What not to do on a first date...

So after much faffing and one false start I finally arranged to meet with Curb guy on Sunday.

Whilst not wanting to over burden myself I had still managed to book myself in for an early afternoon brunch with Mr & Mrs D and agreed to cook for 4 others that evening. With this in mind it was probably over ambitious to shoehorn in a first date with Mr Curb but I’m a woman of many talents, I figured it couldn’t hurt.

I think the first mistake I made was to shove on the same clothes I had worn the previous evening in a massive rush in the assumption I would get the opportunity to change...I didn’t. This meant that despite the 25degrees I was in over the knee leather boots, this is not attractive when you’re sweating distinctly. Oh and then failing to shove any make-up on!

I think the biggest mistake was to agree to go for, albeit very enjoyable, coffee. It is widely known that I am far more interesting and better company after a drink so sitting in the park with a Joe's coffee is not ideal. I'm not sure what we discussed, what I remember is spilling coffee all over his foot and resorting to asking about his sister...oh god!

Needless to say I shan't be seeing him again.

Time to pick up the pace and find a new boy or two!

Pre-weekend gaming...

Keeping a blog is much harder than I first expected. Early last week I didn’t update because I had very little to say then once I started doing things I suddenly didn’t have time to update it.

Thursday I have class right next to Grand Central Terminal. Normally this wouldn’t be worth noting but for the fact that I was joined by two lovely ladies for a trip to the Campbell Apartment upon the completion of two pointless hours of chat (or a seminar as some individuals might call it). For those of you with the good taste to watch Gossip Girl you’ll know that the Campbell apartment is the bar in which Nate and Sereena get it on, for those not in the gossip girl loop it is a beautiful old school bar with dark wood, a fair and great cocktails. It has the feel of sexy old money yet is helpfully positioned within the terminal.

Friday the venue was an altogether different style of venue...after leaving work late and joining some friends near Times Square for some very happy hour cocktails and a burger we headed to the New York dive bar institution Rudy’s! This is the kind of place where they use sawdust on the floor rather than wiping, where pitchers of beer are $7 and you get a free hotdog with each pint. This is not a classy place and definitely not the place to meet someone...god knows I would never give my number out, well apart from the guy who called me on Saturday to invite me out for his birthday! I can’t seem to help myself it seems!

Saturday and Sunday I brunched...but I will detail that in a separate post. I also drank, we hit beer-pong bar Three Sheets and finished up in Cafe Wha. I was drunkety drunk! I’ve decided that it is time to leave the West Side and begin to sample the offerings of the East Side next week...wish me luck!

All fizzle, no pop...

Having been asked a number of time about the beautiful model man I met at fashions night out I felt that it was only fair to provide a quick update...in that there is none. Yes that’s right, sadly despite a number of telephone conversations and discussions about meeting up it hasn’t happened. Now I’m not the type of girl to flog a dead guy and so I’m off models and onto whichever gentleman falls into my lap next!

XOXO

Just Cruisin'...

New York boasts some of the most impressive skylines in the world...it is big, brash, beautiful and bright. In the day it's awe-inspiring but at night is when it's at it's absolute best. This week I finished work, hopped on a boat and set sail on the Hudson River. I had been looking forward to the trip but I felt like the luckiest girl in the world whilst on that trip. New York by night is breathtaking.

The city is crazy, it pluses with activity all day and night yet when your on the water looking in it appears still, quiet almost, and the views...please never ask me to leave this city. Below are my rather poor attempt at taking pictures of the views I got to enjoy.

This final one actually shows my building...it's the one with the lights on!

XOXO

Remember...

9/11 is marked forever on the consciousness of most people. It is the day we all watched as a powerful nation was brought to its knees. I still remember that day...watching the footage and the reactions on television after returning from a day at school during my A-levels, that day I shed a tear about something that didn't have any direct affect me.

So now I'm here on the tenth anniversary to the tradegdy and whilst I heeded the warnings and stayed away from Manhatten I was still able to feel part of a day that will forever be etched onto the American consiousness. Below are the photo's taken from near my apartment of the two shards of light, these are designed to represent where the towers once stood.

XOXO

Mr CEO...

The best thing about New York is that one day you can be sat on just tapping away on a laptop, nosing on all the friends you're missing and the next minute you will be approached by someone offering to buy you dinner. Not just anyone either...we're talking funny, sweet and ambitious guys who just want to date...it would be rude not to say yes.

So on Monday I went out and it was fabulous! We ate, we laughed and I enjoyed my first New York date very much. Most importantly, he paid. It was possibly the best meal I will ever have in New York, in one of the most beautiful restaurants. Solely to induce a tiny bit of envy here is the picture of the place.

