Reflections on the 9/11 Museum

North Tower Reflecting Pool

September 11, 2001

We all know that date. We all watched as the horrific events of that day unfolded on television. Our country had been attacked. We were scared. We were sad. But above all, we were united.

I was in the 4^th grade. I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard the words “The Twin Towers fell.” Although I had no idea what the Twin Towers were, nor what the connotations of these attacks were, I knew it wasn’t good. I remember seeing my mom crying as she was watching a telethon a few days later, and I asked her why she was so upset. She replied, “Because a lot of people died and that’s really sad.”

I remember the intense patriotism our country exhibited in the weeks, months, and even years after the events of 9/11. I remember seeing American flags everywhere. I remember our country coming together, united in our shock, grief, and will. It’s a shame our country can’t be like that all the time.

Everyone has their own stories from that day. It’s something we will truly never forget. Something we SHOULD never forget. The 9/11 Museum ensures this. It’s powerful. It’s raw. It’s heartbreaking. It’s uplifting.

Opening a little over a year ago, the 9/11 Museum has already been visited by over a million people. Now that I’ve been, I truly feel like it’s something that should not be missed on a visit to New York City. It’s such an important part of our history, and New York’s history. It’s a way to honor those who lost their lives that day. A way to respect their memory by giving two or three hours of your day to re-live those events. The events that led to 2,977 people tragically losing their lives.

Upon entering the museum, we went through security and then watched a short 15-minute introduction video called Facing Crisis. The video featured President George W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, speaking about the events of 9/11 and the global impact they had. Some of the things they were saying still hold true today.

After the video, we began making our way through the museum. It’s very well laid out and there’s a natural flow, so you can take your time without feeling like you’re going to miss something. They took such care in organizing it. The museum was truly made out of love. This story needed to be told.

I had prepared myself. I knew it was going to be difficult. And I won’t sugarcoat it, at times it was absolutely devastating. The first moment I realized just how hard it would be to get through the museum was when I saw some steel beams hanging in front of me. I read the plaque that provided a description. The mangled, twisted beams in front of me were the beams from the north tower impact site. Tears immediately began falling upon the realization that I was looking the metal where a terrorist flew a commercial airliner full of people into a building full of more people.

The museum turns something that you’ve watched on television many, many times into something brutally real.

There’s an exhibition with a photo of every single person who lost their lives that day. A room where you can sit and read about them. Where you can hear their family members recount memories of them. You can see pieces of the slab that are still intact underneath the museum and excavation of some of the beams. There’s a piece of the large transmission antennae from the top of one of the towers. A fire engine that had been crushed by falling debris.

The heart of the museum is the 9/11 Exhibition, where you have a complete timeline of the events from that day. Eyewitness accounts, news clippings, survivor stories, and stories about so many heroes who emerged that day. There are answering machine recordings from people who phoned loved ones from the towers or the planes. Shoes belonging to people who walked out of the towers and survived. It was incredible.

It’s hard, even now, to wrap my head completely around everything I saw. Like I said before, it turned something that was always just this horrible thing that happened 14 years ago into a real, tangible thing that I feel like I can now see clearer.

In my 23 years of life, only 9 of them were spent not knowing about the existence of terrorism. I don’t know a world where terrorism isn’t discussed in the news at least once a week. I remember when President Obama addressed the nation to inform us Osama Bin Laden had been killed. My dad texted me to ask me how I felt about it. He said he’d realized that for most of my life, that had been something that was sort of looming out there. I hadn’t ever thought about it like that, but it’s true. It was always something that was just understood about this world. There are radicals who exist and have no respect for human life. I’ve known it was real, but now I’ve seen with my own eyes what it can really do. But, we also must remember that the actions of these extremists don’t speak for all who share their religion or culture. We can’t fight hate with hate.

I felt like I had done my part in honoring what happened on September 11^th by attending the museum. There are still so many families coping with the loss of their loved ones from this senseless act. I hope they find peace knowing that their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers will forever be remembered through this museum. If you have the opportunity to go to the 9/11 museum, I strongly encourage it.

After seeing everything at the museum, you leave with a sense of peace…and hope. I’ve realized that one day, I’ll have to explain the events of 9/11 to my children. It’s heartbreaking to think I’ll have to explain something so tragic and deep-rooted in hate to them. But, in sharing this story, I get to also share with them the stories of ALL of those heroes who emerged that day, and the days after. Those people who sacrificed their lives to run into those buildings and save as many people as possible. Those men and women in the military who willingly put their lives on the line when President Bush decided to invade Afghanistan and Iraq. We’re blessed to live in a country full of heroes.

They may have scared us that day. They may have shaken us. But one thing is for certain, they didn’t break us.

I pray for this country, for our leaders, for our military. I pray for those extremists. The ones with such disregard for human life. The ones who are lost.

I pray for all of us.

I pray for love.

God bless,

Alex

Walking in a New York Wonderland

Well this past weekend was certainly a fun one, and absolutely FULL of New York City Christmas magic! Just a little FYI, this post is lengthy. Feel free to skim and look at the pictures, I won't blame you! J

As I mentioned in my last post, one of my best friends from college, Rachel, came to visit for the weekend. I was so happy to have a familiar face around and couldn’t wait to experience New York with her. I didn’t do much planning, because I wanted to be able to do all the things she wanted to. Fortunately, there were lots of things Rach had on her handy dandy flow chart that I had never done before either. (And yes, it was an actual, handwritten flow chart you’d have to see to believe!) So, there were lots of new things I did this weekend that I’m so excited to share.

Rachel arrived late Thursday night and it was quite surreal to have one of my best friends standing in my apartment in New York City. I mean, she was always over at my place in College Station, but we both agreed that something about this was different. This was MY home…the one I pay for every month and decorated just to my liking. And she was there, in MY home! It was one of those moments where we were both just like, holy crap we’re real adults!

