Let the Planning Begin!

Months ago, I sat in Sweet Frog, enjoying frozen yogurt (cake batter, please) brainstorming internship ideas with my friends Marcia and Don. My graduate program gives students the opportunity to complete a 100-hour internship instead of taking a full-semester course just before graduation. I can remember thinking to myself that if an internship was indeed a possibility, it HAD to incorporate my three passions: event planning, New York City and Appalachian State in one grand experience. Most students that complete internships are full-time students, and have the whole summer to move somewhere else or work in an office on campus. While working full-time, I don't have that luxury, but made it my personal mission to make it work.

The next day, I had it figured out.

I could plan an alumni event at the Appalachian Loft in New York City. I love New York, and the AppLoft is the perfect place to bring together former fellow Mountaineers for one magical evening. The only other thing I needed was someone else to believe in my dream just as much as I did. A week later, I met with our Chancellor, and casually mentioned this idea that I'd dreamt up one evening over frozen yogurt. She loved it! She was on board, and the wheels started turning.

A lot has happened since then. I've filled out tons of paperwork, registered for the internship and paid for the credit hours that I hope to earn when all this is complete. This was all done without knowing the actual date of this of the event...until yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, I got the information that I'd been waiting to hear for so long.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Believe me, this isn't an April Fool's joke! It's the real thing. My first shot at planning an event in New York City!

If anyone has been waiting for a sign like I have, I'd say this is it!



Let the planning begin!


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Summer in the City: Day 2!

Day two and three of the trip were definitely my favorite! I think it was a mix between actually having slept those two days, and the fabulous activities we had planned!

On Monday, our morning started downtown! I love the Greenwich Village area of the city, so it felt amazing to be back by NYU and Washington Square Park! It was cloudy, so the crowd normally around the fountain was minimal, allowing us to snap some great photos that morning. 

After spending some time in the park, we took a quick subway ride to Chelsea, where we had lunch at Tipsy Parson! This gem, located at 156th 9th Avenue, is known for its weekend brunch. Since we were there on Monday around 12:30, we had the place basically to ourselves! We also enjoyed the best seat in the house, right in the front window.

Katy and I both ordered the larger portion Mac & Cheese, made with raffetto’s fresh cavatelli, grafton cheddar, grans padano and cornbread crumbs! It was delicious, and came with a small salad. Next time, we'll definitely split it though! It was so much food!

Afterward, we were off to shop in Soho, around Spring and Broome Street. The shopping there is amazing! With everything from Kate Spade and Topshop to Victoria's Secret and H&M, they have something for everyone! 

Later that evening, after freshening up at the Loft, we jumped on the uptown 6 train to 68th Street. That night, we had dinner reservations at The Loeb Boathouse at Central Park. Upon making our reservation, we had requested a table close to the water, and were just delighted when we actually got one! The views from the Boathouse are absolutely beautiful, and worth every penny that we paid for the food! I would go back in a heart beat!

The view from our table!

From the front of the restaurant!

We couldn't leave the park without hitting two more Central Park hot spots, the Bethesda Fountain and my personal favorite, the Bow Bridge! This area of the city is so surreal! After spending time in the park, you would never guess you're in one of the busiest cities in the world.

On our way to the bridge, I noticed this plaque on a nearby bench! How neat would it be to name your favorite bench?! After looking up the program, I found out that I can have my own bench for a mere $7,500. A girl can dream, right?

The Bow Bridge was absolutely magical! My favorite part of the trip by far!

After our beautiful Central Park stroll, we made our way down Lexington Avenue to the Cupcake ATM for some delicious dessert! Talk about a perfect day!

Interested in hearing about the rest of our trip? Don't miss my posts on day one and three!

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Summer in the City: Day 1!

It's still hard for me to believe that one week ago today, I was boarding a plane on less than two hours sleep headed to New York City! During my last visit in November of 2013, I fell in love with the city. Not just the tall buildings, fabulous stores and pretty lights, but the people and the stories behind each of their faces. I was hooked, and made it one of my goals for 2014 to go back before the year was up!

November 2013

Though we had so much fun a year ago (read about that here, here and here,) this time, I wanted to do things a bit differently. First off, last year we spent SO much money taking taxis from the airport to the Loft and again from the Loft back to LaGuardia on check out day…approx. $100 round trip. Outrageous, right? I was determined not to let that happen again. It was also last year that we spent a lot of time planning activities, but didn't put any thought into food. For those of you that have experienced New York, you know that once you get there the selection (and price range) of restaurants can be a bit overwhelming. Due to frustration and simply not knowing our surroundings, we ate at places like Sbarro and Olive Garden in Times Square. Believe me, I'm still cringing! This trip, I was adamant about eating at quality, local places, instead of wasting money at tourist stops.

