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!!!

Moving To New York: As Told By An Overthinking, Type-A Princess: Part 3

Hello, hello, hello!

So glad you came back!

After signing my lease and finding out I couldn’t move in until the 8^th, my mom and I got a game plan together. We moved to a hotel on Friday evening and stayed there until my move-in day. She also decided to extend her trip a couple of days so she could be here to help once I ACTUALLY got moved in. Mommy, thank you SO SO MUCH!!!!

We decided it’d be best to start ordering furniture and scheduling delivery for the day of or day after my move-in date. Our hotel was in close proximity to a really good TJ Maxx, Century 21 (an incredible discount store), and a Bed, Bath & Beyond. Speaking of which, if I don’t see the inside of a Bed, Bath & Beyond for a month…it will be too soon. Anyways, we utilized those places to accumulate housewares like towels, sheets, a duvet cover, blankets, etc. Our tiny little hotel room was practically bursting with all of our stuff!!! It was ridiculous!

Another wonderful place we utilized was IKEA. Oh yes, you all know about the wonder of IKEA….or at least, I’m sure you all know. If not, you should go to your nearest IKEA and find out! I think I’ve been to the Houston IKEA maybe twice in my life and neither of those times was I searching for myself. Now it was my turn to make decisions about what kind of furniture was going to adorn my studio apartment and IT WAS SOOOOO OVERWHELMING. But I think maybe that’s just what happens when you go to IKEA….you get ridiculously overwhelmed.

It is an absolute fantasyland! A one stop shop for any and everything you could POSSIBLY need to furnish a place at extremely reasonable prices. After doing some research, we figured out that you could get to the IKEA in Brooklyn by taking the IKEA Express water taxi, which is free on the weekends. So, after stopping and getting some Broadway show tickets at the TKTS Booth at South Street Seaport, we headed to Pier 11 and got in the long line for our boat.

Once we boarded, it took maybe 15 minutes to get there and off we went! I felt like a very anxiety ridden kid in a candy store, feeling drawn to one candy thinking it was perfect but then questioning myself as to whether or not that candy was REALLY what I wanted or if I wanted the other candy that I really really love too…this was a theme that emerged throughout the course of the weekend. You’ll see what I mean.

Surprisingly, I decided on a loveseat and coffee table almost straight out of the gate! As we walked further and further through the showrooms, I got more and more overwhelmed. (I think I’ve used that word too much…but oh well! It’s the truth!) Then I picked out an 8-drawer dresser that can also double as an entertainment center if I decide to get a TV. It’s all about saving space in these New York apartments, you see.

Once we were done there, we arrived at the marketplace. Which is literally just chock full of home furnishings!!!! AND I JUST HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF! I mean there was just so much to choose from! If I’d had unlimited funds, I would have gone hog wild!!! That is what dreams are made of, people! Alas, I settled for some glasses, silverware, and knives. Just to have a little something to start with.

Then came the picking room. For those who haven’t been to IKEA, this is basically a giant warehouse where you locate the heavy boxes that the furniture comes in, load them up on a trolley, and proceed to the check-out line. Did I mention these boxes are heavy…and they are sometimes several shelves up off the ground?! Given that it was just Mom and I, we opted to have the picking done for us. It was a small fee and VERY worth it. We talked to an employee who told us we would have to check-out with the items from the marketplace and then get in the HELLA LONG home delivery line in order to schedule the pick and delivery. Did I also mention the check-out lines were HELLA LONG?! It’s back to school and moving season, so whatever.

After checking out, our cashier told us that we actually didn’t have to get in the home delivery line, but instead go back to the showrooms where we would find a pick and delivery kiosk. We made our way there, scheduled the delivery, paid, and prepared for our exit. But wait, there is only one way out of the showrooms…and that’s to go BACK THROUGH THE ENTIRE STORE!

At this point, Mom and I could not WAIT to get the HELL out of there!!! I think it had been about 3 or 4 hours…WHICH IS ENTIRELY TOO LONG!! We were cutting and weaving our way through that store like we were being pursued by the police or something! But don’t worry, we made it out alive and back to the boat that brought us home! Or at least to our hotel.

The next few days were spent collecting other various items from the stores I mentioned earlier. Mom had to get real with me and tell me it was time to bite the bullet and start making some purchases.

