Posted on July 8, 2015 in Fitness, Outfits
Lou & Grey sporty bra // Lou & Grey cropped mesh leggings // Karen Walker ‘Super Duper’ sunglasses
Rifle Paper Co. x Lesportsac backpack (c/o) (on sale!) // New Balance 530 sneakers (c/o Kicksusa)
I’m switching things up today with two things I’ve never done before on the blog: 1) talk about exercise and 2) wear my hair up in a pony tail (true story!). Fitness is a new topic here on the blog, but it actually plays a huge role in my regular routine. I’m more of an exercise enthusiast than any sort of guru, but give me a solid workout outfit and a pair of bright sneakers and I’m ready to go.
Shop Colorful Sneakers:
When I first moved to New York, I wasn’t in the best shape. Between starting my first full-time job and wanting to eat all of the food in NYC, I put on some unwanted pounds. I’m not the kind of person that hits the gym to lose weight or get ripped, but I do exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle (as healthy as you can be when you consider donuts and ice cream their own food groups).
Thankfully, I live in a city that’s big on being active. Everyone walks everywhere, which I’m all about, but I’m also a huge fan of biking. Last year, I joined CitiBike, NYC’s bike share program. They have hundreds of stations around Manhattan and Brooklyn, so you can just pick up and drop off bikes almost everywhere. Between March to December, I usually bike to and from work, which is a great way to get the heart pumping in the morning.
I also have been a member of ClassPass for the past year, which has been a game changer when it comes to my fitness routine. ClassPass is like the Netflix of exercise. You pay a monthly membership and you get unlimited access to classes around the city: spin, barre, yoga, pilates, boxing, rowing, Broadway dance lessons — you name it. I cancelled my membership to a nearby gym, because they offered every kind of class I could possible imagine. If you’re the kind of person that gets easily bored with working out, it’s a great way to try out different workouts. If you live in a major U.S. city, you should definitely check it out!
I know won’t ever have huge guns or rock hard abs, but I’m totally okay with that. As easy as it is to indulge in NYC, it’s just as easy to stay active and that’s one of my favorite things about living here.
Posted on June 19, 2015 in Life, NYC
Summer officially begins on Sunday, but let’s be real — I’ve been working on a list of things I want to do since about January. Most New Yorkers escape the city every weekend, but since we’re saving up for our honeymoon in a few months, most of our adventures will be local. So to celebrate the season, I put together a list of 20 things to do in and around New York City this summer. Whether you’re visiting from out of town or have lived here for years, the best part about summertime in NYC is that there’s always something to do!
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Things I’m Dying to Do
Spend a day at Coney Island. This one’s a little cheesy, but I’ve always wanted to go to Coney Island, grab a hot dog and walk the boardwalk. It’s an iconic part of summer in NYC and has to be experienced at least once! Plus, the vibrant street art on display as an outdoor exhibit is all the more reason to go!
Brunch with a side of laser tag. This is no joke. Every Sunday this summer, the Highline Ballroom is converting their venue space into a laser tag arena where you can play a round, grab a drink and then enjoy brunch bites. It’s like the best of your childhood and adulthood wrapped in a Sunday afternoon.
Grab drinks on the Frying Pan. Cocktails on a historic boat along the Hudson River? Enough said.
Visit MoMA. I say this every year, but I really want to visit more museums. At this point, I’ve only been to The Met and the American Museum of Natural History. MoMA (the Museum of Modern Art) is next on my list and I’m sure will be incredibly inspiring.
Take a SoulCycle class. After living in NYC for almost three years, I can’t believe I still have yet to take a SoulCycle class. It has basically achieved cult status here andI’m curious to see what all the hype is about. I also really want to take a class with Hallie before she moves to Chicago.
Rent a row boat in Central Park. And by rent a row boat, I mean make James do all the paddling.