For those of you with an interest in what I had (apart from the two bottles of wine) I started with scallops in chilli and followed it by lobster. It would have been rude not to pay him back somehow...

The Big Move...

I wake up and I want to die...not just a little bit either. My head is pounding and I feel like I’ve eaten several cotton-wool balls, my first thought is oh my god I have to be in work, then I remember it’s a Saturday, I’ve not been irresponsibly drinking on a week day and I’m suddenly feeling very pleased with myself. Then it dawns on me, like a black cloud promising apocalyptic hail storms, I have to move into my new apartment today...oh and I’m booked in for a bikini wax in 10 minutes.

Whilst cursing loudly I drag my sorry ass out of bed and make it round the corner for one of the longest and most painful experiences I’ve ever had. I couldn’t close my eyes because the room span so instead I lay there feeling very sorry for myself and wishing that I’d found somewhere where they weren’t so thorough...and more importantly wouldn’t take so frickin’ long. I make it back to the temporary hotel lodgings at 11, of course I was supposed to be leaving the hotel at 11!

After hurrying my sorry backside up to the 9^th floor and battling with a number of other suitcases also desperately trying to leave at the same time I finally made it and was on my way to my new home, just 30 minutes later than I should have been. With just a few moments on the rather short journey where I wondered if I would make it in one piece I disembarked with my new flatmates (Roomie, Stud and Chinese) and met Mr Dad (not my real dad obviously), the guy who will be our general flat administrator and all round encyclopedia for the next 6 months.

After the misery of the morning it was a relief to finally have somewhere to call home. And wow it’s huge! I was expecting a poky flat, no it’s got more space than anywhere I lived in London, probably double some of the places! I am sharing a room which is a shame but luckily my roomie is lovely. We have a spare bed in my room and a gigantic stuffed monkey called Marley due to his dreadlocks and hat...I love him.

After moving in Mr Dad took us out with a number of others for brunch with unlimited alcohol for $18...Through a number of bloody marys my hangover was gone and by 7pm I was asleep on my sofa for the evening.

The Lobby



My hangover cure

  

The moral of that story is don't drink kids...

XOXO

Curb appeal...

So I know I will hopefully be enjoying a date with the delicious Mr Gingerbread but I'm not the type of girl to rest on my laurels!

I once heard that in New York single women outnumber single men by more than 210,000, so I made a promise to myself that I would seize every moment that came my way and if a gentleman came my way I would suck it up (not literally...what do you think I am?!).

Friday night was another chance to demonstrate this policy. Whilst waiting for some delightful male friends Smiler and Portuguese to exit the club we’d trapped ourselves in for Friday night, I planted myself down on the curb because my feet were in rather a lot of pain...and my legs were bambified. Now I know that generally no respectful gentleman would stop to chat with a lady on a street corner but I must have been working the elegant damsel in distress look. I know this because a rather dashing gentleman sat down next to me to check I was alright and made me laugh a number of times...although what we talked about I have no idea!

To cut a short story even shorter I once again agreed to give out my number and received a message from Mr Curb the following day...I can't fit him in till next week now though!

Call me the Gingerbread man...

I love Mulberry. I love the handbags, I love the drinks they plied us with and I love that they had a number of male models dressed in red hunt-style jackets serving us all night...

In particular I love Mulberry for providing Mr gingerbread man...the male model of my dreams, with a perfect chin.  As a model he was beautiful, yet charming and the fact he was carrying baskets of cookies (photos of these in previous post), well slip a ring on my finger and call me Mrs...

Whilst I am very tempted to post a picture of Mr gingerbread, i will refrain for now...so what am I getting at?! Actually I'm setting the scene for the following conversation (paraphrased a little bit as i was rather drunk)

Me: Where have all the gingerbread cookies gone, I'm rather disappointed
Gingerbread: I've run out, I'm so sorry
Me: you should be, that is rather a let down
Gingerbread: I'll see if I can find one...if I do will you give me your phone number in return
Me: I don't need a cookie to do that...

And he actually contacted me...I will being going out with the most beautiful man I think I've ever seen. I'll keep this blog updated on the success, naturally.

XOXO

Fashioning it up in New York...

Last Thursday was Fashion's Night Out. This is rather a big deal and whilst it is good in London it is so much better in New York!

After escaping orientation at a suitable time (where we played an awful lot of hangman) I dragged some of the ladies with me to discover the joys of this evening on Spring Street...our initial intention had been to hit up dash for some Kardashian stalking but that plan was foiled by the swarms of people outside (there is nothing fun about packed crowds) so we headed to any shop where there was free alcohol and importantly no queue...meaning sadly no Chanel.

