so I actually somewhat fit. Needless to say it was not the best four hours of sleep I have ever had. And to the pallet's credit, it wasn't the worst either.

Lessons learned in retail

Retail reflections:

1. Customers will ask for you to locate a $2.95 sale knob or a $9.95 blouse from another store

2. Customers (in Dallas) would rather shop on a crisp, fall day instead of spending time outside enjoying the weather

3. Cool and creative people work for Anthropologie

4. Retail really is the hardest job

5. A generous discount always beats fabulous health benefits

6. Holidays don't exist in retail

7. Want a social life? Don't work in retail!

* Just to set the record straight, I loved, loved, loved my time at Anthropologie. And when your in the right environment, retail can be a blast.

Anyone would feel the same way

How do you feel about the following?

Central Park

Mode of transportation... my feet

Watching the leaves change

Cheap falafal

An actual winter (I may be regretting this one in January)

New people, new roommates, new friends

Old friends
Freedom weekends (this one is for my retail friends)

Bars that blast 80's classics until 4am

Have you ever seen a sweeter face?

The one week countdown

Today marks the day. (Ok technically yesterday marked the day, but close enough.) I have exactly seven (six) days left as a Texan. It's about time I change my address! A few things I do believe I will miss deeply:

-Space!
-People (I won't name names because they should know who they are)
-Anthropologie (not the customers but the business aspect... and my fellow managers and associates, oh and for the time being, the discount)

-Fall hikes with Mom and Dad

-Cheap drinks, cheap anything

-The State Fair in October

-Walk in closets

-Holidays normally spent with family

-Texas Clay Fest in Gruene with Mom

-Wurstfest and pitchers of beer

My list is really not that impressive when you compare it to what I'm most excited about!

* I will always be a Texan. And one day I will probably be an Austinite with David, Tiffany, and Rachellee

Enhancing our vocabulary

Monday. My first day off during my last week at Anthropologie. It first consisted of a long list of To Do's... but delightfully turned into a typical afternoon that Rachellee, Madeline, and I tend to spend together. When my Uncle Myles and I made the decision to meet for dinner at a nearby French restaurant, I decided to jump on their website so Rachellee and I could decide what I would eat that evening. (Yes, we like to be involved in each other's decisions.) And while I am always up for learning something new, I also thought it would do us well to jump on dictionary.com to find out the pronunciation of some of the French words we were stumbling on. Oh what fun we had making the "miniature robot" that lives inside my laptop pronounce word after word. If you've ever wondered how to say a certain word I definitely recommend using this tool. You will appear much more educated in social settings.

* gnocchi (nok-ee), and yes it was delicious!

It was only last year

It was only 12 months ago that I visited New York for the first time. It was only 4 months ago that I turned 24 without any idea of the direction God would lead me in this year. It was only 1 month ago that I made the commitment to turn my life upside down.

I feel blessed God granted me a fearless and spontaneous personality, family that supports my decisions, and friends that swear they'll come visit.

How much does one really need?

It has been about a month now that I started the packing/purging phase of my move. And when I really begin to think about the amount of money I have given away in the last couple of weeks it makes me slightly sick to my stomach (again.) But really, it is not about the money, it is about the consumption. While I recycle and strive to eliminate the amount of trash I contribute to the landfills, when will I realize that just because it is a steal does not mean I need to lay down the mula and purchase it.

*Luckily this will more than likely not be an issue in NYC because of a high probable lack of cash.


"I need to give Kate like $50 for all the clothes she has given me."
"$50??? More like $500!"
(Melinda and Jonathan, whom I would never take a dime from)

Escaping the Texas heat

Mom and I recently took a much needed vacation to Seattle...

Highlights of the trip include:

70 degree weather

fresh cherries from the Farmer's Market

the hilarious dry jokes from the Underground Tour

fish tacos

fresh blackberry cobbler

indulging in the best hummus of my life (we really enjoy eating)

spending time with Mom

taking our time and walking slow

pleasant surprises, such as a random community garden that made Mom's eyes twinkle

"Oh mam, you are 4 1/2 pounds over the weight limit."

"Well just charge me!"

(Frantic flyer at the Southwest counter)