The next day I had to work, but Rachel’s younger sister goes to NYU and didn’t have class. So, they got to spend the day together exploring. I met up with them for dinner before they headed off to see School of Rock, one of Broadway’s newest musicals. The report back was that it was a very fun musical, and fans of the movie would love it. I’m sure Rachel will be posting all about it over at her blog, Curly Girl Thoughts, so you should definitely check it out.

On Saturday morning, we woke up, got dressed, and headed straight for the Brooklyn Bridge. If you remember, last summer when my parents visited was the first time I’d ever been to the Brooklyn Bridge. My mom and I only walked to the first arch before we called it good. Dad on the other hand, was determined to go to the second arch, so he sojourned on…alone. This time around, I made it to the second arch! If you’ve never been to the Brooklyn Bridge, I would definitely recommend it. It’s so old and has so much history, but it also offers amazing views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Besides the fact that it’s a free activity, which is always a plus.

Brooklyn Bridge selfie

Once we walked back down, we headed to the TKTS Booth at South Street Seaport to purchase tickets for a Sunday matinee. If you’ve never heard of the TKTS Booth, it’s a place where you can purchase Broadway show tickets at a discount. Each day they put up a list of shows they have tickets for and how much of a discount the tickets are being sold at. There is a booth in Times Square, at South Street Seaport, down in the financial district, and over in Brooklyn. While the South Street Seaport location isn’t as convenient for those staying in the Times Square area, it’s worth it to go down there because they begin selling next day matinee tickets right when they open at 11:00 AM, whereas the Times Square booth doesn’t start selling them until 3:00 PM. So, you’re more than likely going to end up with a better seat. J

Rachel and I were hoping to get tickets to The King and I, but it turns out, even at the TKTS Booth, they’re still quite pricey. So, we went with Rachel’s second choice, Finding Neverland. Yes, I’ve seen it before. You’ll remember me gushing about it a few posts ago. I was MORE than willing to see it a second time around, so we purchased our tickets and went on our way.

We popped into a little restaurant right next to the TKTS Booth called the Trading Post. The outside was decked out in Christmas décor and it had a very old school feel. The interior was very nice, and looked newly renovated. I assumed, given how close it is to the water, that it was flooded during Hurricane Sandy and had to be fixed up after the storm. Nevertheless, it’s quite charming and the food was delicious. Rach and I got two small plates to split between us, pork belly sliders and lobster mac and cheese. Both were absolutely yummy!!

Next, we took a walk down Wall St, where I showed Rachel the New York Stock Exchange, the site where George Washington took his oath of office, and the Trinity Church, which is seen in the National Treasure movie. We then made our way towards the 9/11 memorial and museum. When we arrived, we looked at the reflecting pools, before heading to the ticket lines. We realized they were selling tickets for entry two hours later, so we decided to purchase tickets for the following morning. Note to those who may be traveling here and are interested in going: purchase your tickets in advance. J

Then, I decided to expose Rachel, who is a major lover of bargain shopping, to the amazing department store, Century 21. I think I’ve talked about it before, but just think TJ Maxx, but with better and more designers and WAYYYY more stuff! It can be kind of overwhelming, but you can find so many great things for some really fantastic prices. There’s one in the Financial District and one on the Upper West Side, for those who may be interested. (The FiDi one is MUCH larger!)

Once we were done perusing the store, we hopped on the subway and emerged on 34^th Street so Rachel could go to Macy’s! Now, I’ve come to learn that while Macy’s is normally always crowded, it is even MORE so at this time of the year. However, you have to see it! Outside the store, there is the giant ‘Believe’ sign hanging in lights. The store windows are decked out with animatronic characters from Yes, Virginia and The Peanuts movies. The inside is also completely decorated, and if you head up to the 9^th floor, you can completely immerse yourself in Christmas! Anything you may need to decorate your tree for Christmas, you can find up there! Once finished there, we headed back to my place so we could get spruced up for the evening.

Rachel and I headed back out, took the subway one stop and then took a stroll down Fifth Avenue to see all of the amazing Christmas window displays. This is definitely a must for anyone in the city at Christmas time. The big designer stores go all out with their lights and displays. Tiffany’s, Harry Winston, Bvlgari, Bergdorf Goodmans, you name it! They’ve got something for you to look at. This year however, the real winner of Fifth Avenue is, of course, Saks Fifth Avenue. Their theme is Winter Palace, and while the window displays are truly works of art, the lights on the side of the building are the real crowd pleasers.

Bloomingdale's has a very fancy photo machine where you can
take a festive photo, then download it online!

Oh, Harry Winston...

We noticed the closer we got to Saks, the more congested the sidewalks were getting. Then I noticed, they actually put barricades up along the sidewalks to prevent people from standing in the street to watch the light display. So there were a ton of people all crammed onto the sidewalk, trying to get closer and closer to Saks. It was an absolutely MADHOUSE like nothing I have ever experienced. Of course, it was kind of worth it…because the lights on the side of the building perform a light show, synchronized to Carol of the Bells. And it isn’t just your basic lights, they are in the shape of a giant castle! It doesn’t sound like much, but it really is quite fantastic to see! Even if you’re crammed between, like, ten people you don’t know and feeling like your personal space is being extremely violated! (Going to try and post a video of this to my Facebook account soon!)

Once we finally squeezed our way out of the crowd, we found ourselves right in Rockefeller Center, where we got a perfect glimpse of the giant Christmas tree. A few days before, I watched the tree lighting from the 30^th floor of 30 Rock, but this was my first time seeing it all lit up at ground level. And IT. WAS. MAGICAL. Even if there are a disgusting amount of people all around and they have to shut the roads down on either side to have enough room for all of the foot traffic. It’s spectacular! It just really feels like Christmastime when you’re looking at it!