I have this thing about visions. In my head, I can picture exactly how I want something to look. After I saw my apartment, and did some serious Pinterest browsing, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted my color scheme to be, how I wanted my furniture arranged, and what I wanted the general feel of the place to be. I’d been holding off pulling the trigger on purchases because I was worried it didn’t quite fit my “vision.” I’m weird that way. And I get extremely picky when it comes to bringing my visions to life.

Finally deciding Mom was right and I needed to start committing, as she put it, we racked up on things like towels, dishes, bedding, and other various household goods. We stockpiled everything in our hotel room like little chipmunks storing nuts for the winter.

Oh, I also ordered a bed from Macy’s during the Labor Day weekend sale. It’s perhaps the nicest mattress I have ever had and I am so so happy with it! It wouldn’t be delivered until a week after I ordered it, which meant about 4 nights in my new place with no bed, but the sale was just too good to pass up!

Before we knew it, it was Tuesday morning and we were cramming all of our belongings onto a hotel cart and making our way out of the hotel to the waiting Uber car. It was moving day, and we had quite an interesting few days ahead of us!

To hear about move-in day and the days that followed, tune in tomorrow for Part 4!

Obviously I have to talk about the two Broadway shows Mom and I attended while she was here. The first was Finding Neverland, based on the film of the same name about author J.M. Barrie and what led to him writing one of the greatest stories of all time, Peter Pan. The show stars Matthew Morrison, aka Mr. Scheuster from Glee, as Barrie and Laura Michelle Kelly as Sylvia, the single mother of four boys who inspires Barrie to write his masterpiece. It’s a story about growing up, but not growing up too soon. It’s a story about imagination and inspiration. A story about family and love.

I figured I would like the show, given that I’d heard so many good things about it, but I was not prepared to love it as much as I did. The last 15 minutes of the show I was basically sobbing and I have NEVER done that in a show before! Well…I cried quite a bit at the end of Once…but not this much! The story gets a bit sad at the end, but it was also because I witnessed some of the most beautiful scenes I’d ever seen on stage! One in particular was just so stunning, you’d have to see it to understand! The music was beautiful and the performances by the whole cast were incredible, including the kids.

I think it also got to me because there I was embarking on a great change in my life…growing up if you will…and I was watching a story about how the boy who never grew up was created. I strongly encourage seeing the show if you’re going to be in New York anytime soon! Bring some tissues!

Completely changing gears, the next evening we saw Something Rotten! A comedy musical about down on their luck playwrights, the Bottom brothers, who are struggling to write a play better than the Bard himself, William Shakespeare. Nigel Bottom, absolutely fed up with Shakespeare and all of his fame and glory, decides to consult a soothsayer, Nostradamus, to find out what the next big thing in theatre is. His answer: musicals. Cue an absolutely FANTASTIC musical number called ‘A Musical’ and you’ve got the whole audience giving one of the longest rounds of applause I have ever heard!

William D’Arcy James plays Nigel and Christian Borle plays the rockstar, Shakespeare. This was the third time Mom and I have seen Christian Borle onstage (we kind of love him) and he was just so fantastic, as was James. If you enjoy laughing out loud, having a fantastic time, and funny Shakespeare quips, this show is for you!

Have a great Friday night!

Moving To New York: As Told By An Overthinking, Type-A Princess: Part 2

Hello everyone, welcome back!

Where did I leave off…oh yes! The apartment search! Right! Okay, so I arrived in New York City and went straight to my friend’s place where I would be staying while I hunted the concrete jungle for a place to live.

Earlier in the summer, a friend of mine from grad school helped me get in touch with an Aggie who’s a real estate broker in NYC. During the months leading up to my move, I coordinated with her about various things like what my budget was, what kind of place I was looking for, what neighborhood I wanted to be in, etc. Thank goodness I had her! If I hadn’t, the whole thing would have been WAY MORE stressful.

When you apply for an apartment in New York, the process is very similar to applying for a mortgage. You must be approved, based on your credit, income, bank accounts, and such. In order to qualify for a place without having a guarantor, you must make about 40 times the monthly rent in annual salary. Due to the fact I wanted to live in neighborhoods closer to my job in midtown, and the fact I chose not to have a roommate, I wasn’t going to be able to swing it without a guarantor. Luckily, my grandfather agreed to help me out.

Before I arrived, my broker had me collect the documents that leasing agents would most likely require once I found a place I liked. The real estate market in New York is ridiculously fast-paced. You have to be ready to move quickly once you find something you like or else, it’ll be gone. I learned that the hard way!