I also vowed that between visits I would learn everything I could about the city…and that is exactly what I did! During the past eight months, I have read everything that I could get my hands on about New York. I've studied maps, bus schedules, real estate and neighborhoods. The difference it made was unreal! I felt so much more knowledgeable this time around, and had my friend Katy by my side!

Katy and I arrived at LaGuardia around lunchtime on Sunday. Determined not to spend money on a cab, we grabbed our carry-on bags and headed straight for the bus stop (a quick walk from baggage claim.) After purchasing a Metro card and paying bus fare (a very affordable $2.50,) we boarded the M60 Select Service bus bound for Manhattan. It was so easy, and there were tons of other travelers also headed to the city from the airport. At 125th Street and Lexington Avenue, we got off the bus and jumped on the subway. With our destination near 23rd street, we got on the downtown local 6 train, at no cost. The subway is free when transferring from a local bus within a certain number of hours on the same day! One hour and 15 minutes later, with only $2.50 spent, we arrived at our destination! I have never been so proud! After studying NYC bus routes for hours from North Carolina, I conquered the bus system! 

Since we were running on very little sleep and had been flying all morning, we made this day of the trip a bit more relaxing. Our first stop, Shake Shack in Madison Square Park! We couldn't help but indulge in Shack Burgers and their famous cheese fries! So good!

After a late lunch, we showered and changed, then headed for Times Square. This was Katy's first trip to NYC, and though I hate the crowds in this area, it is a must-see! Afterward, we made our way to Pier 38 for our Twilight Tour on the New York Harbor. It was super relaxing, and filled with breathtaking views of the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline!

 

 

After the cruise, we made our way back to the Flatiron District for some late night Chinese food before going back to the Loft! It was a successful first day in the city to say the least!

Interested in hearing about the rest of our trip? Don't miss my posts on day two and three!

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New York City Vacay: Day Three!

Today on the blog, I'm rounding up my New York-themed posts with a summary of day three of our trip! As you can tell by the first two days, we didn't have much free time, and our last full day in NYC was no different!

We started our morning at Rockefeller Center, checking out The Today Show studios, then headed to the Evergreen Diner on West 47th Street for breakfast. This place was delicious, and was definitely somewhere I'd visit again! Alex and I enjoyed omelets, while Danielle ate one of the best waffles she'd ever had!

Right after breakfast, we rode the subway to The Plaza Hotel on 5th Avenue. This famous hotel was the meeting location for our Sex and the City Tour that day!

We booked our tour through On Location Tours, and it was fabulous! At $49.00 per person, it was worth every penny, and I would even consider doing it again. Our tour guide, Lou, was amazing at her job, and you could tell she enjoyed every minute of it!

After boarding the tour bus, we made our way around Manhattan, from 5th Avenue to Greenwich Village and everywhere in between. Though most of the tour was spent riding on a bus, we did make a few stops along the way. The first was at the Pleasure Chest in the West Village, where Charlotte of SATC bought her first "rabbit." Anyone recall that episode?

Our next stop was at the famous Buddakan restaurant in the Meatpacking District, where Carrie and Big's rehearsal dinner and New Year's Eve scenes from the first SATC movie were filmed.

Next, we made our way to Onieal's Grand Street Bar in Little Italy. This doubled as Aiden and Steve's bar "Scout," named after Aiden's dog from the SATC series. Cosmopolitan's were their specialty, and I couldn't leave without one!

After a tour of the West Village (which I'm now in love with) and another cupcake from Magnolia Bakery, where Carrie tells Miranda she has a crush on Aiden, we ended our tour in Times Square. 

I have to admit, I was super disappointed when the tour didn't stop at Carrie's apartment in the West Village. After a bit of Googling and a quick subway ride, we were able to find her exact apartment on Perry Street!

This was my favorite thing we did in New York City!

I didn't watch Sex and the City until I turned 22 (thanks, Samantha!) and I immediately fell in love! Watching the entire series from beginning to end twice taught me so much about life, love and friendships. It was such an amazing and surreal moment standing in front of Carrie's apartment, where so many of the SATC scenes were filmed!

After a quick trip to Chinatown and a lot of walking later, we were back at the Loft getting ready for a night on Broadway! Though I loved the LBD that I wore, my main focus that night was staying warm. It was frigid outside, and even snowed once we made it to Times Square! I had on a coat, scarf, hose, gloves and sweater on top of my dress, and I was still cold!