Take a trip down to the Jersey Shore. Years before we moved here, our perception of Jersey Shore involved rowdy night clubs, t-shirt shops on the boardwalk and a lot of fist pumping. I assume most of the Shore is not like that and I’m excited to experience the local beachtown vibes. We’re checking this one off the to do list this weekend and taking a trip to Asbury Park!
Outdoor movie night. From Bryant Park to hotel rooftops, there are so many outdoor movie nights to choose from! LOFT is also hosting a movie series along the East River and they’re playing Bridesmaid on June 30! Done and done.
Visit The Cloisters. Another cultured moment for you. The Cloisters is an extension of The Metropolitan Museum of Art all the way up on 190th Street. It’s dedicated to the art and architecture of medieval Europe and would make for the perfect escape out of the city and out of this time period.
Bike down Summer Streets. Some of you know that I’m an avid CitiBike rider. I bike around town and to/from work whenever I can. I’m really excited about Summer Streets, where the city will close seven miles of Park Avenue every Saturday morning in August for people to play, walk, run and bike.
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Things I’d Do Again and Again
Rooftop happy hours. I don’t think this one needs much explanation. If it’s nice outside, you can probably find me on a rooftop somewhere. Some of my favorites include The Refinery in Midtown, Gallow Green in Chelsea and Berry Park in Greenpoint. You can also see more of my favorite NYC Rooftop Bars by clicking the story in my sidebar!
Smorgasburg. I don’t consider myself a foodie, but damn, do I love to eat. Smorgasburg is one of my favorite summer highlights. It brings together hundreds of local food vendors (from restaurants to food trucks to farmers) and is a great way of tasting ALL OF THE FOOD that New York has to offer.
Take the East River Ferry. For a stunning view of the NYC skyline, hop on the East River Ferry at 34th Street and take it all the way to Williamsburg. It’s only $6 for a one way trip on weekends and drops you off right in front of Smorgasburg. That’s a win/win.
Eat all of the ice cream. One of the reasons why we had our wedding at the beginning of summer: so I could enjoy all of the ice cream without any of the guilt. Mister Softee ice cream trucks are an NYC classic, but I also love Big Gay Ice Cream in the East Village, Popbar in the West Village and Ample Hills Creamery in Prospect Heights.
Bike down to South Street Seaport. Biking from all the way to the southern tip of Manhattan on a hot summer day is kind of grueling (James is going to kill me), but it’s totally worth it once you get to South Street Seaport. They have a bunch of cute shops, restaurants, live entertainment and food trucks. There’s always something new to explore when you get there.
Walk the High Line. This is the one place I always take guests to when they’re visiting. The High Line is an elevated park built on a history freight rail line (you can actually see some of the original tracks through the park).
NY Botanical Garden. I recently went here with Tracy to see the Orchid Show. We only had time to explore the greenhouse for the exhibit and I’ve been meaning to go back to see the expansive grounds.
Rooftop at The Met. Did you know that there’s a rooftop bar at the top of The Met? I didn’t until last summer! Just ask a staff member to point you in the right direction and you’ll find yourself a glass of sparkling rosé and the most gorgeous view of Central Park!
Picnic in Prospect Park. Don’t hate me, but I think Prospect Park is way better than Central Park. It’s much less crowded and any place that has less tourists is a place I want to be. It’s a bit of a trek into Brooklyn, but it’s worth it when you see the sprawling green lawns. It’s also a quick walk from my favorite ice cream shop of all time.
Explore Queens. James and I recently visited friends out in Astoria and I have to admit, the neighborhood has an off-beat charm about it. We brunched at Queen’s Comfort (eccentric environment, AMAZING food) and visited the Studio Square Beer Garden, which is huge. I feel like there’s so much more to explore and we’ll definitely be back this summer!
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So much to do, so little time. I hope you enjoyed my list of things to do in Manhattan in the summer and hope you get to experience them yourself! If you have any must-do activities, eats or sights that I missed, send them my way! I might just add them to my own summer adventures, which you can follow on Snapchat (username: SkirtTheRules) or Instagram with the hashtags #skirtthecity and #skirttheweekend. Happy weekending loves!
