New York, New York

I'm back from my trip to the city and it was so absolutely wonderful.

 My experience dancing at Radio City Music hall was fantastic and opened my eyes to so many new things...plus I made a lot of amazing friends! 

Around the dancing I was able to fit in a mini vacation. Being my second time in the city I was able to forgo some of the more touristy plans and explore less crowded places. It was a dream come true.  There are so many hidden gems left to be uncovered, all the more reason to visit the city over and over and over.

So here is a little guide of all my favorite places to visit, shop, and eat so far.

SHOP

-Henri Bendel - I must say, Bendels is a personal favorite of mine. I may not be able to afford 80% of the stuff sold there (yet), but I love the way the store feels. It's like a fashion wonderland. Also a great place for buying gifts for friends, the luggage tags and friendship bracelets are adorable.

-Opening Ceremony - love love love. Spent 15 minutes explaining my love of the PS1 because they had a million on display in every color. 

-Aritzia - This place is so lovely. It's a Canadian based store and this location is their American flagship as far as I know. It's huge and beautiful and they were having an amazing sale, I couldn't help falling in love. Expect super soft tops and sweaters from brands like Wilfred and TnA, a various mix of nice jeans, as well as statement pieces like layered lace skirts and leather jackets. I'm praying for an LA location ASAP.

-Urban Outfitters on 5th - It's huge and I love UO so it's a win win. 

-Forever 21 on 5th - I never did get to venture to the behemoth that is the Times Square location, however this one is perfectly huge with 6 floors and has much smaller crowds. There is also a dressing room on every floor which can help combat their silly 6 items a pop rule.

 EAT

-Sarabeths - Yummy breakfast right by Central Park

-Popbar - To die for gelato. On a stick. Dipped in chocolate.

-Habana Outpost - Worth the trip to Brooklyn just to eat outside on the colorful patio. The food is amazingly good (get the corn!). There is also a Soho locale.

-Fuzia -Awesome sushi.

-Rue 57 - On the fancier side, amazing sandwiches.

-Bryant Park Grill - Also on the fancier side and so pretty, the park is gorgeous around dinner time with all the lights in the trees.

-Dojo -Chopstick salad. Enough said.

VISIT

-The Met - I could spend days here.

-Central Park - So pretty and best of all its free.

-Radio City Music Hall -I definitely think it is worth your while to see a show or take a tour here. It is so full of history and so beautiful.

-Broadway - See a show! I saw How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and it was phenomenal. Glee fans should know Darren Criss will be playing the lead for the month of January.

-Evolution - This place is technically a store but it feels more like a quirky museum. Lots of taxidermy and skeletons and rocks and crystals and strange stuff. Not exactly for the faint of heart but I found it fascinating.

Thank you for the recommendations regarding my previous post. New York is one of those places you can visit a million time or even live there and never run out of new things to see and do.

Tomorrow

I will be here!

NYC

Not even a 6:45 AM flight will deter from my excitement...10 days in New York seems like a dream! My mom and I are staying at the Waldorf Astoria thanks to the discount I get for attending my dance intensive. 

For all you LUCKY city dwellers I'd love some suggestions of things to do in my downtime!

My to do list already includes a visit to the Chelsea Flea Market, the Mcqueen exhibit at the Met, classes at Steps and BDC, and hopefully a musical or two, but I need more. I got all the touristy things out of the way when I went two years ago, so I'm looking to explore and try new things. :) 

*Don't forget restaurants!!!*

I Survived!

Okay, maybe it's a little early to say that since I still have one dance intensive left, but really I feel at least some celebration is in order! I survived nationals with my studio followed by Final Cut a.k.a. one of the hardest weeks of my life. In 5 days we put together an entire dance show from start to finish with a group of 60+ strangers from all over the country. If you think that sounds crazy you are absolutely right. 

Anyways, I am now home on my 5 day break before my next intensive which will be taking place in New York! Even though I leave in 3 days it is still hard for me to believe that I am actually going back. This trip is perfect inspiration to help me get back into blogging. 

Speaking of inspiration, I booked my first job as a stylist! Right before all this dance madness began I was asked to work on the promotional shoot for LA Dance Magic. It was almost too fun to call work and really good experience and definitely opened my eyes to pursuing styling as a career. 

I can't wait to show off the final result!

Morning Beauty | Natalia Vodianova by Glen Luchford

Vogue Italia March 2004 

I love everything about this editorial. 

The lighting, the wardrobe, the hair and make up, the model...I instantly bookmarked it. Browsing new eds is always hit or miss for me, it's one of the few times I become surprisingly opinionated. It's got to have at least a little glamor, fantasy, and sparkle, well in this case, a lot!

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On a personal note, I will be in NYC this summer! In January I auditioned to be a part of the Rockette Summer Intensive and was accepted. It still hasn't registered that I will be going back and getting to train at Radio City, it is really a bit of a dream come true. I will hopefully be staying a few days after the intensive ends (last week of July, beginning of August) so I would love any and every recommendation for favorite things to do in the city during the summer!