I feel cold just looking at these pictures.

My toes were numb. But, I'm really glad I explored for hours and hours today. NYC is pretty and reflective when there's snow on the ground. One thing I learned today: Hunter boots protect from puddles, not 16 degree weather.

Some artwork I found while wandering the streets

The above are photos of things I saw today. However, they inspired me to google "NYC street art". I might have a new obsession. The link below will lead you to a Ny Times article that will make you want to be a street art connoisseur as well. To really find the great NYC street art you have to be looking beyond the everyday hustle and bustle of the city. The article suggests looking everywhere and anywhere for the art, doorways, screens, poles, shutters, alleys etc. I love it. I will need to have my little point and shoot camera with me at all times now. There's something very mysterious about this type of art. I think that's why I find it intriguing.

Check out the article!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/travel/09weekend.html

2011 Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships

Really?!?!?! There's a "championship" for everything!

Make-up Inspired

I am obsessed with the eyes in the Christian Dior Fall 2010 Couture show. There was an amazing use of color and shape.

Girl Power

If there was a ever a time when I was inspired to be Superhero, it was Thursday, January 28th during the presentation of MACs new cosmetic collection at their Soho Pop-Up location. The collection is called Wonder Woman, and it is wonderous! I was there to help prepare the models who were dressed as versions of Wonder Women. The Make-up and hair was insane. I might just start wearing sky high ponytails, gold spandex and purple mascara next time I go out.

The Penultimate Eye Liner is one of my favorites! It looks exactly like a marker but is filled with eyeliner. It's so easy to put on for a girl on the "fly".

Follow-Up to the Pop-Up Park

Joe and I visited the Pop-Up Park on Mulberry Street this weekend. Today (the 30th) is the last day it's open to the public. It was really funny, but a great escape from the frigid cold. You walk into a three room gallery with fake grass, trees, pond, and birds chirping. The temperature is approx. 75 degrees. People took it seriously. There were many picnics taking place, kids playing tag and people reading books and lounging like they were in Central Park on a summer afternoon.

I should've taken my wool coat off for the picture. It kind of destroys the illusion.

Starbucks (and my wonderful mom) help me pretend that I'm not poor

I woke up this morning with $6.53 in my bank account. Hmmmm....what do I do with that, on a Sunday in Manhattan? Well, first I cleaned my room. That took up some time/took my mind off things that I was exempt from doing. By 3pm, I was ready to get out of my pleasant 70" by 135" room. I cleaned out my purse and found a little card that was given to me last weekend when I was home in RI. A Starbucks giftcard! Yay! Something to do/people to see/I'm not poor anymore (welll.....everything is relative). I bundled up, put on my turquoise blue skinny jeans, and packed up my backpack with my laptop library books and headed to the Astor Place Starbucks (rumor has it that the Olsen twins are frequent customers). Ehhhh.... no so such luck. There was not a seat to be found, and there were about 15 people standing around waiting for a seat to open up! So, I walked down 2nd ave and found another (less famous) Starbucks and found a seat! I now am happily sitting here with my chai, blogging and thinking.

If you can scrounge up $2.45 for a chai tea, Starbucks will provide you with much enjoyment. There is free wifi. This allows for mass amounts of job searching, facebooking, and blogging. They have a free music download everyday! Wow! That would save you $8.40 (are itunes songs $1.20 each?) a week if you buy an itunes song per day. My favorite new Starbucks discovery isssss free online reading! They offer 4 full free books online. So, whenever you're in a Starbucks and login to their wifi, you can read a book. Right now, they're offering The Autobiography of Mark Twain. I might read a few chapters. :)

Winter in the City

The great thing about being in the city after a snowstorm is the roads are cleared quickly and you can walk anywhere (so you're never really "snowed in"). With that said, there are a few negatives. The night before the storm, expect a humongous line at Trader Joe's. (Milk and bread!) Secondly, if you drive/own a car, don't expect to go anywhere until you shovel the car (not the driveway). This is one example of why I would never own a car, while living in NYC.

NYC Winter Activities

A Pop-Up Park! oooooo........ This should cure the winter blues!

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/new-yorkers-take-shelter-from-winter-in-a-downtown-pop-up-park-2440345/

Oh! Really???

It's never boring here. This does not mean that it's always pleasant.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/10/no-pants-subway-ride-2011-did-you-show-some-leg/

I saw a few of these individuals walking down my street, without a care in the world. It wasn't until the next day that I realized this was an "organized"event. I guess it's all about freeing ourselves from pants. hmmm.... It was about 29 degrees this day. I'll conform and wear my pants. Thanks.

Makin' It

I'm Here! I did it (kind of). I moved to NYC. I live here! However, after 2 weeks it's becoming apparent that I need a job. Any job will do, even part-time at this point. When you're not working you spend money. Don't get me wrong, I'm working hard, networking hard and sending my resume to every single email that has any sort of connection to NYC/fashion/entertainment/money. The thing is that part of finding a job in NYC is going out! I'm not kidding. It's the way to meet people who know people. However, this doesn't exactly work when you're not working and don't have money. There's some sort of disconnect there. So, the trick, the game, is to make friends. Make friends with everyone, bartenders, bouncers etc. This will hopefully lead to: 1. more fun 2. free entrance/drinks and 3. maybe even some networking. I've learned that very few people who live the city have the money/make the money to live here. They find ways to get around the money issue and live like they can afford it. Living in NYC is an education in survival.