We knew that it wouldn't be a trip to NYC without seeing something on Broadway, and Wicked was right up our alley! Here I am outside of the Gershwin Theatre on West 51st Street.

Alex and me right before taking our seats!

This was my very first Broadway show, and it definitely won't be my last! I'd love to be able to see a show every time I go to New York City!

The show lasted from 8:00 until around 11:00PM, and was absolutely fabulous! Definitely go see it if you have a chance!

We still hadn't had dinner by then, so we made a quick stop at a SBARRO in Times Square. Though I would've rather had something a little more New York, it was late and freezing cold (probably in the teens with the wind chill,) so I wasn't trying to search for another restaurant. 

We got back to the Loft that night, packed our things and got ready to leave early the next morning. I'm still in disbelief as to how fast those three days went by! At the airport the next day, I was already planning my next trip to the city.

A few necessities before my fight home!

Being in New York City is like living in a place where you have the best of music, art and entertainment right at your fingertips…and don't forget about the shopping! It's completely different from any place I've ever been before, and it's absolutely fascinating. Though I'm nowhere near ready to make a move, who knows what the future may hold?!

If you missed the beginning of my trip, you can read about day one and day two here!

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New York City Vacay: Day Two!

On Friday morning, (our first full day in New York,) we didn't waste any time getting our day started! The first stop on our itinerary was the Good Morning America studios on the corner of West 44th and Broadway, a quick subway ride away. Danielle's dream is to work for Good Morning America, so creating a sign to bring with her was a must!

"Robin Roberts, can I be your co-anchor?"

It started raining just as we got there, but we were still able to snap some fun pictures in Times Square!

We had set aside the earlier part of the day completely for shopping, definitely a must-do in New York City! Our first stop was the brand new H&M store in Times Square, boasting 63,000 square feet of pure fabulousness! 

Alex and me on the escalator inside the store!

After a little more Times Square shopping, our next stop was Rockefeller Center to check out the ice skating, fun shops and places to eat! If you have a chance to go, make sure to step inside of the Rockefeller building, that hides beautiful stores like J.CREW, Anthropologie, Banana Republic and so many more.

The famous Rockefeller Center tree wasn't complete just yet, but it was in the works!

Knowing that we'd be back later that night to ice skate (another must-do on our list,) we made sure to check out the ice rink, find out where to get our tickets, etc. 

The ticket office for ice skating is just behind Danielle and me in the photo below. To skate and rent our ice skates, we paid $39/person.

Being so close to the Today Show studios, we made a pit stop at the NBC store, where I got to pose with Matt Lauer. My Mom has always been a huge fan of his!

Our next stop was one that I'll never forget! The Kate Spade flagship store on Madison Avenue!

This store is absolutely beautiful from floor to ceiling! As the flagship for the brand, I didn't expect any less!

Outside of the front door!

Window display! Yes, that is a bedazzled pink fire hydrant!

Completely in awe of the gorgeousness!

This store is made up of four beautifully-decorated floors, featuring Kate Spade in every facet. Upon entering, one of the sales associates immediately noticed my Kate Spade bag and earrings that I was wearing!

A few pieces of KS's newest collection on the first floor!

Gold sparkle steps on the way upstairs!

The second floor displayed gorgeous shoes, along with some of their most-recent holiday dresses.

The fourth floor was made up of their wedding collection, beautiful dishes and champagne bottles. When you walk a little further, you enter a beautifully decorated living room, where Alex and I had to take a picture!

You may not believe this, but I actually didn't buy anything in the store! I was looking for a particular watch, umbrella and necklace, but they didn't have any of them! Crazy right? The experience alone was definitely worth making the trip! After a stroll down Fifth Avenue, it was back to the Loft to get ready for that night's activities!

Later that evening after a quick nap, we started getting ready for ice skating at Rockefeller Center! This is something that all of us had wanted to do, and it was SO worth it!

Tickets to skate can be bought the day of, or ahead of time for large groups. The entire day is broken up into 1.5 hour brackets, so it helps to arrive a few minutes before the time you'd like to get on the ice.

Though none of us were great skaters (Alex really led the pack!) we had such a fabulous time scooting around and taking pictures on the ice! Luckily, it wasn't super crowded, so we could basically do whatever we wanted!

Afterward, we walked just a block away to the nearest Magnolia Bakery! Alex and Danielle had real New York cheesecake, while I snagged a chocolate cupcake. It was chilly outside (hence my Carrie Bradshaw-esque hat,) but not too cold to take our dessert back to Rockefeller Center to sit and enjoy!

 Later that evening, we met up with some friends from college, and then made our way back to the Loft.

Click here to read my post on day one of our trip!

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