Only the beginning...

I apologize for the delay... but trust me, there's a ton of information and tales of adventure to be shared!

I flew into LaGuardia (LGA) on Wednesday, May 27 around 4:40 in the evening. I've flown by myself probably more than I have with company, but this trip was different...mostly because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing or where I was going. I know, excellent planning.

In attempts to not appear lost or confused, I did my best to "confidently" make my way to the baggage claim where I proceeded to wake up a man in uniform lounging in the corner of the room (at the request of his co-worker.) Within five minutes, my bags were loaded onto a cart and out the door... and this is where I experienced my first solo NYC taxi ride.





And, $40 later, I was greeted by Miss Eliza at the front of our apartment building... thank God for a familiar face. We spent the rest of the day looking around our neighborhood and buying things for our apartment, quickly realizing that the myth is true: things are wayyyy too expensive here. Still, we found enough to make our place welcoming... including a cheap sofa sleeper and (free) coffee table. Really, our apartment is, strangely enough, entirely too big for us to fill, but it's home...







- our bedroom view!
- gorgeous view from our living room..

Okay, so Thursday night, Eliza, Kate (aka, Retro), and I went to a cute little pub called Vertigo. We shared an appetizer and drank wine amongst men and women in suits, obviously enjoying post-work happy hour festivities. Of course, as people trickled out, including Retro who had to go to work the next day, Eliza and I stayed and chatted with our new friends: two Irish bartenders and some guys who worked for the History Channel. Free drinks, interesting conversation and a few business cards; all in all, it was a great first night in NY.

On Friday, the roommates (Paige & Eliza), Retro and I made a great batch of Sangria that we drank while getting ready for a night out in the Meatpacking District. We wandered into three different bars: Gaslight (a small-ish bar with expensive drinks), a sky bar located on the penthouse level of a hotel (with an amazing view of a sparkling Manhattan skyline), and ONE (a younger bar with a dance floor and fun music.) Ironically, while we stayed at ONE the longest, we didn't really make it past the entryway where we sat and chatted with some NY boys.




I admit, we left there pretty late (aka, when it closed and the lights came on), and decided to catch a cab home. And then two minutes into the cab ride, we noticed lights, assumed it was a movie, and had him drop us off. Thank God. It was a movie set, and this is where we met Nicolas Cage. Unfortunately, we didn't ask for a picture when he came over to talk to us, a misstep that a security guard informed us was a failure to "seize the moment." I know...we know...we messed up. But regardless, "Nick" was a very cool, down-to-earth guy.

-Okay, look closely and you'll see white... that's Nicolas Cage! (w/ a puppy on his lap)




-Candid-ish of the fun crew boys (thanks Liza!!)

-Us with crew!

-Retro and me waiting for the L...

The four of us slept in Saturday morning and later walked down Lexington, a blocked-off street in mid-Manhattan filled with vendors and authentic food. We later found ourselves sitting in Bryant Park eating yummy cupcakes and cookies from a cute little bakery called Crumbs: delicious food and a beautiful day.

Playtime aside, as Monday arrived, I realized that I was also here for an internship and class. On Monday night, rather than having class at the CUNY (where it will normally be held), we went to the Paley Center to view a screening of Bravo's new reality show, NYC Prep. There, we watched the premiere episode of spoiled Upper-East Side 16-year-olds (exciting, I know), and later sat in on a Q&A session with them and Bravo Executive Producer, Andy Cohen. Yep, Andy Cohen was the only really legitimate part of that session--but a cool experience all the same.

Anyways, I started my internship with M yesterday... after making an hour & 15 minute commute across NYC and the Hudson River to NJ. I spent the day researching the new Twilight movie, New Moon, and packaging prizes for young sweepstakes winners. Really, my eight-hour shift flew by, and due to M transitioning out their old interns, I won't have to work again until Friday. No complaints here, obviously..

Tonight we have a gathering with Mizzou J-School Alumni who currently live in NYC. It's at a bar & grill called MJ Armstrong's, and Eliza and I are hoping for some free food.

Keep your fingers crossed for us... we've come to greatly appreciate the cheap, but mostly FREE, things in life.

Until next time, here are some more pics of the city that I've taken along the way...
- Our fav. late night food, Papaya Dog



Xoxo,
Cas