Make yourself a New Yorker

"Make yourself a New Yorker, declare yourself a New Yorker, and New York accepts you, and is glad to have you, and is the more glad the more you are worth the having."

Robert Shackleton, The Book of New York

Mellow Yellow

Nothing brightens a summer day quite like sunshiney yellow nails and a delicious lemony treat.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Work/Real Friends

When you start introducing someone as "my friend... who I met at work... but we're, like, real friends. Not just work friends. Real friends," you know you've crossed that unspoken line between professionalism and personal life -- and there's no turning back.

Today marks LJ's last day of working in NYC... the last 3 years and 10.5 months of which have been spent with yours truly.

Yes, it's true -- my co-worker-turned-BFFAEAEAE is making the big move back to Texas to start a brand new adventure in Dallas!

And while I'm so very excited for what's in store for her... to say I'm "an emotional mess" would be a gross understatement.

I'm trying to hold off on anymore tears for now, because I still have 4 whole days of twirly, winky-faced fun before she hops on that one-way flight to DFW. But that doesn't make today any easier... Honestly, the thought of coming to the office tomorrow and not having one of my best friends right down the hall is really... sad. And scary. And... unfathomable.

Who will join me for DDP breaks? And who will send me walrus wakeup texts to make sure I'm up after a near-sleepless Thursday night on the town? And who will I eat a romantic sushi and wine Valentine's Day dinner with after working until 10pm on a Monday... again? And whose office door will I slam closed when I just need to giggle... or, occasionally, cry?

There's a lot to say... and I will. Just... later. Because nearly 4 years of BFFAEAEAE-ship can't be summed up in the 45 minutes that I have left before we head to LJ's Farewell Happy Hour. So instead, I'll just leave you with some happy memories... of the day that we were reunited, along with Jamie, our third musketeer, here at our current agency. It literally seems like just last week and a lifetime ago... all at once:

Sweet Southern Comfort

March 18th, 2009

If you've had a conversation or two with me since I moved to NYC, you've probably heard at least a few of the many tales of adventure/awkward with my co-workers-turned-friends. Since my first day at my first "real" job, I had a feeling I would soon be thanking God for putting Jamie and Lauren in my life. And it wasn't just because they both hailed from below the Mason-Dixon Line (Atlanta and Dallas, respectively). The three of us, well, we just... clicked.

It would take quite a bit of rambling (yes, even more than usual) to recount all of the reasons these girls have helped to make my life in New York as simply fabulous as it is today (and as you'll see, many of the stories have already been detailed for your enjoyment on Lulled and La La La anyways). From Spy Adventures to Wee Mee's to Karaoke to countless hours spent discussing celebs and recapping the previous night's must-see tv, our work days were anything but mundane. (Disclaimer: While we were right on point with our green circled predictions, Jason No Longer = Muffin. GROWL. But that's another rant for another post.)

Needless to say, when the time eventually came for the Showtime Girls to part professional ways (technically for the second time, but we won't speak of The Dark Ages otherwise known as LJ's Eight Month Hiatus...), it could only be summed up as "bittersweet." I know that I for one was anxious to see what the future held, but the idea of not working with two of my best friends every single day?! Two words: womp wooomp.

So it will come as no surprise that my excitement for tomorrow is reminiscent of all those Christmas Eves I counted down the hours until Santa and his reindeer finally landed on my roof. In a strange, wonderful turn of events, tomorrow will mark the day that all three of us are back where we belong - embracing our media nerdiness together. In the same agency.

Love. It.

I have no doubt that our friendship would've easily stood the test of Midtown Separation - Goodness knows we'll always have Brunch Story Worthy Nights - but I am just oh-SO-happy for a return to the days of quarter collecting and puppets.

L.O.V.E.

Love you, LJ... more than any HR Department should allow. Here's to showing the Dallas Media World how we do it in a little place called New York City :)

Happy 5 Years, LJ!

Happy Happy 5 Year New York Anniversary to my beautiful BFFAEAEAEEEEE!

