Back from Vacay...

I'm back! Back from a week of relaxation in the mountains of Arizona, where my biggest concern was how I wanted my eggs prepared each morning and whether I would prefer to ride bikes, go sightseeing, do something "sporty" or just lounge on the patio reading my new Kindle all day. It was a lot a different than life in the big city so for that reason, it was truly a vacation.

That being said, I realized the beauty of vacations - they are an escape from your normal everyday life and are meant to be temporary. When I lived in Newport, RI people used to tell me my life was like a permanent vacation (which was kinda true) but that got me thinking...what's so wrong with that??

I think you can determine where your truly meant to live by where you'd vacation if money were no object. My vacation destination preference always, always, always would be a beach. It could be argued that if I lived by a beach I might chose to explore big metropolis's or jungles or deserts on my vacations - not true. When I lived ON a beach, I still vacationed to other beaches. To me, beaches are like snowflakes in that no two are exactly alike. I dream about experiencing new beaches and beach towns and comparing them all one-day in some giant interactive info-graphic... (the nerd in me speaks)

Sure I want to see other cities (London, Paris, Sydney and Rio De Janiero top my international list), sure I love escaping to some fresh country or mountain air and there are definitely a few non-beach places on my list of must-go's (Alaska and Central America's rain forest region to name a few) but my ultimate win vacation destination is beach.

I understand why living at the beach may not be the most practical. I get why people flock to big cities. I obviously appreciate how "lucky" I am to live and work here. I just think that people who do live here aren't always outwardly honest about how it really is (unless their rich, then yeah, their life probably rocks). If you're like me and don't have a trust fund, a rent-controlled apartment or a driver, then you probably do that thing NY'ers do where you convince yourself

that your life is really awesome and it's totally normal to spend $2000 plus a month to live in a glorified closet because yeah, you can tell all your friends that you live in "the city" (because to NY'ers there is only one!). <-- *Editor's note - I sometimes do this too...

I know how after a glorious NYC filled weekend of brunching and central parking and frolicking or even an excitement-filled weeknight adventure (complete with bar-hopping and bomb scares on a Tuesday night) you start to feel that "I love it here and could never live anywhere else" feeling. Despite all my whining on this blog, I've felt it often - I promise! My one difference is when I leave the city I am not filled with that "omg I miss it and need to go back" feeling that I hear others are (or claim to be). I am more often than not thinking how I could be happy in X-place and how if I lived in X-place I'd probably be able to have all the things I dream about but can't afford in NY (little things like...say...a closet, or outdoor space, or somewhere to store my beach chair...)

So what do you think folks, is life meant to be a beach or should I stick it out in NYC just a little bit longer? Comments please!

PS - Please enjoy a few pics from my trip. It was truly beautiful there!

Last post before 30...

The next post you read I will be 30! I'm sure you're all pretty sick of hearing about it by now so you are off the hook for a while...until 40 approaches :)

Tomorrow I head to AZ to visit an old friend, spend time with my family & the boyfriend and do a little relaxing and soul searching in between. I plan on spending my 30th at the Grand Canyon! Coincidentally, it will probably be cooler there than it is currently is NYC (it's close to midnight here but the temp is still triple digits!). They'll be lots of pictures and reflection to come - but you'll have to wait a whole week since I am digitally detoxing and will likely not touch a computer for the next 8 days. *GASP*

Disclosure - I WILL still have my iPhone so I won't be totally out of touch. Stay well NYC - see ya in a week!

Something different...

Warning! You MAY be seeing a few long forgotten "I love NY" type posts popping up in the next week or so depsite my recent anti-NYC rants...shocking, I know!

As I plan my birthday party for this weekend and get ready for some friends to visit and to enjoy a good old-fashioned "out til 4am, dancing, laughing, singing in the cab, bacon egg and cheese and a vitamin water the next morning" type of nights it is conceivable that I might be pro-NYC again, if only for a weekend.

You've been warned... :)

I'm back!

Ok, I took a longer break than expected because I literally couldn't bring myself to leave my mini-paradise island in Rhode Island!

Had a great weekend in Newport, where I slept peacefully to the sound of birds chirping and a gentle fan breeze, consumed mass quantities of cheeseburgers, hot dogs, potato chips and coronas and almost forgot I didn't still live there!