Rockefeller Center

Selfie with the tree!

I obviously had to bring Rachel to my favorite pizza place, John’s Pizzeria, where we had a delicious margarita pizza and a carafe of red sangria. Then, we headed back towards the madness en route to Radio City Music Hall, because we had tickets for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Radio City Rockettes!!!! (I hope the exclamation points tell you how excited I was!) I’ve always wanted to see the Christmas Spectacular and now I was actually getting to! In New York! In Radio City Music Hall! The same place where the Tony Awards take place every year, and so many music legends have performed to sold out audiences!

Magical!

Can we talk about that chandelier...

After going through security, we made our way to our seats and were absolutely ecstatic to find out they were REALLY GOOD seats! Having browsed the Christmas Spectacular website, neither of us really liked the prices, so we decided to try and figure out an alternative. We wanted good seats, but we didn’t want to pay a whole lot of money. I decided to try SeatGeek, because I’d recently used that site to get tickets to a Houston Texans game. I stumbled upon some really good tickets for $60/piece in the orchestra. After doing a little more research to try and figure out exactly where those seats would be located in relation to the stage, I realized they would be really good and we probably wouldn’t find anything that good for less anywhere else so I purchased them. Let me tell you, they ended up being phenomenal! A full view of the enormous stage and close enough that you could see faces and details.

Our view of the stage

Selfie in Radio City

The show as a whole was quite…well…spectacular! It’s very glitzy, and as Rachel put it, it really epitomizes that old Hollywood feel. Not only does the venue contribute to that, but the songs that are sung throughout the show just have a very showgirl feel. It’s a bit cheesy at times, but you don’t really mind because it’s just so magical. The Rockettes were just as amazing as I knew they would be and the live nativity scene at the end of the show, with live animals, was incredible. If you’re in the city at Christmastime, I would, again, say that this is a must!

The funniest part of the weekend perhaps, happened at the show and will forever be known to Rachel and me as #RogueSnowflakeOf2k15. Let me explain. There was one number where these five orbs came out of the pit and floated over the audience. Inside the, what looked like clear beach balls, were snowflakes. They hung over the audience for a bit and then flew back into the pit. Now, I’m not 100% sure, but I think maybe they were remote control operated. Anyway, the snowflake on the far left, and the one closest to us, decided…it didn’t want to fly back into the pit like the other four snowflakes. The curtain dropped so that the stage could be set for the next bit, and Santa came out to narrate…but all Rachel and I could stare at was this snowflake. Since it wouldn’t go back in the pit, it looked like they tried to fly it into one of the wings…but alas, that didn’t work either. Then the snowflake started drifting back into the audience and sort of over to the side on top of these little bannisters where some of the performers would occasionally stand. At this point, the live nativity had begun…but ALL we could stare at was what we now affectionately call Rogue Snowflake. And we were CRACKING UP. We were trying to be quiet, but it was hilarious. And became even funnier when we saw several Radio City staffers head over to Rogue Snowflake to try and coax it off the bannister. This lasted for about 10 minutes and I swear, it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. So, there you have it…the story of #RogueSnowflakeOf2k15.

The next morning, we woke up and went straight to the 9/11 Museum. I won’t go into too much detail because I want to do a separate post about this museum. It was an incredibly raw and emotional experience, but it was extremely moving at the same time. I definitely recommend this to those traveling to the city. Honestly, I would say it’s something that shouldn’t be missed.

We planned to go to the New York High Line next, BUT…I made a little mistake in my navigation and soon realized I’d put us on a subway to Brooklyn…and by soon I mean like 3 or 4 stops into Brooklyn. Ooops. We hopped off as soon as I realized it and walked around to the other side. Of course, we ended up in a little bit of a sketchy area…but we made it back to Manhattan just fine! Unfortunately, our little Brooklyn detour caused us to miss seeing the High Line and instead we headed straight to the theater for our 3:00 PM matinee performance.

I am happy to report that Rachel loved Finding Neverland just as much as I hoped she would. And I, once again, sobbed like a baby for the last 10 minutes of the show. As we were walking out, we saw this family and the mom was still crying and her family was laughing at her. She looked at us and said, “Did you guys cry?” Rachel and I were both just like, OMG yes we sobbed like babies. The lady turned to her family and said “See! They cried too! I’m not the only one!”

To lift our spirits, we popped into the Disney Store, and then headed to Central Park to check out the ice skating rink. We’d thought about skating, but after seeing the large number of people on the rink, and the price, we decided to just observe for a bit. Once we’d had enough, we headed off to one of my favorite little places, Serendipity. Rachel had never been before, and I just feel that everyone should experience Serendipity at least once! We had quite a bit of a wait, but we walked down to Bloomingdale’s and browsed, before returning and just chit chatting until we got seated. We split a classic Frozen Hot Chocolate, which is what they’re famous for, and it was as delicious as ever. This lady outside had asked me if the long wait times were really worth it, and I felt silly for saying yes…but…it really is worth it! Once you’ve tasted it, you’ll understand.

Wollman Rink in Central Park

Serendipity at Christmas

YUMMMM Frozen Hot Chocolate!

Monday morning, unfortunately, I had to head to work, but Rachel got to meet up with her sister again for breakfast before heading to the airport for her flight. We said our see you soons, before I headed off to the subway.

I’m so, so glad she got to come this weekend and we got to experience New York at Christmastime together! It was definitely a fun weekend and much needed girl time with one of my best friends!

Disclaimer: No selfie sticks were used in the taking of these selfies. We're so good, we don't need those contraptions.

Hope you’re all having a wonderful week!