Cheers, my love! So very blessed to have been a part of the last 3 years and 10 or so months of it :)

xoxo

Dandelions & Lollipops

I heart NY. More specifically, I heart SoHo on this sunshiny spring day.

So much fun! So little time (to blog)!

There's been a whirlwind of giggles, twirls, and happiness around these parts the past few weeks. Between visits from much-missed friends, wedded bliss, and pretty dresses (Oh, and work. That too...), I've barely had time to breathe -- let alone blog! I promise that some time soon I'll provide a much overdue update of details (and pictures!!).

But for now, I'll leave you with some motherly wisdom that will for sure be applied to the coming weekend. Below is an email from the oh-so-cute mom of one of my next two dear friends coming to the city TONIGHT (Yep. Theta Reunion in the City... Havoc will ensue. You have been warned)... Many moms faced with their daughter reuniting in Manhattan with three of her silly sorority sisters might be a bit worried and feel compelled to offer caution against leaving drinks in dark corners, or talking to finance boys strangers at bars. Perhaps even a reminder to look both ways for crazy cabs before crossing the 5th Avenue. But not our Mama Kath... She's always been one step ahead of the rest:

Hey there,

Seems they are a bit skittish in NYC about unclaimed packages in Times Square so be sure and stay away from anything that looks like a bomb. Really.

love you

mom

Stay away from bomb-looking items? Check and check. A life rule to live by, if I've ever heard one. As for not talking to finance boys... errrr, strangers... at bars? Not so sure I can keep the girls away from that dangerous peril all weekend, but I will surely do my very best....... well, best-ish. :)

Goodbye, Betty

I'm not even kind of ashamed to admit that I'm pretty darn upset that tonight is the series finale of Ugly Betty... I don't care how silly it makes me that I still watch it when it seems like the rest of my demographic has moved on -- Ugly Betty was one of the few shows left on broadcast that I could count on for quality story lines, smart writing, lots of laughs, a few tears, and (perhaps most importantly) pretty, pretty clothes... every. single. week.

EW blogger Tanner Stransky did a beautiful job of summing up Why It Mattered.

"That pilot, right down to the fade-out song I once loved so, “Suddenly I See,” felt like someone had taken the past couple years of my life, candy-coated it, wrapped it in a Guadalajara poncho, and given it an 8 p.m. time slot on national television. Granted, I was not Betty. I did not work at a fashion magazine. I was not fighting all the b*tchery and prejudice that she did. But I understood her plight in so many ways: her desire to reach her dreams, her wanton lust for writing, her near-constant feeling that she was an outsider. The show’s wildly successful run as the lead-in to on Thursday nights must have meant many other people did, too."

Thanks for the fabulous and entertaining four years, UB! Here's hoping tonight ends with the start of a very happily ever after for everyone... :)

"That's love, right? When you know somebody better than they do and you would do anything in the world to protect them."

-Hilda Suarez, Betty's older sister

In case you need me in the middle of the night...

... there's a good chance I'll be on E. 37th Street between Second and Third Aves from 11:30pm until 2:00am.

What's that? Why, pray tell, would I not be snuggled safe in my bed? What could possibly get me to wander the corners of Murray Hill during the wee hours of a Monday evening?? Well, I'm glad you asked... because I have a very logical explanation for my questionable nocturnal behavior:

Elephants.

Elephants walking through Manhattan.

That's right, friends! The circus is coming to town - my town! And cute little elephants, ponies, heffalumps, and the whole gang will be on parade from the Queens-Midtown Tunnel right on across 34th Street to MSG.

Sometimes I shudder at how much I hear this overused phrase in this crazy city, but in this case, I think I'm allowed to make an exception: Only. In. New York.

Happy Belated, Bloggy!

Ohmygoodness! I'm a horrible bloggy parent... Yesterday was PTTP's very first birthday and I didn't have a chance to write anything! 112 posts in the last year, and then yesterday of all days just completely slipped by me... Sigh. I do hope she forgives me for this sad, sad oversight.

My spaciness aside, I like to think that if this little blog had gone out to celebrate last night, she would have woken up this morning to a scene that looked a little something like the below... because, if you ask me, nothing screams of a fabulous evening quite like a killer pair of heels abandoned on your apartment floor, surrounded by the balloons you trailed in behind you the night before...

