Let It Be and Coney Island

Let It Be

Summer in the city continues to be hot and fabulous. This week we were lucky enough to get free tickets through Zach's mom, who works on Broadway, to Let It Be! It is the new Broadway show, which is "a celebration of music of The Beatles". It was amazing! We met in Times Square on Monday night grabbed a quick dinner and went to the show. It was different than I had expected though. Most Broadway shows I've seen have a plot and story line. I was actually kinda excited to learn more about The Beatles through a story, but they didn't provide one. It was pretty much a 2 hour Beatles concert, which really wasn't a disappointment! They had the audience literally standing up, clapping, and singing along! It was so much fun! If anyone is a big Beatles fan I highly recommend it.

Coney Island

On Friday, we was able to go to Coney Island for my first time ever! I still can't believe I've lived in NYC for over a year and a half and had never been until now. It definitely helps having a car because taking the subway there would be a lengthy trip. About 15 minutes after being on the boardwalk Zach was buying credits to ride a roller-coaster called the Soarin' Eagle. I wasn't prepared for this and was definitely nervous to say the least. I'm pretty sure my heart pounding was shaking the entire cab as it ticked its way up the ride to start. Once it started though and I let out some good screams I LOVED it. I'm so happy I went. While at Coney Island I had to try the famous Nathan's Hot Dog, so for almost $5 I was a typical tourist in Brooklyn and helped myself to one. I guess it was good and all, but I don't think I would spend $5 on one again. Sorry Nathan's. We spent the rest of the time there walking the boardwalk and lounging on the beach. There was a DJ at one end playing dance music and people were definitely dancing. There was also a couple walking around with huge snakes around their necks letting people take pictures with them, for a price of course. It was fun to go to a different beach, than our regular Rockaway Beach and see what all the hype is about. I must say though that I prefer Rockaway. Coney island is tucked in behind the peninsula of Rockaway so there are pretty much 0 waves. I personally like the big waves that come with being on the true coast of the ocean so I think we will stick with going to Rockaway for our beach days. Still, I'm happy I went.

My Job
If you were to follow me on instagram or facebook you would know by now that I was recently laid off from my nannying job. I was given, no warning, no explanation, and no time to plan to look for another job. As scary of a time as this is for me right now I am not as scared as I thought I would be. The family had recently started treating me very poorly with disrespect and a new tone of voice. I didn't know where it was coming from, and I am still left wondering. I'm left wondering if it was something I did or if something happened with their jobs that doesn't allow them to keep me on. Anyway, I have some very good leads with future jobs so things are looking up. I'm very excited to start school at the beginning of September and now, start a new job as well! I can't wait to get it all squared away.

California
This Friday, Zach and I are leaving for a 10 day trip to California! The timing is kinda perfect and the worse timing all at the same time. It's perfect because it will be great to relax and clear my mind before starting school, but it's kinda terrible because I don't have a job yet to come back to and every penny I spend there will be terrifying. Good thing most of it is paid for already and there are lots of free things to do in Cali, like stay with relatives :)

As for now, I am trying to keep my head up and look forward to the future and what that will bring. I know I will be ok and I couldn't thank my family and friends enough for being there for me.

Coney Island Pics:

Taylor Freaking Swift

TAYLOR SWIFT

I have had the most amazing past two Saturdays. One was definitely better than the other, but let me explain. I bought tickets to Taylor Swift back in, I don't know, maybe... February? I knew I HAD to see her this year (as one of my new year's resolutions actually), so when my tax returns came back BOOM they were bought. I didn't know who was going to join me, but I had two tickets to see Taylor Swift at the Giant's stadium in NJ just outside of the city. I had invited a friend from upstate, my boyfriend, and my mom and of course mom pulled through, well, so I thought. 

The morning of the concert she called me when she was sitting in her driveway upstate all packed up and ready to go, but she was feeling super uneasy in her stomach and was worried about pushing it (she had been sick all week prior to the show). I told her that health trumps and she should stay home as I was sure I would find someone else... I mean who wouldn't want to go to a Taylor Swift concert for free with me!? Well, turns out finding someone last minute is not as easy as I thought. I made the trek alone. I was super excited and didn't think anything could stop me from having a good night. That was until I went to meet a friend after Ed Sheeran played an opening set just before Taylor took the stage. I met her, grabbed a drink, and went back to my seat. I took my backpack off and opened the flap to grab my camera and well, it wasn't there. I went back to where I purchased the drink, back to the restroom I used while I was up, and went by guest services but found nothing. Somehow in that 10-15 minutes someone must have grabbed it out of my bag, it had fallen out of my bag, I set it on the counter while I was getting my wallet out and never put it back, or SOMETHING, but it's gone... forever. I didn't want it to ruin the show but I couldn't let it go. This was also the first concert I have been to alone and everyone else was with their moms or friends and I think it just sunk me to a new level of low because I called Mom and ended up crying because I was just so upset and lonely and wanted someone to share the experience with. (She might have been playing a slow song too) Talking to mom helped a lot and I was able to cheer up and enjoy the rest of the show and make friends with the girls sitting next to me. I don't have many pictures from that night obviously and my phone is a P.O.S. sooo I only have a few things to look back on from that show.