XOXO,

Alex

A New York City Thanksgiving

Entrance to Macy's

It’s officially Christmas time, everybody! The most wonderful time of the year! Oh how I love it, but first, how about a little recap over that other holiday that just passed, Thanksgiving!

Given that the Christmas holidays are not too far off, and the cost of airfare being so high, I opted to stay in New York for the Thanksgiving holiday. At first I thought this may be depressing, since I’ve never spent a Thanksgiving away from my family before. However, it ended up being a really amazing day and I am so THANKFUL for that!

A few weeks before Turkey Day, the family friend I stayed with when I first moved up here, texted me to find out if I had any plans for the holiday. At the time, I was considering hitting up the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and then cooking myself some Thanksgiving staple items at home. She asked if I might want to meet up at the parade that day and then find a restaurant serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal to eat at. I promptly said YES!

Finally the big day rolled around and I was actually really looking forward to it! First up, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I woke up at about 6:45 AM, which is probably the earliest I think I’ve ever woken up on a Thanksgiving, to get dressed and head down to midtown to find a spot to watch the parade.

I read several articles in the days leading up in order to be best informed about the parade route and how early I should arrive for a spot. The area of the parade route I was shooting to be in, along 6^th Avenue somewhere in the 50’s, the articles said I could arrive as late as 7:00 AM to get a really good spot. Well, that just seemed entirely too early and I figured, for my first parade, a mediocre spot would do. I decided on a spot near Radio City Music Hall, which I found around 8:30 AM, and it ended up being perfect! Several families ended up being around me and everyone was so nice. The parade officially kicked off at 9:00 AM and at about 9:45ish, it finally made it to where I was standing. Luckily, the weather was pretty mild. I was comfy and warm in my coat, scarf and boots.

I will say, I’ve always watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television, but it was never one of those things I was absolutely dying to do. I always just figured it’d be something cool to see if I were ever given the opportunity. Well, let me tell you guys, the parade is AWESOME!!! If you do ever have the opportunity to see it, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD!!

The balloons are quite incredible to see with your own eyes. They’re MASSIVE, as one would assume. One surprising thing was how fast they move! On TV it always looks as if they’re slowly floating lazily through the sky. Not the case, I tell you! Some of the balloon handlers were having to run just to keep up!

My favorite balloon! Hilarious!

MASSIVE Paddington Bear!

Another thing, this parade boogies on down Sixth Avenue! They do not stop, they do not stall. They KEEP ON MOVING! So there’s constantly something to look at once the parade gets to your location. Not only are there balloons, but also the elaborate floats carrying performers like Andy Grammar, Train, Panic At The Disco, Jake Owen, Jennifer Nettles, and The Plain White T’s, to name a few. I saw Tom the Turkey, the giant mechanical turkey who leads out the parade, with my very own eyes! He’s huge! So many balloons, like Hello Kitty, Angry Birds, Spongebob, and Thomas the Train.

Tom the Turkey

Spongebob Squarepants!

Suddenly, there’s a shift in the parade and everything becomes much more Christmas-y. The balloons switch to candy canes, Elf on the Shelf, Virginia, and the iconic, Snoopy and Woodstock balloon. Headlining the parade was Mariah Carey, and there she came looking like a total diva atop her Christmas-themed float. To close out the parade was Santa and Mrs. Claus, of course!! Arriving on their sleigh, being pulled by a dozen reindeer, letting us all know the Christmas season had officially begun!!

Snoopy and Woodstock

Mariah Carey: The One, True Diva

The atmosphere is absolutely electric! The excitement just keeps on building as balloons and floats go by, all culminating with Santa Claus! The children were absolutely freaking out with each passing spectacle. Everyone around me had huge grins on their faces. It really was magical! Such a fantastic way to start the holiday and my favorite time of the year!

Santa and Mrs. Claus!

Once Santa was out of sight, the crowd began to disperse and I met up with my friend. After wandering for a bit, we figured it was time stuff our faces. We decided to see what the crowd was like at the classic New York restaurant Junior’s in Times Square. Having already done some research, we knew they were serving a prix fixe Thanksgiving menu, along with their famous cheesecakes and desserts.

When we arrived, the wait wasn’t too long, so we decided to stay. We were seated a little while later, and put in our order for the Thanksgiving plate and glasses of wine. Once our feast arrived, we were quite surprised by the HUGE plates set in front of us, full of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccolini, and cranberry. We ate to our hearts content, and even had food to spare! I mean, did Thanksgiving really happen if you don’t have leftovers?! Next came pie, obviously. Pecan for her and pumpkin for me. Simply delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving! Look at all that food! YUM!

We stayed at the restaurant for some time just talking and enjoying the atmosphere, before wandering off to browse at the holiday windows on Fifth Avenue. Soon, we parted ways, both in desperate need of naps! Overall, it was truly a wonderful day. I’m so thankful she thought of me and that we were able to celebrate the holiday together.

The rest of the weekend was spent being super lazy and trying to get in some studying for my upcoming CPA exam. On Friday, I did my Black Friday shopping obligation…from my couch. I ordered a nice lamp that was on sale at Pier One and picked it up later that afternoon. You’re welcome, U.S. economy. On Saturday, I made a quick trip to my neighborhood Ace Hardware, where I picked up some supplies for a Christmas project. I also stopped at the grocery store and picked up all the necessities for some nice fajitas, including some salsa that was made in Fort Worth, Texas!

The Christmas project I was speaking of above was Operation Christmas Tree. In case you haven’t figured it out already, I’m a major Christmas lover. This includes Christmas decorating. I LOVE IT. Unfortunately, my trusty Target Christmas tree and ornaments are at home. And while I could’ve had my mom ship it to me, I just don’t have anywhere to store it post-Christmas. I sort of just figured I wouldn’t really decorate this year…which really hurt…deep in my soul.

