NYC

One of the most exciting adventures I have gone on since graduation was a five day trip to New York City with a good girlfriend, Hannah. I went to New York for an informational interview with an awesome PR firm. I figured if I was going to the City for one meeting, I might as well turn it into a fun trip! So, Hannah and I caught a bus from DC that took us right to Penn Station, one block away from our hotel. It was beyond perfect. There is nothing quite as exciting as getting off a bus that puts you in the middle of the people and chaos of midtown Manhattan.

We were complete tourists during the trip and had no shame at all. :) You just have to do it sometimes! We asked people for directions and to take our picture like it was our job. After my interview, business was officially over and it was time for fun. We walked around Manhattan for hours, admiring the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Central Park, Ground Zero, and other super touristy yet extremely impressive New York wonders. We also shopped like we had never seen clothes before (including Macy's on 34th street and Saks 5th Avenue)!

Another friend from college, Kelly, who lives in Long Island, met up with us as well. It was a fun college reunion since we hadn't seen her in a month and a half! After staying that first night in Manhattan, we spent the rest of the time at my friend's apartment in Brooklyn - she was super nice and let us stay there while she's away for the summer. There was no other way we could have made the trip 5 days; I discovered there is NO such thing as a cheap hotel in New York.


Thanks to the iPhone and an App sent from God, getting around the city was a piece of cake. I would enter the current subway stop and the one we wanted to get to and the App told us exactly how to do it - how many stops, where to change trains, estimated arrival and everything. Besides looking like complete tourists we felt like locals.

We went out every night except the first night before my interview. On Tuesday we started at Wharf in Manhattan, a fun sports bar that Kelly knew about, and from there we migrated to a fun club called Bounce. The next night we bounced around (no pun intended) in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. On the last night, we went to the meatpacking district in Manhattan. Needless to say, with the help of alcohol and the thrill of the city we have some hilarious stories written down on my iPhone notepad. Our favorite was the meatpacking district, it was so much fun. I loved the atmosphere, it honestly felt like a scene out of a movie. We were there on a Thursday, I can't imagine it on a weekend. We started that night right near NYU and that was a lot of fun too. Two key lessons we learned from going out: 1. Do not question a guy's sexuality 2. Do not talk about someone on the way to the subway without making sure they're not behind you for 3 city blocks. Woops!

Moral of the Story: What I learned from this Post Grad adventure is that I HAVE to live in nyc at some point in my twenties. Preferably in the next couple of years. I'm so glad I went on this trip because it motivated me more than ever. There is something about NYC that no other city has. I love everything about it. I don't want to get comfortable where I am now and not make this future move. And believe me - I'm not living in some dream world where I think living in NYC will be a luxurious episode from Sex and the City or Gossip Girl. I know the realities of living in New York. Where we stayed for 3 days was tiny, had no A/C in 100 degree weather and was a good 30 min- 1 1/2 hr commute from Manhattan depending on the time / where we were going. Not to mention no washing machine, etc, etc,. BUT I didn't mention any of that before because being in the city outweighed all of it! Mark my words: I'm moving to NYC!!

Here are some pics from the trip:

Right when we got off the bus - headed to our hotel. Thrilling!

Hannah trying to open our hotel window when we first arrived #fail :)

 Hannah and Me shopping on our first day

Walked out of Sephora to this pretty view. Made me feel very patriotic! 

 Times Square on a Monday night - as happenin' as ever

 JMU reunion! In my friend's apartment in Brooklyn before going out

Hannah and me in our blues

Kelly knew the owner at Wharf so we kept getting drinks on the house:)

The girls with our new friend - heading to Bounce

Shopping & walking around the city: 1st stop bagels and water. A little dehydrated from our night out

 Having fun on the Subway... Kel's beautiful sock bun courtesy of Hannah

No will power. Couldn't resist a corner hot dog. Going to be dangerous when I move here!

Eating at Red, a Cuban place South Street Seaport. It was so fun to people-watch and drink Sangria

Freedom Tower - even more amazing in person

Beautiful day in Central Park

Our view of the Brooklyn Bridge walking from the subway to a famous pizza place

 Last night out - en route to the meatpacking district songwriting on the Subway

Two New Summer Obsessions

Character flaw or not, I become obsessed with things really easily and quickly, and can't get enough. In the same way I get hooked so easily, I can also stop liking things and become disinterested cold turkey. Well, this summer my two new BIG obsessions are 1. True Blood and 2. Lana Del Rey. It's been over a month and I'm still super hooked (progress).

1. I can honestly say I've never had a major celebrity crush in the way that I have one on Alexander Skarsgard (Eric Northman on True Blood). Of course I think Matthew McConaughy and Ryan Reynolds are dreamy but I am slightly obsessed with Askars (nickname status). I also usually never go for blondes (ironic). Well, Alexander has given me a run for my money. I'm head over heels. I find myself comparing all men I see with him. Wishing they were super tall and blonde and Swedish. And to clarify, I'm not just obsessed with his character on True Blood. In interviews he is hilarious. He is humble, funny, and has an overall light in his personality. I know I sound crazy, but let's be real. The picture above speaks for itself. <3

2. My other obsession is Lana Del Rey. I have a very eclectic taste in music. I have always liked the generic Top 40 type stuff, but I also recently got into country this year in school. I love love love Miranda Lambert. I also love rap music and can only work out to hardcore rap / pop (another character flaw)? But at the same time I have always liked more low-key music as well, like Death Cab. SO I was introduced to Lana early this summer and have probably listened to her "Born to Die" album 75 times. It has not gotten old and I don't think it ever will. Her lyrics have some incredible one-liners and I love her voice and overall vibe. I try to make my voice as deep as hers when I sing along but it's a huge failure. Her music isn't exactly pump-up, but it's not too melancholy to the point where you get sad. My personal favorite is "Summertime Sadness." Download her ASAP (I know I'm a little late on the Lana bandwagon).

Hello!

Hi, I'm Lynsee! I recently graduated from college and am currently in the process of figuring out my life (harder than it sounds). I am in the land of limbo, where the only thing I know for sure is I'll never go brunette. All my postgrad adventures and discoveries will be on here. :)