I went along my week trying to get over the show not being as much as a success as I had envisioned, but was still super bummed all week by not having enjoyed it with my mom. I was really looking forward to sharing that memory with her and seeing her and catching up. Well, the more I talked to mom during the week and realized Taylor was playing again in Philadelphia the more my dream became a reality... we were going to see Taylor Swift, AGAIN! 

We met at my brothers house in Phili and took off from there. On the way to the venue we couldn't find on mom's stub hub account our tickets. We checked her bank account and email and realized um... she never bought the tickets. WHAT?! It was about 5:45 and we were on our way to the 6:30 show with NO tickets! I got on stub hub on our smartphones and hah well, purchased tickets on the floor for cheaper than our original tickets! We scooped in and picked them up and by 6:30 we were seating on the floor of the stadium. It was incredible. 

We watched Ed Sheeran open and he was amazing of course. It was minutes before Taylor was supposed to take the stage and an announcement came over the loud speaker telling everyone to leave their seats and take cover because of severe weather in the area. WHAT!? I thought I was cursed from ever enjoying a T Swift concert. I was so nervous we wouldn't see her and it would get rained out. We spent about an hour under cover and ate a hot dog, had girl talk, watched some killer lighting, cooled off with some rain, then returned to our seats just in time for Taylor to start at 10:30. 

The rest was history. She was and is incredible. She walked right next to where we were standing! What a show. She played everything I wanted. I will never miss another Taylor Swift tour, and hopefully I can catch her twice from now on. 

I'm still floating.

Summer upstate and in the city

Since getting back from Utah I have tried to live up summer in NY as much as possible. It is pretty miserable outside considering it is about 90 degrees plus humidity but I've been trying to make the most of it. I went upstate and saw mom for a long weekend before the forth, which was amazing. It rained I think everyday I was there and I honestly didn't mind. I spent the majority of the time going through my room and reorganizing and getting rid of things I no longer need. Also, mom's garden is exploding because of all of the rain, which made for some pretty BOMB salads and snacks while I was home. MMM!

Me and mom also went and got our necessary mani-pedi at our favorite spot. We decided to go with gel nails in a french mani and I went with red toes, while mom went with purple. 

Worth every penny. 

The only other thing to do in NYC when it is this hot is to bike, run, and go to the beach! (Oh and go on one or two dates with my main man, of course) We are THRILLED they have a huge bike lane connecting Queens and Brooklyn. We have friends in Brooklyn so it makes is very convenient and safe(isn) to get there and back in only 30 minutes. 

 <- My favorite restaurant/date place right now. La Lanterina in Manhattan. Indoor patio which is adorable with divine italian food. As close to the real thing as I've found in NYC.

 <- The family I nanny is in Malaysia for 10 days, hence all  the play and little work I've been doing. I sure do miss this little nugget though. 

 <- There is an awesome and huge cemetary right down the road from the apartment where Zach and I go running. It has been super hot but it still feels cooler running through grass with trees then running on concrete through buildings. 

 <- Rockaway Beach is my new ultimate favorite spot this summer. Oh and Rockaway Tacos is a MUST for anyone that goes. $3.50 fish tacos, and at least a 30 minute wait but are well worth it. (picture to come with next visit, I ate it too fast and realized I missed the photo op)

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Oh I almost forgot, JULY 4th! We kinda celebrated on July 3rd and went to the Mets game. They had student tickets for $9 and had a firework show after! It was AWESOME. The fireworks went all around the top of the stadium, down in the field, and had a crazy light show included all synced to music! I was very pleased with the fireworks we got this year, even though it was a day early. 

On July 4th Zach had to work so I was left home organizing and unpacking from my trip upstate. I texted my friend from elementary school who I've recently gotten in touch with and went and met her on 2nd ave at her friend's apartment. Her friend just happens to dance with ABT (American Ballet Theater), no big deal slash really big deal. I think I talked his ear off about dance and was so excited to meet an actual NYC ABT male ballerina, who happens to be from Mobile, AL (shout out to Mom's birth place) I may have embarrassed myself a little by all the Q&A. Anyway, we spent the evening hanging out on his back porch and made our way to a southern BBQ restaurant where Zach was able to meet us and share some Southern BBQ nachos. Mmm. Three of the friends there were Auburn alumni where Allison and I are Alabama fans so there was the obvious rival of "war eagle" "roll tide" comments all night. They even had a bottle opener that played the Alabama fight song when it was used. Awesome. Oh how I miss the south. 

July 3rd fireworks at Citi Field - July 3rd

Me and Allison (Rollll Tide!) - July 4th

Zach and I at Rockaway Beach - July 5th

Until next time,

Vj

And by next time I mean AFTER the Taylor Swift concert this coming Saturday!
6 Days away!