SO, on Friday night, my mom tells me about a command hook commercial she saw where they made a Christmas tree on the side of a wall, using command hooks and lights. She thought maybe I could do that as my Christmas tree this year…because she’s a genius! And, I had the PERFECT wall to do it on! I consulted Pinterest, obviously, to get photographic support and off I went to Ace Hardware.

While watching the Auburn/Alabama game, I set to work, positioning my hooks and getting the lights and garland ready to hang. After waiting the suggested hour for the hooks to properly adhere to the wall, I hung up the garland and lights, as well as the ornaments and big bow. And BOOM! Super adorable, simple Christmas tree! I absolutely LOVE IT! Now my apartment feels just as festive as my soul does! J (And yes, I watched the A&M game too…but we don’t have to talk about it!)

My Christmas Tree!

This week is going to be an exciting one! On Wednesday, the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center will be lit! I’ve always dreamed of seeing it and this year I finally get to! Then on Thursday, one of my best friends, Rachel, is coming to visit for a few days! We’re going to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes on Saturday, another thing I’ve always dreamed of seeing! And in only a few short weeks, I’ll be headed back to Texas to see my family and celebrate Christmas. I’ve truly got so much to be thankful for.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and have begun your Christmas decorating!

XOXO,

Alex

"It's the Holiday Season...duh dum duh dum..."

It’s been a few weeks since I last posted and since I’m having a bit of a lazy Sunday, I thought I’d write a post to catch you guys up on what’s been happening up here in the Big Apple.

I’ve fallen into quite a daily routine now, which looks a little something like: wake up, get dressed, go to work, come home, eat dinner, read or watch Netflix, go to bed, and repeat. On Friday nights, I meet up with some friends who are also new hires at my company for drinks. Every other week we do dinner somewhere fun. Our last Friday night dinner was at a BBQ restaurant called Brother Jimmy’s. They also happen to be famous for their Swamp Water, an alcoholic beverage served in a fish bowl, complete with a plastic gator. It was actually quite tasty! The weekends are a little less structured. I generally sleep in a bit and then try to do something fun…but I always make sure I’m home to watch the Aggies play on Saturdays! Obviously! Sundays are church, grocery shopping, cleaning, and meal prepping days (more on this later). It’s starting to feel like real life, rather than just going through the motions until I’m off the hook…if that makes any sense AT ALL hahaha

The Swamp Water

Today also marks 2 months since moving into my apartment! It’s still coming together, but hopefully in a few more months I’ll have it where I want it. I have learned one thing though: I like to keep a clean home. WHO KNEW?! I know there will be several people shocked by this, mainly my mother. I sweep at least once a week and every other week I deep clean, meaning dusting, cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, etc. But seriously, it’s like clockwork! This, coming from someone who used to maybe vacuum their room once every three months and change their sheets once every couple of months. (Yeah I know that’s gross but it was annoying taking them off the bed!) Now I change my sheets much more frequently. And I actually love it! I LOVE when everything is clean and there’s no dust or grime on the floor. Looks like I’m growing up after all!

Another new thing I just experience, grocery delivery! Living on a budget is much more challenging than I expected. I did some calculations and the amount of money I was spending on groceries and eating out last month was RIDICULOUS. I decided this month I really needed to be mindful about what I was spending on food. There’s a grocery store down the street I go to on Sundays and purchase food for the week. Then I prepare my meals and have them in the fridge for easy access. This particular store is a bit small and, well, pricey. There are so many things I look at the price and think, this is at least $2 cheaper in Texas.

I’ve been reading articles about grocery shopping on a budget in NYC and several articles suggested the grocery delivery services. So, I decided to try one. Sure enough, I did end up being able to get about 2 weeks’ worth of food to make for about $10-$15 more than I was getting one week’s worth at the store down the street. I was able to compare prices right there on my screen and take advantage of some sale items. There was also a coupon I found to get the delivery fee waved, so that also saved me. The absolute best part about it, I DIDN’T HAVE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE! I didn’t have to walk down the crowded aisles trying to find the items I was looking for and bumping into strangers. All of the things I needed were delivered right to my door. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. (I know I sound like a diva, but seriously I hate the grocery store and this was like winning the lottery!)

For the past few weeks, I was working on a client out of White Plains, New York, which is north of the city. This required me to wake up an extra hour to allow for travel time. Not fun the first few days as I adjusted. Each morning I would leave around 7, take the subway to Grand Central Station, and then take the train out to White Plains. From the train station, I walked to my client’s office. All in all, it took me about an hour and a half, which, compared to other people’s commutes, really isn’t that bad. The train ride was nice, as we went through some gorgeous tree-lined areas. White Plains itself was also a really cute place. The other neat thing was just getting to go to Grand Central every day. There’s such a bustling atmosphere and so many people going to so many different places. It’s such an old building and yet it’s still very much a vital part of travel in the city. I’m actually going to miss being there. This week I start on a new client, who I’ll be working on for about the next 6 months. They’re in Manhattan, so the commute will be much more manageable.

Now onto the fun part of this blog post, the holiday season is OFFICIALLY underway here in the city. First up was Halloween last weekend. This year I didn’t dress up and it hurt my soul. I LOVE getting all dressed up for Halloween and take great pride in making my costumes (i.e., my Elsa costume last year). However, I just didn’t have the time, or inspiration for that matter, to come up with something. So, I threw on a Gryffindor shirt and told myself I was Ginny Weasley because of my red hair. It made me feel a little bit better about not having put in the effort for a full-blown costume.