Feeling quite optimistic and ready to find my new home, I looked at two places the afternoon of my arrival in the city. The first place was WAY bigger than I had imagined a NY apartment being. It was a one bedroom and had quite a large kitchen area and living room. As I was looking around I started thinking that it was pretty spacious and I liked it. Then came its quirky charm…the shower…was in…the kitchen. What looked like a very unassuming pantry door, turned out to be the door to an upright shower…right there…in the kitchen. Like a dum-dum, I did not get a photo of this kitchen shower…but oh my! I had never seen anything like it in my entire life!

Once we wrapped up there, we went and looked at another smaller studio apartment. And boy was it smaller than that first one. There was a decent-sized kitchen, a quite nice bathroom, and then the actual studio part. I honestly think I would have had to get a twin-size bed…and maybe just a little loveseat…and that would be all the furniture I could fit. TINY.

My broker and I ended the day talking about what I liked and didn’t like about those two places and where we were going to be looking the following day. The next morning, I went and walked around the neighborhood where the first two places were located and I realized I really liked the area the first place was in. Kitchen shower and all, I was ready to commit to that one. I figured it would make a good story one day. When I met up with my broker to see another place that afternoon, I told her about how I thought I might want to apply for the first place. We took a look at place number three, which was a really nice one bedroom, and then we parted ways so she could figure out how I could apply for apartment number 1 and number 3…in case one was a no go. You following?

Unfortunately, when we reconvened to look at the next two places that afternoon, Apartments 1 and 3 were gone. Applications were filed by strong candidates and there was very minimal chance I would be able to beat out those applicants. See what I mean about that fast-paced real estate market? So…onto numbers 4 and 5.

The second of these two places ended up being a really nice alcove studio. We decided, since I was in a bit of a time crunch and since it was the favorite of all the available ones I’d seen, I’d go ahead and put in an application.

Without going into too much detail, the alcove studio didn’t pan out. The leasing agent and management company kept requesting more and more personal documents regarding myself and my grandpa, mostly my grandpa, in order to approve me. They weren’t satisfied with bank statements and tax returns. They kept wanting more. It became pretty apparent that they really didn’t want to give me the apartment. Every time we sent them a new document, they asked for more. This lasted about four days before my grandpa pulled the plug and said no more. It was frustrating, but also a relief to just say okay we’re out.

While all this was happening, I looked at two more places and found another I really liked. But alas, it already had an application and security deposit. Another one bites the dust. Total apartment count as of now: 7

Finally on Tuesday afternoon, my broker and I looked at 5 more apartments and guess what….apartment number 12 ended up being THE ONE! (For all you Aggies, pretty cool it ended up being the 12^th apartment I looked at, am I right?) Finally after nearly a week of searching, trying to stay positive, and a tearful phone call with my dad, I found an apartment! And it’s pretty adorable, even if I have to climb up four flights of stairs to get there. We moved quickly and two days later, on September 3^rd, I was signing a lease.

The only problem was, I couldn’t move in until September 8^th….My mom had come in to town to help me get settled and had a flight home on the 7th…and we were going to be homeless when our friend left to visit Texas the next day…

As you can see….I may have found an apartment, but there was still much more adventure to be had….

Tune in for Part 3 tomorrow!

Moving To New York: As Told By An Overthinking, Type-A Princess: Part 1

Well everybody, I’ve done it. I’ve officially moved to New York. It took blood, sweat, and some tears…okay, a lot of tears…to do it, but it happened. I’m here and I’m eager to begin this new chapter in one of my favorite cities. I know many of you, mostly my lovely family, are eager to hear about what’s been going on for the past three weeks since I left Texas. Well, here goes nothing! For the next few days, I will be uploading blog posts about my big move and my thoughts on New York life thus far. So ready your popcorn, pop some bubbly, or whatever, and get ready for Moving To New York: As Told By An Overthinking, Type-A Princess.

All those years spent dreaming about moving to New York, living the city life and having so much culture and art at my fingertips, I never once thought about the logistics. What exactly does a cross-country move to New York look like? How do I get all of my stuff there? How does one get furniture up to their apartment if they live in a walk-up and don’t have any friends yet? Will I be able to get things delivered? What if I don’t have laundry in my apartment building?

Did I mention I flew to New York not even having a place to live?! Crazy, right. Especially for someone like me.

