{one}Hey, ya'll! {Let me say that I am saying 'ya'll' now more than ever. Clinging to my southern roots? Maybe.} Anyways, hi. I am currently sitting on my couch, sipping a skinny caramel latte, surrounded by boxes. But, we now have internet and cable and that is something! This week has been a rollercoaster! I promise to post pictures of our apartment once we dig out of the box fort we are currently living in. I don't want to sugar coat it. I've been a wee bit overwhelmed. I may or may not have cried most days since we've arrived, which really was to be expected, I suppose! Whether it is hearing my mom or best friend's voice on the phone, or not knowing which box has our silverware in it so that I can eat breakfast, I have been a mess. Basically, we are fish out of water at the moment. Our apartment is our new "home" but it doesn't feel that way in its current state. The dogs, well, they are adjusting. I feel so bad most of the time because I can't explain to them what has happened and where their yard has gone. I realize they are fine and are getting lots of walks, but I still feel guilty. We are still figuring out where things are and how to get from point A to point B. In a nutshell, we're still getting acclimated but we have had a lot of fun moments over the past week, too. We love our new neighborhood on the upper west side, and are already making a list of all of the adventures and places we want to see and do. We'll get there. I need to keep a positive attitude and we need to give ourselves some grace and time to get to know our new life here. And, if you have any advice for helping make the transition to a new city/state/way of life easier, please send them my way!
{two} Weather. I am learning quickly that you must layer. When you walk outside, you are likely to be freezing. Then, you'll start walking and soon after you're sweating. I would rather be warm than cold, but I feel like a crazy person walking down the street taking my coat off when I'm in the sun and putting it back on when I walk through the shade. I have what would suffice through a Charlotte winter coat, but I'm not sure how long it will cut it here. I ordered this one before we came and it arrived yesterday. The hood is ridiculously large and I feel like an eskimo, but I may just need it in a few weeks.
{three}Groceries. We are lucky to live near a Trader Joe's, which is my favorite place to shop. This Trader Joe's is a few stories high and the first time I walked by, there was a line wrapped around the block trying to get in. Note to self: do not shop on Sundays. The next time I went, it was still pretty busy, but I went in and all of a sudden had no idea what to do. Where are the carts? How do I get my cart from one floor to another? {Simply place it on a cart escalator that will follow you downstairs, of course.} I had a moment where the organic skim milk I usually buy only came in the gallon size. Realizing I was walking home with the groceries, I opted to buy a smaller half gallon of 1%, because it was smaller. I also had to learn the hard way that when you want brussel sprouts, or any other produce, you'd better leave your cart, walk over to the produce section, bring your items back to your cart, then get in line. Otherwise, you'll be that girl who is awkwardly trying to weave a shopping cart through a double line of people with groceries waiting to check out, by the produce section. Also, know what you want, and get it quickly. These New Yorkers don't have time to spare and you will likely get run over if you don't get out of the way. Overall, Trader Joe's is my favorite and I feel a little slice of Charlotte when I am there!
{four} Sample sales. Oh, yes. So, there is apparently an entire culture of sample sales here in NYC, and it is a whole different world. A sample sale features a limited selection of deeply discounted items. I found a site that clues you in on upcoming sales and events, and I ventured out yesterday to my first one. I really just wanted to adventure out and experience one for myself, so I figured David Yurman would be a great place to start. I hopped on the subway and checked it out. I arrived about 20 minutes before the sale opened, and there was already a line of about 75-100 people. Once again, everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing, except me. I have to say, it was fun, but you have to be in the mood and also have to have some time to spare! I will keep my eyes peeled for more sample sales of designers I like, and if I find something I love for a discount, even better!
{five}A week in pictures. I haven't taken as many pictures as I should have this week, but I will do better this weekend and next week. Here are some of our wanderings this week!
Hope ya'll have a happy Friday and an even better weekend!