I met up with a friend of mine down in Greenwich Village where we watched the NY Halloween Parade. There were LOADS of people out to watch and the vast majority of them were dressed up themselves! I saw so many incredible costumes on people who weren’t even in the parade! Once the parade did start, tons of costumed New Yorkers made their way down the street, jamming out to music and having a great time. There were some floats and bands, as well as dance groups. My favorite, the New York Thriller group who moved down the street doing Michael Jackson’s Thriller and it was amazing. It wasn’t half-ass either, they were going after it.

After about two hours, my friend and I decided we’d seen enough and left. This had a little to do with the fact we’d been out there about 3 and a half hours, since we went early to get decent viewing spots, and a LOT to do with the fact people started cramming in closer together. We weren’t fans of the people behind us being practically on top of us. Not a fun situation! I went home, grabbed some McDonald’s because it was the only thing open that late and close to my apartment, and watched The Prince and Me…because I couldn’t bring myself to watch a scary movie…alone…in my apartment…alone. Bottom line: It was a nice Halloween spent with a good friend J

Rubi and Me at the Parade!

Now I want to first say, I love Thanksgiving. I respect it as a holiday and I love everything it represents. A day for us to think about all of the many blessings we’ve been given and to stuff our faces with delicious turkey and pumpkin pie. However, I’m one of those people who sometimes let’s their love of Christmas overpower their love of Thanksgiving….okay not sometimes, try all the time. Which is why I started listening to Christmas music on November 5^th. Before you get irate, I started listening to Christmas music on, like, November 1^st last year so I’m doing better, okay!!! I’m sorry but if I wait for the day after Thanksgiving to start listening to Christmas music, I’m left with 29 days to indulge in the beautiful crooning of Michael Buble, Andy Williams, and Nat King Cole. THAT’S NOT ENOUGH! Christmas music makes me ridiculously happy, so don’t mind me as I walk down the street listening to it in my earbuds and smiling like an idiot.

This city is not helping either. They’ve started decorating for the holidays already!! If you didn’t see it on the news or whatever, the big Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center arrived on Friday and is in the process of being installed. It was actually quite incredible to see that take shape. It’s a real construction zone now too and they make sure it’s secure. I’ve NEVER seen the tree in Rock Center so I am ECSTATIC. Saks Fifth Avenue across the street already has their Christmas décor up outside, as well as Tiffany & Co. and Harry Winston. A lot of other storefronts on Fifth Avenue are preparing their windows for the holidays and I can’t wait to see what they look like.

The Tree arrives!

And it's up!!!

And now a construction zone!

Yesterday I was doing a bit of shopping and went my Macy’s in Herald Square. They already have up some of their Christmas décor outside, but I decided to go inside to their Christmas floor. SON OF A NUTCRACKER, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!! I can’t even begin to tell you how many Christmas trees were up in there and they were COVERED in a gazillion ornaments! There were Santa figurines and tree skirts and stuffed Christmas toys and anything and everything you could possibly need to decorate your house for Christmas. I was in heaven. After roaming around there for a while, I decided it was probably unhealthy and I should leave. So, reluctantly, I did.

Macy's!!

As my mother put it in a text message, “You are going to be in heaven this holiday season.” Yes, yes I am. I know that a lot of this is due to consumerism. I’m not naïve! But I choose not to look at it that way. The spirit of Christmas is what I’ve always loved. The giving and the love, that’s what it’s about for me. So I’m going to keep believing in the magic, all the way until December 25^th!

As more and more decorations go up around the city, I’ll be sure to post pictures!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

XOXO,

Alex

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Fall has official taken over here in New York City. And no, it wasn’t the festive autumn Starbucks cups or the pumpkin spice-everything on the store shelves that gave it away. There’s a light chill in the air and the New Yorkers have officially broken out their boots, sweaters and scarves. Coming from Texas, I’m not quite used to having these cool temps in early October. It’s the kind of weather where you could comfortably wear that adorable Fall outfit you pinned on your Pinterest board and not have to fear that you’d be sweating by the end of the day.

               

However, there are days when the temperature is a little higher and a jacket and scarf combo just seems like too much. Especially when your morning commute consists of a packed subway ride and 20 minute walk outside. New York is a much more humid place than you might imagine. Once you go underground and get a little overheated, stepping outside into the sticky air causes that light sweat that had begun to accumulate on your brow to multiply.

I’ve learned to just carry my blazers and cardigans, rather than wear them, in order to try and make sure I make it to work without looking like I just ran a marathon. I’m serious here, the sweat is real. Like, why did I even bother with make-up or blow drying my hair, real. Yesterday morning it was in the low 60’s and I was rocking a short-sleeved shirt. I swear I got so many weird looks, because everyone else was all bundled up. I thought it felt great! And when I got to work, no sweat. Make-up intact, hair still looking pretty good. It was magical. Adapting is key.

Did I also mention a couple of weeks ago we were told to stay alert regarding a particular hurricane named Joaquin? Yeah. Never did I think I would move away from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast and still have to monitor a hurricane. Luckily, we just had some rain that weekend as a result of Joaquin’s close proximity, but nothing too extreme. Our friends in South Carolina weren’t so lucky. Prayers to all of those affected by the horrible flooding there.

Seasons changing not only mean a shift in the weather, but also the passing of time. And speaking of time, it has officially been a little over a month since I moved into my new apartment! It’s been nearly two months since I left Texas for my new life in the city. I’ve also just had my one-monthiversary at work. It’s all very exciting.

While my apartment still isn’t quite as decorated as I would like for it to be, it is definitely starting to feel like my place. My mom shipped me five boxes full of some of my things I’d left in Texas, like kitchenware, pictures, wall hangings, décor, and my winter clothes. Now that I’ve got photos of family and friends all around, the place really feels like my home, rather than just a place where I live.