So here’s my version of what it was like to move to New York City. It may not be this way for everyone, and perhaps I could have done things differently, but this is the saga of a type-A, anxiety-ridden, overreacting, overemotional Princess…named Alex J

The night before my one-way trip to NYC, I was frantically packing. Definitely not my best move. Instead of relaxing and enjoying one final night with my family, I was cramming way too much stuff into two suitcases and a duffle, while lamenting about how I just didn’t understand why my personal belongings seemed to keep growing, rather than shrinking, in size. I managed to get all of my clothing (except the winter essentials), shoes, undergarments, accessories, toiletries, and other various must-haves into the bags that would be flying with me the next day.

That same night, as I was cleaning out some purses, the fact that I was moving states away and that my life was changing hit me like a brick wall and, while I’m not proud to say it, I spent most of that evening crying. Because once I manage to let one teardrop escape, the floodgates opened for business.

In my defense, I hadn’t had a proper cry since I graduated college back in May. And for a person who emotes as much as me, that’s a really long time to keep those feelings bottled up! I’ve never been a nostalgic person and I’ve never been sad about one chapter of my life closing and another one beginning. To me, these are exciting life events. The difference in graduating college and graduating high school is that, after high school, you know college is the likely next step. However, after college…the possibilities are endless. The world is at your fingertips and you get to make your life whatever you want it to be. And if I sit and think about that too hard…I get really freaked out!

I’m a planner, I like to have a rough agenda. I like to foresee where my life could potentially be. Of course I have goals and aspirations, but I can’t picture another upcoming milestone the way you can picture walking across a stage holding a diploma. The secretary of my life called and said she shredded all of my agendas and my schedule for the next who knows how many years is WIDE OPEN. Scary stuff. But also ridiculously exciting. Because now I get to make it whatever I want it to be.

So back to packing and crying. And when I say crying, I mean the ugly, heavy kind. I was crying about the fact that I was done with college, done attending the greatest university in the whole world, Texas A&M, done living in College Station, and done living in Texas. Tears were falling because I would no longer be seeing my best friends every single day and wouldn’t be able to just hop in the car and drive to see my family when I wanted. I was also crying out of fear…fear of the unknown and the enormous life-change that was heading my way. Fear I’d made the wrong choice.

But I don’t really believe in wrong choices. I’ve always wanted to live in New York and I had the perfect opportunity to make that happen. If it doesn’t end up being everything I thought it’d be or if I just don’t see myself being here anymore, then that’s okay. At least I tried. I would never regret taking the chance to live in New York City, but I would definitely regret NOT taking it. When you’ve wanted to do something your whole life, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot.

Once I finished packing and calmed down, I was able to sleep, somewhat soundly, before waking up and preparing for the long journey ahead. With two overweight suitcases, a large Vera Bradley duffle, and a tote bag, we headed to the airport with my parents driving as I sat quietly in the backseat of the car. Just like I was a little kid again. All of the “See You Soon’s” had been said, and one final goodbye to my trusty first car, Ella the Elantra. (At the time this post was written, Ella had found a new home. I don’t want to talk about it L)

Once arriving at the airport, I checked in for my Southwest flight and made my way to the security lines, where I had a tearful goodbye with my parents. I do NOT like crying in front of people. I put on my sunglasses as fast as I could but the tears were streaming down. I was quite angry with myself for being so emotional, but oh well. It happened. I’m sure people in the airport were thinking, this girl clearly has some issues because she’s sobbing all over the place. Thankfully, I was at Hobby, not IAH…less people, you know.

Once I was through security, I sat down at the gate, pulled myself together, and bought the Texas Monthly with JJ Watt on the cover. Because it made me happy to have a “Texas” magazine with me…not because JJ was on the cover…obviously. We boarded the plane and three and a half hours later I landed in my new home.

Getting two large suitcases, a duffle, and a tote out of an airport, all by yourself, while also trying to locate your Uber car as taxis and other vehicles are zooming by…is ridiculously difficult. Remember that anxiety I mentioned earlier, this is one of the things I was stressing over. My parents suggested getting one of those luggage carts, which ended up being the best $6 I’ve ever spent. Some nice people at baggage claim helped me get the trolley all situated before I headed out. Thank you, nice people! Once I made it to the car, I headed to my very generous family friend’s home, where I would be staying while I searched for an apartment.

The apartment search, which I naively and optimistically, thought would only last a couple of days, ended up being a weeklong extravaganza I had NO IDEA I was in for…

Tune in for Part 2 of Moving to New York: As Told By An Overthinking, Type-A Princess tomorrow!