After several glasses of bubbles in various locations along Spring Street we hit upon Mulberry...this was the place to be for a number of reasons ;)

Whilst we constantly entered the raffle to win a bag (none of us did), drank blackberry mojitos and sought out cookies we were kept entertained by the male models serving us drinks, cookies (pic below) and significant eye-candy...my favourite being mr gingerbread man (read my next post to find out why).

Thanks to all this frivolity I got carried away and made a significant purchase...although not in mulberry...I'm not that crazy. I'm now the proud owner of a beautiful Marc by Marc Jacobs handbag. I love it so much, it makes me very happy!

In summary the highlights of the evening were free booze, hot men and Marc Jacobs. The low point was falling dramatically onto my face into a tree because I was too focused on my phone...still no wiser because I'm in the big city obviously!

Some photo's from the night (and of the Marc):

 

 

XOXO

The walk home from work...

It is so easy to forget how lucky I am to be in New York and even after 2 weeks, to start to take it for granted. So I decided to play tourist on my way home from work (getting some funny looks), walking from 3rd Avenue and 50 something to 33rd and 5th. This isn't quite to route i would normally take but I enjoyed the scenic route.

Let me take you on my journey...

Straight down 3rd (past the famous steak restaurant)

Turning down 46th Street, across Lexington and Madison (past the Waldorf Astoria side entrance)

Straight down 5th Av towards the Met building

Through the Met building and into Grand Central Terminal (not station people)

And out the other side...

Continuing down Park Av

Then across to 5th Ave

Now home!

XOXO



Week 2 in New York...

This was a lot less busy...as we started relaxing it was mainly spent going for dinners (none of them particularly note worthy) and at orientation...noteworthy only because it was really rather dull. I was told by a police man to ‘look confident’, ‘stand by a wall’ on the subway and something else...although I can’t remember what exactly.

I did however find out my address and my new flatmates! That bit was rather exciting!

XOXO

The first 5 days in New York City...

Where to start...it’s such a blur! Okay after typing out a longggggg summary for each day I realised that it’s massively boring for everyone to read (although I still have it saved if anyone can’t sleep at night)...so I have decided to bullet point and summarise it a bit, still really long though! Damn shouldn’t have left it 5 days. They won’t all be like this...just catching up.

D1

·         Arrived in New York

·         Hotel is ummm...interesting (and I’m sharing with two other girls)

·         Walked the highline from one end to the other

·         Drank at the Standard’s Biergarden...somewhere that most of my visitors will probably find themselves being lead to because it’s amazing...and they have ping pong tables...not cheap though.  

·         Visited a dingy Irish bar which was offering awful glasses of buy-one-get-one-free wines

·         One of the ladies in the group was given a Yankees hat and jacket by a stranger...$80 worth of free swag...done!

·         So hot!

D2

·         Had planned on sleeping/sorting phone/pulling life back together

·         Started Work...did none of the above

·         Went for a leaving lunch for the guy I’m replacing...had a drink

·         Went to a the leaving party of the guy I’m replacing...had lots more drink

·         Played flipcup (all about downing beer and...wait for it...flipping cups!)

·         Left at a reasonable time and crashed out

·         So hot!

D3

·         First day on my own in work, everyone around me was suffering

·         Friday night was the beginning of the weekend...wait, does that mean drinking?!

·         Take over the 8^th floor of the hottest (not in a fun way, in a stifling heat way) hotels ever with the other 80 people who have made it post-hurricane

·         Headed to a bar afterwards...drank

·         Left at a reasonable time again...over the jetlag but just generally tired

·         Struggled desperately to remember people’s names

·         So hot!

D4

·         Saturday! Got up early and headed to Bryant Park for free wifi usage

·         Got chatted up in Bryant park (date arranged for the 12^th)

·         Back to the hotel to shower and out for a spot of lunch with my roommates

·         Sorted phone...thank god!

·         Evening spent with the lovely Mrs D, a New Yorker by now...amazing food and great drinks...but the company was the best bit. After spending 4 days desperately trying to remember names and having the same conversations it was great to just relax, and Mrs D is the best company!

·         Practically fell asleep in the last bar and headed home

D5

·         Sunday! Slept in...yes!

·         Headed downstairs to find a group of people headed off to Governor’s  Island...so I joined them

·         Found out it was free to hire bikes so did that...cycled around a little bit of the island with beautiful weather and beautiful views

·         Got a little bit sunburnt

·         Again very hot!

·         Chilled out and had a beer...yes me on the beer

·         Headed back to the hotel

·         Changed and went out

·         Got called a hipster because I was wearing my geek-chic glasses

·         Drunk

·         Bed