I can hardly believe that tomorrow marks my first year anniversary of moving to New York City!  It seems like yesterday that I packed up my life (and about 10 pounds of jewelry) into two giant suitcases and temporarily settled into a sublet apartment that I found off Craigslist.  I moved here with no job and only two people that I could really call friends.  Some called it brave — in retrospect, I call it crazy!

Flash forward a year.  The boyfriend and the pup have joined me in the city and we’ve nestled into a cozy one bedroom apartment on the east side.  I’ve met some amazing people that I’m lucky enough to call friends, including my NYC BFF.

I’ve been able to travel up and down the east coast, but what I love the most is exploring the different neighborhoods right here in the city because wandering down each block is like its own adventure.

And then there’s the food.  There’s just so much of it.  Food festivals every weekend and cuisines of every culture — it’s out of control.  The boyfriend and I have become dessert connoisseurs of sorts and have made it our mission to try every ice cream, cupcake and pastry on this island — and yes, that includes the original cronut!

I’m not going to pretend that every day in this city is easy.  There are days when I miss my family and friends, when I wish I had a car to get around, and when I long for the slower paced lifestyle of the west coast.  But this journey is about more than adding a few splashy pages to a scrapbook, it’s about overcoming old fears and saying yes to new opportunities.  It’s about being part of a city that sometimes sleeps, but never slows down and never gets old.

I’m so thankful for the wonderful, generous, and patient people who have supported me through this crazy ride.  Hold on, because there are many more adventures to come!