I arrived Wednesday night at 8 pm (1 am London time), got my bag, and got into a cab to head to the Upper West Side. Lauren was there waiting for me and within 20 minutes, we made our way out to get drinks with a big group of people who are also at Columbia Business School. These people can party, and they know how to do it right. We show up a pub-like bar, go downstairs, and find massive tables set up for a beer pong competition. Now considering how jet lagged I was, I could barely drink, let alone throw a tiny ball into a cup and possibly be forced to chug. So I stuck with my vodka sodas and mingled with her classmates. At midnight, it was technically Lauren's birthday so she was made to take a shot before we bounced out of there like sensible human beings!
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| night 1 |
Thursday was a busy morning and once I was finished with my personal stuff, Lauren and I went to a Mexican lunch and drinks for a little birthday celebration...just the two of us! We went to a place called Cilantro on Columbus Ave. It was pretty average food/drink wise but it was so nice to sit there and celebrate the birthday girl.
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| spicy margarita birthday girl |
After lunch, we went back to Lauren's to chill out before the night. Lauren had a meeting and event at Columbia and I went to meet my two guy friends Mike and Nick who both live in NYC. Before Lauren and I parted ways, we had a beer in bed, a cocktail at a cheap campus bar, and a stroll through Columbia University.
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| hey don't judge. it's vacation. |
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| columbia |
Lauren went off to her event and I met the boys at the Ace Hotel. This place has an awesome vibe on the inside and we spent a few hours just catching up, people watching, and enjoying our drinks. After the Ace, we went to Lillie's. I don't know if it was jet lag or just the excitement of being in the US and NYC, but I wasn't sleepy at all! Luckily Mike and Nick both have jobs so I had to be somewhat reasonable.
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| 'murica |
I woke up Friday morning needing a bagel, coconut water and gatorade more than I ever thought possible. I grabbed all of the above at Lauren's local deli and we had a lazy morning. I was meeting my friend Christine at 2 for lunch in Dumbo (Brooklyn) but before I did that, I needed to get my 90's outfit sorted for Friday night. Yes, I just said 90's outfit. Lauren planned to have her birthday party at (le) poisson rouge for their Saved by the 90's night. So neither of us had anything "90's"…or at least we didn't think we did. Come to find out, the 90's are making a massive comeback (thanks H&M and Forever 21) so it didn't take too long to find something that made us look like Kelly Kapowski and Lisa Turtle.
After we got our gear, I made my way to Brooklyn to see Christine and Mo. We grabbed some lunch in Dumbo, then went back to her apartment to eat, chill, and have a good catch up. Mo was feeling particularly feisty and at one point managed to pull down her sunglasses and roll her eyes so hard I thought they would get stuck in the back of her head. Damn that girl is a mess! I had a blast hanging out with this momma and daughter team.
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| me and mo |
I made my way back to the Upper West to get ready for the night. I went with a denim vest, leather skirt, and crop top ensemble. Very classy. We had a reservation at OTTO for a big group of Lauren's friends (Christine came too). Dinner was family style and it was massive amounts. The guys were all very happy with Lauren and her choices! After dinner, we went to (Le) Poisson Rouge for the rest of the night. It was a blast and the cover band played all the best 90 jams. It made me feel like I was back in middle/high school again (but this time older, able to drink, and wearing better clothes). I really slacked on taking pictures but I got a few good ones...
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| 90's fun |
Saturday morning, Lauren and I walked around Upper West Side (following my belief that you can walk a hangover off) and got brunch at Piccolo Cafe on Amsterdam Ave. We went for poached eggs with lobster and avocado and huevos rancheros. DAMN. It was so good. After we walked around Central Park and enjoyed the beautiful morning. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to the couch and episodes of How I Met Your Mother. By 8 pm, we were ready to get ourselves going again. We stayed in the neighborhood and met up with some of her classmates at a bar called Jake's Dilemma. I miss sports bars and this place was exactly what I remember of them.
On Sunday, I met up with two of my friends from UNCW, Lauren and Claire. Claire was my suite-mate freshman year and Lauren and I had the same major. It was so great seeing both of these girls! We had a great breakfast at Spring Natural Kitchen.
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| uncw girls |
Afterwards, I had some errands to run and things to do before leaving on Monday. I returned a crop top I didn't wear Friday night (ha!) and looked for some new sunglasses. Before I knew it, it was time to meet Christine for dinner on the Lower East Side at Todd's Mill. Christy loves this place and I can understand why; the food is incredible, the interior is gorgeous, and we got treated like princesses (free rose? yes please!)
Monday was my last day. I spent it walking around the Upper West and visiting some different schools. I made my way to the airport around 5, got some American treats at the airport, and was ready to head back to London.
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| goodies |
I'm really trying to decide if NYC is a place I can see myself living in. After this trip, I definitely think it is. But we will see where this crazy journey takes me.
xx
Kristen
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