Posted on August 28, 2014 in Life
On August 28, 2012, I moved to New York. I had two giant suitcases, a subleased apartment off of Craigslist and no job fresh out of law school. Fast forward two years later and I can’t even begin to describe to you the transformation I’ve experienced.
I can’t say I ever had any life-long aspirations to live in New York City. I first visited with my family back in 1994, where my two most vivid memories were: 1) accidentally dropping my stuffed animal into the gutter after climbing out of a cab and 2) a kid pissing on the streets of Chinatown. Not necessarily the kind of stuff dreams are made of.
But I came back to visit one of my best friends in 2010. And again in 2011. And in between that, I watched enough episodes of Gossip Girl to sort of pretend to know that this might the city that was maybe for me.
These days, however, I can tell you with confidence that New York is my hood. That the job I have now is my passion. That the friends I have here are my second family. And that my tiny fourth floor walk-up apartment is my home. I promise you, it didn’t all happen at once. But it happened and is still evolving as we speak.
After a meager two years living in the city, I am by no means a New Yorker, but I can grumble at the tourists and the costumed characters in Times Square like the best of them. With that, I want to share five lessons that I’ve learned while living in New York that might be just as applicable anywhere else in the world.
Keep Hustlin’. Moving here was barely 5% of the battle. Getting a job, finding an apartment, meeting new people and making this city a place I could call home was the other 95%. Like I said, it didn’t happen all at once. I first landed in a job that just wasn’t the right fit. I tried meeting new people via a site that was like dating, but for friends. While I was searching for a job, I put my photography skills to use and shot a wedding and took headshots for people off of Craigslist. I also basically signed away my unborn children’s college tuition in brokers’ fees for the apartment we’re living in now. Being down and out never felt discouraging. Instead, it was enough to light the fuel that keeps me going, to always be improving and to never stop hustling.
Say Yes. There’s no time like the present. And if you’re going to take a chance on something or someone, you might as well do it now. Back in 2012, I bought my admission to a blogger conference before I even secured my one-way ticket to New York. Because of that conference, I have an incredible network of friends in New York and all over the country. Whenever an invite comes my way, I try my reasonable best to say yes, because you never know what crazy adventure you might end up on.
Don’t Pick Favorites. Whenever someone asks me what my favorite restaurant in New York is, I’m genuinely at a loss for an answer. There are over 16,000 places to choose from (not an exaggeration), so why would I choose just one? The beauty of New York is that no matter how long you’ve lived here, it’s always evolving and there is always something to explore. It’s rare that you’ll ever see me dining at the same place or hanging out in the same spot more than once. I have an endless to-do list of places I want to see and things I want to try and that’s just the way I like it.
Get Cozy. With over 8 million people in NYC, you should be ready to lower your expectations of privacy. Whether you’re standing shoulder to shoulder on the subway during your morning commute or eating dinner at a restaurant while seated six inches away from the next party, you learn to make the best of it. If you’re open about it, you might encounter someone in the 20-minute line at Trader Joe’s who’ll give you incredible recipes to try for dinner. And if you’re really lucky, you’ll be privy to (read: close enough to eavesdrop on) an outrageous conversation between strangers.
Never Settle. The main reason why I moved to New York was because I was born, raised and educated in Arizona and I just wasn’t ready for that to be my entire life story. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life or my career after I graduated, but I knew that I didn’t want to settle for whatever was the easiest or most convenient. So naturally, I moved across the country. The challenges and opportunities that I’ve encountered over the past two years have taught me more than I ever thought I could learn and helped me grow more than I ever thought I could expand. And the best of all, I’m no where close to being done.
Thank you for following me on this incredible journey! The past two years have been a wild ride and I promise you, it’s only going to get better from here. xx