My 1st Year as a New-Yorker

Well I can honestly say… I CAN’T BELIEVE I MADE IT TO ONE YEAR! Also yes this is a few weeks late. In typical New York fashion– life is hectic and busy. So just consider this late post to be AUTHENTICALLY NYC. I feel like just making it to one year is worthy of celebration. When I first moved up here I absolutely hated this city. I found every reason in the world to criticize it, because the struggle to adjust was more intense than anywhere else I’ve ever lived or been in my life (and I’ve moved 12 times and even lived in JAPAN).

I started my time up here jobless, broke and feeling very down most days. I spent a lot of time holed up in a spare rental room of someone else’s home, sweating because I couldn’t afford to run the AC and lacking purpose without a job, a class or friends to help give this new city some sort of meaning. It took ages for that mindset to change, and when I say ages I mean almost 10 months. I basically didn’t even begin to think about liking it here until just recently. Now that I have a full-time job, benefits, friends, permanent accommodation and things I want to do– things have felt much better for me.

But even though things started off really rocky, I have still made amazing memories and had the opportunity to see and do SO much! So here’s your fair warning…this will probably be an incredibly long blog post. BUT– I will be showing off some memories from my first year in NYC!

My first apartment in NYC– UWS Balcony

The dock on the UWS where M and I used to take evening walks

Rose Mansion with Hayley– July 2018

1 of many Yankees games last summer with M

My first day as an Intern at Refinery29 in September 2018

29Rooms VIP Night for Staff– With Lucie Fink and Maya

Got bangs and signed a lease on my first NY apartment

Was on my first Episode of Try Living with Lucie

Went to the Top of the Rock

Color Factory– with Hayley

Seeing my first few Broadway shows

Going on work runs with Gia

Eating at the famous “Ellens Stardust Diner”

My first holiday season in NY

Getting to see The Radio City Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular

Seeing NYC all lit up and decorated for the holidays

Hosting a Christmas game night with Sandra, Tom, Tony and Talitha

Getting VIP tickets to go to the NYE party in the ABC GMA Studio in Times Square

Dressed to the nines– New Years Eve 2018/2019

One World Observatory

KD’s Visit in February 2019

Went to my first NYC Speakeasy

Natural History Museum

Mickey’s True Original Exhibit in a warehouse in the Meatpacking District

Rock Climbing in Hoboken

Getting my first Full-time job out of college at CafeMedia– January 2019

Galentines Day brunch at Pardon My French– R29 Interns ❤

Trying cupcakes at Carlos Bakery in Hoboken! YUM!

My last day working at Refinery29

Getting a warm welcome from my new work family at CM 🙂

Decorating my new office for Valentines Day and ordering Georgetown cupcakes for the team

Talitha’s Bridal Shower in Williamsburg– Talitha and Sandra

Having my family visit and going to Serra– Abbie on the rooftop of Eataly Flatiron

Getting to show my family my new city and explore some “firsts” with them!

Seeing Tina Fey come out on stage at “Mean Girls” on Broadway

Going to see a Disney rock cover band in Queens

Getting a year membership to the MET

Throwing a Avo-cato themed bridal shower for Mikaela at work

After work drinks with friends

Bringing my Grandma up the city to see a Yankees game

Going to see STOMP in the lower east side– It was AMAZING

Spending an afternoon in Coney Island when it started warming up

2 years with M

Wine and Paint class in Midtown with Tom and Sandra

Spending Memorial weekend in VEGAS

Organizing a CM office scavenger hunt around Midtown

Maddie’s Visit #2

Karaoke Night in Korea town with my work friends