Photos make a place feel like home

The same day all of my stuff arrived, I finally secured some pots and pans, which means I’m now able to do a bit of cooking. It is expensive eating out all of the time, so for the past two weeks I’ve meal-prepped my lunches and dinners. It’s not only a money saver, but also a healthier alternative to eating out. On the weekends, I treat myself to something good, which I usually stretch out into several meals that I eat all weekend long.

I’ve already met some pretty amazing people through work. We try to all get together once a week to do something fun and hang out. One week it was a rooftop happy hour followed by dinner at a Korean restaurant (a type of cuisine I’d never had before but it was quite delicious!). The next week was a movie (The Martian for those curious…it was really good and much funnier than you’d expect) proceeded by hours of conversation on the steps of the New York Public Library.

Our group is very diverse, which is one of the things I love most about us. Growing up in a small town in Texas, I was surrounded by people who were all very similar to me, in background, upbringing, religion, etc. When I went off to college, there was a more diverse population, but it was nothing compared to the diversity here in New York. I’ve always been interested in getting to know people of different cultures and religions. I’m fortunate that my parents taught me to be open-minded, respectful, and tolerant of those who were different from me. It’s humbling really. Our world is such a large place and rarely do we get to see what life is like for the other people who share it with us. This group of people that I’ve met have come from all over the world, from different upbringings and backgrounds, have different religions than me, and different life experiences. It’s been so incredible getting to know them, and I’m looking forward to continuing our friendship.

Even though I’ve only been here in New York for a short amount of time, it feels like I’ve been here ages. It’s amazing what getting into a daily routine does to your brain. Another thing I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older is that time seems to start moving faster. The weekends these days seem to go by in the blink of an eye! Or maybe that’s just what happens when you’re a working adult. I’m not sure, I’m kind of new at this.

I’m looking forward to the holidays, seeing the city change along with the times. The ice skating rink has been erected in front of Rockefeller Center and the flowerbeds have been filled with pumpkins and gourds. Window displays have adapted to have a much more autumnal feel. And Saks Fifth Avenue has an incredible Christian Louboutin window-display going right now…but I digress. I know it won’t be long before the Christmas season hits and I can’t wait! But for now, I’m going to enjoy each holiday as it comes.

Ice Skating Rink construction at Rock Center

This past Sunday, I threw on some comfy clothes, grabbed a blanket and a book, and headed to my favorite area of Central Park. I found a spot close by where I spent several hours just reading and enjoying the amazing weather. Sometimes I still feel like I’m living in a dream, but then Monday rolls around and I have to go to work and I remember that if this were a dream, I probably wouldn’t be working.

Lazy Sunday in the Park

Those feelings of anxiety and that questioning mind I had when I first arrived, have all gone out the window. I keep Texas always close to my heart, but for right now, I’m embracing New York and seeing what life has to offer. Just enjoying this experience one day at a time.

Happy Fall, Y’all!

Alex

Moving To New York: As Told By An Overthinking, Type-A Princess: Part 4

Hey Everybody!

Sorry I’ve been silent for the past week and a half-ish. I was doing so well with the consecutive posting, but I had training for work this past week and things got really busy. Never fear, I’ve got a new post for you guys detailing the move-in and the days that followed.

As I said in the last post, if you can remember back that far J, September 8^th finally arrived. Mom and I loaded up the hotel cart with all of our things, laughing the whole time because we knew we looked SO ridiculous. Standing on the curb with our trolley, we waited for our Uber driver to arrive. His eyes literally BUGGED OUT when he saw how much crap we had! And the poor guy wouldn’t let us help him load the stuff up! Once we got it all in, we headed off for my apartment.

After I signed my lease the week before, the real estate office gave me a key to my building, but told me I’d have to get in touch with the building superintendent in order to get the key to my actual apartment. I called him that afternoon, but only reached his voicemail where I left a message. The next day he called me back and we had a brief chat. My apartment had been undergoing renovations and he informed me that installing the kitchen countertop was the only thing left. He followed that up by saying it wouldn’t be finished until September 9th because of the holiday weekend. (If you remember, move-in on September 8^th…hmmm) I said I didn’t care if it wasn’t there when I moved in and he said okay. We decided I would let him know an hour before Mom and I planned to arrive at my building so he could meet us there on move-in day.

Now over the course of that weekend, after our initial conversation, I tried to reach him several times with no luck. When I was ordering my bed at Macy’s, they asked if I knew whether my building allowed weekend deliveries….because apparently that’s a thing…buildings don’t want their tenants being disturbed by furniture being moved on the weekends so they sometimes restrict it. I tried to reach the super to ask about this, but received no response…not even the next day…or the next. Needless to say, I was extremely frustrated.

So, when Tuesday morning rolled around, an hour and a half before we’d decided we would arrive at my building, I gave the super a call. Not surprisingly, I reached his voicemail where I left a message. After an hour went by without hearing a confirmation from him that he would be there to meet us, we called him from my mom’s phone and what do you know, he answered! He said he didn’t get my message and he couldn’t be there to let us in until 1:00 PM…it was currently 10:00 AM. Annoyed.

Now let’s get to the good stuff. Our Uber driver dumped us outside of my building with our wares around 12:45 that afternoon. My building has this small courtyard so we were able to chill in there while we waited for the super, rather than be right out on the sidewalk for all the world to see.

When 1:00 rolled around, there was no sign of the super. We gave him a few more minutes, and he finally showed up. They had to change the lock on my door, but then I’d be good to go. After meeting my super in person, he was very nice and I was a little less annoyed by the fact I couldn’t reach him all weekend. The super had some guys that work for him there that day, and they offered to help us carry my stuff up.

Have I mentioned that I’m on the fourth floor? But really it’s like the 5^th floor because there are no apartments on the ground level, so the second floor is technically considered the 1^st floor. This means, four flights of stairs to get up to my place. Steep stairs, might I add. (I just keep reminding myself that I’ll have a great butt thanks to all these stairs…it’s what gets me through!)