Audrey Hepburn Complex

Here's to another year of painting this crazy beautiful town the prettiest shades of pink! xoxo

Snow Globe

Even though my office didn't close along with all of the public schools in Manhattan (and several agencies... sigh.), the snow sure has been pretty to watch today... The big, beautiful flakes made my morning commute feel like I'd woken up in my very own snow globe.

Hope y'all have a lovely, snuggly weekend. As for me, my fingers are crossed that some of the 20.9 inches of snow that's fallen in Central Park in the past 36 hours is still around for some frolicking... because wouldn't it just be an awful shame to go through my very first Snowicane without making even a single snow angel??

xoxo.

ReBlog: Gia's Situation

An excerpt from a ridiculously funny Bachelor Recap blog, guyinaustin.blogspot.com, courtesy of the one-and-only Jamie. I don't often comment on dating in NYC on here, but this was just too entertaining to pass up:

"She [Gia, contestant on the current season of The Bachelor] tells Jake that she’s never met guy as deep as him. Considering the fact that she’s from New York and that the dating pool consists of guys like Pauly D and The Situation from Jersey Shore, I actually believed her. "

Happy Friday :)

On the events of this weekend...

... via a 3-day long Group BBM, which by the way, was probably our best discovery, ummm... ever:

twentysomething 1: Get out of the corner. Do the "bend and snap."

twentysomething 2: I should wear cardigans to bars more often, I guess!

twentysomething 1: The cardigan is totes the new little black dress.

twentysomething 1: You're dangling fun in my face like a tortured puppy.

twentysomething 3: You flirt with boys. I flirt with poles. NO. BIG. DEAL.

The Boys Will Get the Wrong Idea

Morgan (the six-year-old girl): Remember, when you go out not to put too much makeup on, otherwise the boys will get the wrong idea. And you know how they are...

Giselle (the princess-to-be): [wide-eyed stare of confusion]

Morgan: They're only after one thing!

Giselle: ... What's that??

Morgan: I don't know! Nobody will tell me!

-Enchanted

Goodness, I just love this movie. But I guess considering it's basically just a real life fairy tale that takes place in Manhattan, that may not come as such a huge surprise to, well... any of you. :)

Texas on My Mind / New York, King of All the Cities

I woke up this morning with Texas on my mind... and I'm literally counting down the minutes until my flight to Dallas tonight. I can't believe it's been an entire year since I was standing in the Texas sun. Where on earth does the time go??

Despite my intentions to post a video of Pat Green performing this wonderful song that I'm quite delighted to have stuck in my head today, nothing I found on YouTube really did it justice. Luckily, Liz tweeted a link to this video earlier to fill the void... A nice little "Ta Ta For Now!" to New York, king of all the cities.

Jamie - this one goes out especially to you. I have to go ahead and say that from 01:43 on, Stephen comes pretty darn close to the glory that was his report on The Nights in Rodanthe. Wish you were here so we could do a few spins in our chairs together. xoxo

Winter Song

Winter has slowly been settling into the city for a few weeks now - Christmas trees are lining the sidewalks, ready to overtake tiny apartments. Buildings from 5th Ave. to the West Village are covered in twinkle lights. The first snowflakes came down in perfect little flurries (on my birthday, no less!). And the second I stepped outside into the wind chill of 16 degrees this morning, all snuggled up in my puffer jacket, I knew winter was here to stay.

And thanks to Jamie, I have the perfect winter song for you, NYC:

Sara Bareilles - New Music - More Music Videos

Happy wintry Friday! I hope your weekends are filled with hot cocoa and cuddling. :)

Missed Connections

I love, love, LOVE this blog. I've been following Missed Connections for awhile, and Sophie recently posted this video about her project. I love her imagination and the way she brings these "unfinished stories" to life in such a unique way...

"I think there's that feeling for a lot of people that any tiny moment could set your life on a different course. And there's that 'What if?' that is enormously appealing, I think, and universal, that your morning commute might change... everything."