After stepping off the Amtrak in a crowded, humid and smelly Penn Station I pretty much decided that me and NYC were officially seeing other people. NYC, it's not you, it's me, but I really think it's time we ended our tumultuous love affair....at least until I've had some time to clear my head and figure out what I really want...

Tomorrow I'll be back to my regularly scheduled blogging countdown to the big 3-0 but tonight I'll leave you with the attached few images that will surely help frame my next few posts. Stay tuned!

The Great Debate...

Since I've moved to NYC, there are a lot of things I have grown to accept. Coming from growing up in the 'burbs and then spending most of my adult life living in quaint little beach towns, I've definitely had to make a few "adjustments." I get my groceries (and laundry, and breakfast, and occasionally beer) delivered, I pay $12 for a drink and think it's normal (or I pay $7 for a drink and think it's a steal) and I've even gotten use to the whole subway and cabbing it everywhere thing. One thing that I am still holding onto however is my belief that people shouldn't wear bathing suits where there is nowhere to actually bathe. For example, Central Park. Or a Yankee Game. Or a blacktop roof. You get the idea...

Thing is, NY'ers seem to think this is totally normally, and actually where bathing suits were meant to be worn. Have they never seen the ocean? Do they not know that glorious beaches exist a mere train ride away?

I'm not shy at all about wearing a bathing suit in public, it's just that the reason I wear

a bathing suit is because at some point while wearing it, I plan to get wet! As much as I love Central Park, there is just no chance of this happening unless you buy a bottle of water from the sketchy men selling it out of their backpacks and shopping bags and proceed to dump it over your head...

Today however, as I enjoyed an absolutely gorgeous day at the park (donning jean shorts and a black tank top) I felt for the first time like maybe I was the crazy one. As I entered the gates of Sheep's Meadow, I instantly felt overdressed as I saw a sea of shirtless men playing Frisbee and ladies bearing all in their skimpy bikinis, oiled up and everything. Could it be that I'm wrong?

I just can't decide so I need your help!

Please let me know in the comments if you sunbathe in your swimsuit in the park (or really any public place that ISN'T a beach or pool!). If the majority says it's totally cool, I promise to make (and document!) a bikini-clad trip there very soon!

Just another day...

Some days nothing out of the ordinary happens...other days you have a totally random only-in-NYC-and-at-Likeable kinda day. Today was one of those.

The day included:

...My buzz builders (what we call our interns) making a remix of the Fresh Prince of Belaire rap and making me sport a fluorescent NKOTB hat while they filmed me

...People randomly laying face down in different odd spots around our office - or what I later learned was "planking" -Never heard of it? Neither did I! Read about it here - You're welcome :)

...A good old-fashioned hot dog eating contest with an added Likeable twist - contestants had to wear our now -famous orange foam thumb while competing

...A late lunch break at Bryant Park where I got all weepy missing my boyfriend and remembering when he used to meet me there for lunch breaks back in the day

...An awesome run along the Hudson river followed by a frozen yogurt delight on a park bench

All in a pretty solid day dontcha think? Oh - and happy #socialmedia day to those who celebrate...(I say that because I'm often reminded by my non-SM friends that they don't know what I'm talking about half the time.) Just today, I got questioned when I wrote on a friend's Facebook wall "FTW." Jen/Erin if you're reading this, it means "For The Win!

Keeping it up...

Bet you didn't think I'd really do it did ya? Here I am! :) Let's see, what significant happened today...

Well the planning for the 30th is fully underway. I realized that everyone has their own idea of the perfect party. It's funny because usually the best nights I've had have been completely random, unplanned and not at all what I would have described as a perfect evening. On the other hand most of the times I've carefully orchestrated a "perfect evening" it's gone horribly wrong.

When I thought of my ideal 30th - it obviously included my best friends and my man (who probably won't be there...sadface). Beyond that though, my "demands" were: trendy neighborhood (althought I'm not sure why because I never actually hang in trendy neighbors now...), juke box (this is big one for me but may have to deal), a comfy seating area while also having an ample "dancing area", oh, and free private room, and of course, cheap and delicious drinks. That's not too much to ask is it??

Anyway, stay tuned because I think we may have found the "perfect place!"