Week 2, NYC style

Well, another week as come to a close in my new life in NYC.  This week was filled with lots of time at the park, and lots of time running errands.  I finally got everything unpacked and am all settled into my first NYC apartment.  I'll be sure to include pictures in my next post - have a few more things that need to find their place.

Statue of Liberty in the middle - a bit small, but it's there.

I've really taken to the Chelsea Riverside Park by Chelsea Piers.  There's a nice grass area where I love to sit out and take in the sun.  It's quiet and relaxing there, which provides a great place to get some reading done for my summer assignment.  One day I decided to take a walk around the park a little bit more and discovered that if I walk to the end of one area of the piers, I can see the Statue of Liberty.  Pretty neat.  The weather has given me the chance to get some sun, too!  We all know how much an office job prevents that - I have been enjoying having all this time to enjoy being outside.

I've just finished booking my first trip back home to Wheeling!  I'm so excited to visit everyone and get to see some people I didn't get to see before I left.  Having surgery 2 days before moving left me unable to say bye to a ton of people.  I've recently realized that I consider Wheeling home more than I do where my parents live.  However, I've spent 7 of the last 9 years in Wheeling - that's where I have friends and a life.  I'm so excited to get back there to visit, and hope to find a great job in the area upon graduating from NYU.  I want to show the area how awesome ballet is - how much fun it is to learn and how it sets the foundation for other styles of dance.

One thing about moving to NYC that I didn't really expect is knowing people that are already here.  It is also comforting to see a few familiar faces in such a busy city.  I'm excited to hang out with one of my closest friends since preschool next week - should be a fun time reminiscing our childhood memories of watching Little Rascals, jumping on the trampoline, and playing tennis together.
NYC has been everything I've hoped for and more so far, and it feels like home already.  I just miss the familiar faces of friends and family - so anyone that visits NYC, please call me so we can meet up!  I hope you're enjoying this ride with me, and I'll do my best to keep this updated regularly throughout the journey!

Until next time...

Enjoy Being...

Weekend 1 in NYC

My first full weekend living in NYC has already come and gone.  It's crazy how fast time flies.  Despite the fact that I’ve been sleeping between 10-12 hours a night, I’ve still been able to get out and explore.  My first Saturday in NYC was spent shopping – unfortunately not for clothes or shoes, but for items needed for my apartment.  I started the journey by heading to the roof of my building to take a few pictures to send to friends and family.  

From the roof of my building

From there I headed to Madison Square Park, just a couple blocks away, to get some much needed sunlight and fresh (city) air.  I headed down 6^th Ave. and went to Bed, Bath, & Beyond, as well as The Container Store.  If you haven’t heard of The Container Store, it is exactly that – a container store.   If it is any type of organizational container, they have it – in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.  Pretty neat.  I stopped at Trader Joe’s for a couple of groceries on the way back.  Once I got home I made a quick dinner and gathered some energy again (surgery recovery is not very fun).  I decided that since I didn’t have Starbucks or anything while I was out, I would get some ice cream.  I found a frozen yogurt place on my block (uh oh for the bank account).  It wasn’t too bad at all!  They had my favorite flavor, cake batter, so I was a happy girl.  That little treat got me motivated to get a few things unpacked and put away.

Sunday (it’s already been a week) I was awoken to a wonderful phone call from a dear friend.  I decided to spend some more time outside since my apartment doesn’t get any direct sunlight.  After looking through a couple of tourist books I purchased before leaving Wheeling, I decided to head west and check out Chelsea Riverside Park.  My first stop was Starbucks for a lovely iced coffee.  (By the way, this Starbucks is my favorite.  Every time I’ve gone in there, everyone seems to be so laid back and relaxed, and the workers are always smiling and asking how everyone’s day is.  It reminds of me of the south.)  Once I was by the river, which was 4 blocks from home, I found a place in the grass and just enjoyed the breezy air and water.  It was slightly overcast, but I enjoyed watching the water (and people that walked by).  

Sunday afternoon view of the Hudson

It’s amazing that a girl from nowhere WV feels so at home in the city.  The coffee and fresh air was just what I needed to get back in the unpacking mode.  It was another successful day in the city, and I’m excited to see what week two will bring.

Until next time…

Enjoy Being…

NYC - the first week

What a whirlwind the past two weeks have been.  My last week at West Liberty was filled with doctor appointments, surgery, packing, and saying some of the hardest goodbyes of my life.  On Saturday, August 3, 2013, I began the journey of the biggest move of my life – to New York City.  The move itself was seamless, thanks to the help of my incredibly awesome dad and aunt, and a couple of amazing friends.  We actually drove into the city on Sunday morning, and I must say that my dad was a champ driving a pickup truck with a trailer through Manhattan.  We spent the day unloading everything and putting together furniture (good ole IKEA).  

Me, Aunt Mer, and Dad in Times Square on my first night in NYC

That evening we met up with Missi & Aaron, my boss and a co-teacher at Arielettes, for dinner and to check in for Dance Teacher Summit. 

Monday morning was the dreaded time I had to say “see ya later” to my dad and aunt, as they headed back to WV.  

Miss, Aaron, & me at the Dance Teacher Summit 2013

However, they dropped me off to Missi & Aaron at Summit.  It was a nice transition having familiar faces (and lots of laughing) my first few days as a resident of NYC.  Along with attending Dance Teacher Summit, we did other fun things.  One of my favorite memories with them was going to an ice bar.  Everything there, including the glasses, was made out of ice.  It was cold, but so much fun!

Miss, Aaron, & me at the ice bar

I finally came back to my apartment Wednesday evening to begin the unpacking process. What a project that has become!  I’ll post pictures of my 12’x15’ studio once it’s unpacked and organized.  Recovering from surgery has taken a much larger toll on my body than I ever expected – I still tire easily and take longer to get energy back.  For those of you that know me personally, you know how frustrated that is making me. 

Thursday evening I attended the 2012 ACE Awards Runner-up (Dana Foglia) & second Runner-up (Bree Hafen) show at the Ailey Citigroup Theatre – it was fabulous, by the way.  It was an honor to be a backer for Bree Hafen’s Positive Space show.  It was walking back from that show that it hit me – I live in NYC.  What caused it?  While walking to the train, I casually passed Sonya Tayeh (for those of you that don’t know, she’s a choreographer on SYTYCD and a huge name in the dance world). 

The move itself has been quite an adjustment – it is the polar opposite of little West Liberty, WV, where the nearest Starbucks was 25 minutes away.  Errands have changed drastically, too.  I can’t take a cart through Target, buy everything I need, load it in the car, and drive back, parking at the front door to carry everything inside.  Now it is all what I can carry in my own hands.  At least it’s close! (Starbucks is diagonal across the street from my apartment building – the bank account is dreading that!) 

While this first week has been somewhat rough adjusting, I’m still very excited for this adventure and what it is going to bring!  I’m anxious for school to start so I can meet more people and finally get into a routine.  I miss everyone back home terribly – thank goodness for FaceTime!  I’ll keep updating as often as I can find time – grad school is a busy adventure, ya know.   

Until next time…

Enjoy Being…