-Sophie Blackall, of Missed Connections

I Spy... CHRISTMAS!

Goodness gracious, I can't believe it's almost December! When did that happen?? My cab driver took me home down 5th Avenue the other night, and I had to pinch myself to make sure I hadn't dozed off when I looked up to see so many of the stores were already covered in lights and Christmas cheer!

Then I found this delightful and helpful Time Out NY list of when all of the NYC window displays will be up for the holiday season. Something tells me that this Thanksgiving weekend might be perfect for a cup of hot chocolate and a little stroll up to Central Park to see the windows that are already up... Yes, I think that would be the perfect way to welcome the holidays to Manhattan. Who loves Christmastime in the city?? THIS girl sure does! Yay!

Love-Hate

Murph blogged this post from Overheard in New York last week. I can totally picture this cute older couple sitting on a bench on the UWS, sipping their coffee and just watching the world race by. I love how their conversation sums up the Love-Hate relationship that so many of us have with this crazy beautiful city... Lucky for me, the Love always wins out.

Elderly woman to elderly man, as a young girl narrowly escapes getting hit by a car: Oh my god, what is it with these crazy people!? I hate this city more and more each day.
Elderly man: Well then, why do you live here?
Elderly woman: Because I love it.

--83rd & Broadway

Overheard by: Dee Dee

It's Real

Today is Jamie's last full day in New York. I haven't had nearly the time to process and write the post that has been running about my head for the past few weeks. Or maybe it isn't that I haven't had the time, but more that I think I've been avoiding it. Because actually writing it means she's really leaving. And, while I'm so extremely happy for her, in my selfishness, I still don't want it to be real.

Well, I suppose that's not really true... because when I'm honest with myself, and stop to think about how this all came together for Jamie - her life in Atlanta, to NY, to now - there's just no denying that this next step is very clearly God's plan for her. And I'm confident that He has great and amazing things in store for her in Atlanta - things that are far beyond her wildest hopes and dreams... and that Plan is one that I would never want to keep from being real for Miss Jamie.

All this to say, there will surely be some well-deserved reminiscing in the near future (after all, Jamie was the one who inspired me to start this little bloggy! :) )... But for now, I'm going to embrace that Jamie's one-way ticket to Atlanta tomorrow morning is indeed real. And that it's not just real - it's fantastic. Instead of spending my time tonight writing about all of the times over the last two and a half years that have filled my heart, and how much I'm going to miss my Little J, I'm going to head up to Apartment 9A for one last night full of giggles and memories before she leaves... Because these nights are real too. Real and fantastic.

I love you so much, J. Here's to many, many more kissy faces :)

"Unless the debate is about whether or not it's ever too late for a second chance, I'm not interested."

Not all friendships have to suffer when it comes to talking politics. No, many agree to sometimes disagree on certain issues. Others find common ground through intelligent and respectful discussion. Then there are those who take it a few steps further... say, by making cute puppets of candidates. Or maybe, I don't know... bonding over the reenactment of a particularly hilarious clip on a late night satirical political pundit tv show... in their cubicles... at work... Just a couple of possibilities, I suppose.

After I watched Stephen Colbert call for the suspension of the Presidential Debate right before the Election last year, I came into work the next day still in a fit of giggles. Much to my excitement, Jamie found Colbert's reasoning just as silly and fabulous as I did. After replaying the below clip many, many times, Jamie took to her chair and did the most perfect impersonation of what happens around 02:52...

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
"Nights in Rodanthe" Premiere
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

I won't ever hear Gavin Rossdale crooning "Love Remains the Same" again without picturing Jamie gleefully spinning around on her office chair, with her head thrown back, arms open wide, exclaiming "Ohhh... Oh! I LOVE LOVING!!" Yes, my readers. That is the picture of true friendship.

And tomorrow night, be sure to set your DVRs, because J and I have VIP tickets to the taping of The Colbert Report! I can pretty much guarantee you'll be able to pick our uncontrollable and constant laughter out of the crowd. I really can't think of a more perfect way to commemorate her last week in NYC...

... Oh and that song! Jimmy Jamie, that theme song! Give me another taste!!