We were thankful for the help but felt SO BAD for the guys. They chose to carry up the two overweight suitcases. And we know it was a struggle for them! Mom and I made about two trips up and down ourselves, carrying up the remainder of my stuff.

Finally, after almost TWO weeks of living in New York, I was in my very own place!!!! The place I would be calling home for the next year, at least. It was so exciting!

Just Moved In!

But Mom was on a mission to get me the rest of the things I needed. Almost immediately after getting all of my stuff up, she was ready to set off! So, to K-Mart we went. We did some shopping there, then grabbed an Uber back to my place because there was no way we were going to be able to maneuver the rush hour subway with all of our stuff.

Once that load was done, and our stair climbing count was up to…ummm 4, Mom looked at me and said, “I think we should just go ahead and go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and get the last few things…” I sighed heavily, because the day had just been seriously exhausting, but I agreed and off we went to get MORE things!

There is one big window in my apartment and there were no blinds, so it was just wide open. I wasn’t too bothered, but Mom was NOT a fan. She made me buy some paper shades to put up in the window. I was talking to my dad later that night and he laughed, saying my mom was a huge fan of paper shades and it didn’t surprise him at all. Whatever. I had to balance on the window sill to try and tape them up so that we could have the privacy my mom desired. (Sidenote: the paper shades are still up…but you can’t really tell because there are curtains covering them…hahaha)

That night, Mom and I slept on air mattresses. It’s a great memory and I’ll always remember sleeping on a blow-up mattress in my very first apartment with my mom!

The next morning, I got a call from IKEA notifying me that my furniture delivery window was set between 5:00 and 9:00 PM. Of course. I had requested some time before noon, if possible. Something I learned on this move was NEVER to expect things to go the way I wanted them to. Because they just wouldn’t!

So, we kind of took our time that morning getting ready and we ran a few more errands, like going to Pier One and getting my new dishes and some fabulous curtains! Everything was on-sale, which was a real treat. We followed that up with ANOTHER trip to Bed, Bath, and Beyond…like, seriously, I am so over this place. As I write this, I’m already thinking about the fact I need to go tomorrow to get a couple more things…ugh!!!!!

Once we got back to the apartment, we settled in to wait for the IKEA delivery. In order to make sure we were ready for a night spent assembling furniture, Mom and I ordered Patsy’s for dinner, having them deliver a pizza, some pasta, and a salad. We sat on the floor, with our dinner spread out in front of us, and ate it on paper plates. Another great memory.

Yummmm!!

While waiting on the delivery, I washed all of my new dishes and everything…in the bathtub. My kitchen countertop didn’t end up getting installed on the 9^th like I’d originally thought. Instead, it was the next day. I wanted to get all of my dishes put away…so I settled for the bathtub. You just have to make do sometimes!

I don’t think I mentioned the laundry. So, my apartment doesn’t have a washer and dryer in the unit, nor does it have a washer and dryer in the entire building. So, I’m going to have to drop my laundry off at places to have it washed, or go to a laundromat, whatever is most convenient. The day before I dropped off all of my new towels, sheets and two weeks worth of dirty clothes to have them washed at a little place down the street. Mom went and picked those up for me before the IKEA delivery. I will say, the whole drop your laundry off and have someone else wash and fold it for you is kind of nice. I picked up a load yesterday and it was just so easy!

So FINALLY at about 8:00 PM, the IKEA delivery showed up! There was only one guy delivering several HEAVY boxes. Mom and I couldn’t believe it. He also couldn’t get the whole box with the couch pieces in it up the stairs, and we had to convince him to take them out of the box in order to get it up the stairs.

Once everything was inside, we got started. First, came the loveseat, because it was the easiest thing to put together (it had the fewest pieces). While Mom ironed the loveseat cover, I began work on the 8-drawer dresser I’d purchased. I don’t even know how many pieces there were but just know that there were a LOT of parts. Slowly but surely, we built that dresser and by the next morning, it was complete!

Not too shabby!

The next day, sadly, it was time for Mom to go home. I’m so SO grateful for the time we spent getting things for my apartment and getting it all put together. My mom and dad have been so supportive through this entire process, even though I know it was hard for them to watch their little girl move across the country. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without their help. Love you, both!!

Mom and I managed to say goodbye with no tears this time! As she was leaving, the workers came to install my new kitchen countertop and sink. They also hooked up my stove, which I hadn’t even realized wasn’t hooked up.

My Kitchen

My Bathroom (It's bigger than it looks in the picture, I promise!)

That Saturday my bed was delivered. Of course, that didn’t go as planned either. The delivery guys couldn’t get the box spring up because the ceiling on the first floor is too low. So, I was left with a bed frame in a box and a mattress resting on the floor. The next day, I went to Macy’s to order a split box spring and of course, that delivery wasn’t going to be able to happen for almost two weeks!

On Monday, September 14^th, I started my first day at work. The first day of my career, as my dad put it. I spent the first week going through orientation and then a few days of training. The next week, I went back to Texas for more training. That’s where my firm’s training facility is located. It was like being on vacation, except I was working every day.

Of course, my room had an amazing view of the countryside and it made me miss Texas even more than I already did. Overall, the transition has been going well. If I’m being honest, I’ve definitely been more homesick than I thought I would be. I think that’s only natural though, as I continue settling in.

I’ve already made some great friends at work and I can’t wait to see what’s to come!

I’m hoping to try and post as much as I can, especially when something exciting happens.

Please keep me in your prayers as I continue getting used to life in New York City!!

XOXO,

Alex

P.S. This past Saturday my split box spring was delivered and I finally have a whole bed to sleep on! And oh, is it heavenly!!!