t e x t u r e . d: NYC

Showing posts with label NYC. Show all posts

Monday

{journal} : friend love.

i've been thinking about friendship quite a bit lately.

the older i get - the less friends i seem to have.

or i guess i should say - i have fewer REAL friends.

the kind that always love you.

no matter what.

the kind of friends that walk through the valleys

& ride life's roller coaster with you...

in my opinion - unconditional love is the greatest gift

we can receive in this life.

to be seen and known by others -

and to receive love anyway...that's what life is about.

it's what pushes us, carries us, encourages us -

and it's what brings the purest type of joy.

i am beyond thankful that i have old & new friends to walk through life with.

having those people - that you can laugh your ass off

with one minute & fall into their arms bawling your eyes out

the next - to me - is such a simple thing that i often look over and forget to truly appreciate.

i guess this is my little speech to announce my gratitude.

words can never express love accurately -

but i love you - my friends.

and i am thankful that you love me.

thank you for allowing me to not be perfect.

thank you for making fun of me & keeping me humble.

thank you for challenging me to be a better version of myself.

i'll quit now.

i get on my sappy train & can't really control it.

i love the people i've been blessed to call friends.

that's all.

Thursday

{list} : 12 things learned living in nyc.

I made a spur of the moment decision to move to

new york city from dallas, tx almost 2 years ago.

i actually can't believe i have been here this long.

most days - it still does not sink in that i actually live here - i tend to feel like i'm on an extended vacation.

(which affects my lifestyle from time to time)

i had visited this city many times before making the move -

but there are just certain "lessons" one learns once they become a resident of this wild place.

i am an avid "list keeper" (for way too many categories)

so - below are just 12 of the random things i've learned so far:

1. every person is kind of a disaster.(or most i've met)

a work in progress.

we are all going down our own personal & particular path -

figuring it along the way.

this is refreshing coming from the south where -

even if you aren't perfect - you act like you are.

2. i have become fully confident in my ability to walk

an absurdly long distance -

rain, humidity, or snow.

when people visit - i realize it all over again -

because my version of "a quick walk" ALWAYS makes them angry.

3. It's okay to cry walking down the street.

everyone has done it at least once.

i personally have had quite a few complete break downs.

nobody notices (or cares).

4. Always keep an eye out for a Barnes & Noble.

it's the only place i've found with quick access

to a public restroom.

5. If you're running late - the excuse "my train was running behind" seems to always be believable & accepted.

6. You learn quickly how to walk, text, AND DODGE vomit, dog shit, and the occasional homeless sleeper - with grace & ease.

7. never tell a cab driver an actual address.

give him the intersection/cross streets.

and google map it before to make sure you actually

know where you are headed.

cabbies aren't stupid - but they act like they are

for an extra few bucks.

8. craigslist in nyc is the opposite of craigslist in dallas.

(i.e. all i really knew before was because

of the Craigslist Killer)

here - you use it for - well, for everything.

finding roommates, buying/selling anything,

looking for random jobs.

you can't be afraid of craigslist anymore - or well,

you are just making your life more inconvenient.

9. cab rides, subway trips & rides up the elevator

can serve as a vanity table.

and it's acceptable.

i typically always leave my apartment with zero makeup on

& get ready on the way.

or i have a panic attack about trying to get out the door on time.

10. don't ever step on a subway vent in the summer

while wearing a dress.

dodge the suckers.

unless you want 20+ people to see your goods.

11. rainy days are a nightmare.

so are grocery stores.

(mainly bc they never have things like

black eyed peas or velveeta cheese.

(*i'm probably the only person who has ever inquired about these items though.)

12. HUGE LESSON : life without a Sonic,

Chic-Fil-A, or Target nearby is awful.

to be continued...

nyc outlook - rewind 10 years.

life is constantly changing

& mine has especially in the last few years...

i found the below article that i wrote for my hometown newspaper in 2002 about my first visit to the city i now call home...

i haven't decided yet if my life has taken a crazy turn from what i had planned... or if i've just gone completely crazy.

anyway - enjoy & don't judge me for this lame

and way too LONG of a story.

take that & rewind it back - to 10 years ago...

or not?

“City girl? Well, maybe not.”

(*terrible title - i'm aware)

Published:

Thursday, August 15, 2002 12:00 AM CDT

BY REBEKAH DAVIS

"City girl."

This term had always appealed to me. It just sounds so fun, independent, and different than anything I have ever been. Well, it did appeal to me -- until I traveled into the streets of where real "city girls" reside -- New York City. I found out very quickly that I am no where near "city" material, and the "city people" were quick to label me just what I have always been and will always be--"the practical southern belle."

I was ecstatic as four of my sorority pledge sisters and I planned this trip up north. We visited another friend from school that is from Pennsylvania. I had always wanted to go up north, especially to NYC!

So during the week of July 20-27, I got to experience this dream! We visited in Pennsylvania for a few days, before loading a train early Monday morning (and, by the way, I had no idea trains were actually still used for transportation!) This started the trip off in a neat way, but it sure was a hassle! We unloaded and loaded at three more train stations before arriving at our destination. Finally, there we were--five Arkansas girls trying to flag down a taxi to our hotel!

My first impression was definitely what I had always imagined--humongous buildings, tall billboards, millions of people everywhere, and crazy taxi cab drivers who were not afraid to run over the millions of people everywhere… As we rode in our Lincoln taxi, I stared out the window and ooed and aaaed at the scenery.(Take note that this was the first and last Lincoln taxi we took--yellow cabs did just fine for us after the Lincoln's $30 charge for less than five blocks)

Our first day in NYC was filled with shopping on Fifth Avenue! Wow, I had always dreamed of saying I'd been there! We also walked through St. Patrick's Cathedral, as mass was taking place! Man, talk about a beautiful church! After about an hour of shopping, I declared that I definitely had not saved enough money for this trip--it was going quicker than I could hand it out!

After a full day of shopping, we got ready for our first night on the town! We ate at an awesome bar and grill in Times Square, which I could probably write an entire article on by itself! The lights and nightlife were amazing! There were people everywhere, but for some reason, the five girls from Arkansas were quite an attraction! As people would catch an earful of our accents - they were hooked. Finally, we decided we were just going to act mute, so people would quit making a big deal out of us…but that didn’t quite work.

We got on a local television, though, the first night, as we called the hogs and told all about Arkansas! (Don't worry, we represented it well!) We also made friends with a NYPD cop and "The Naked Cowboy," a guy who stood in the middle of Times Square in his underwear, cowboy hat and boots! (Don't ask!-- that's NY for ya I guess? )

Our second day started off early, as we ventured down into China-town and SoHo! These are locations where you can buy fake name brand things for almost nothing. This day, however, was the hottest day I had felt all summer, and with all the people, things were less than enjoyable. All I wanted all day was a bottle of water--instead of a fake Gucci purse -- but the bottle of water was more expensive, so I just settled for the purse instead (which in fact had “C’s” monogrammed on it instead of “G’s” – which makes me the thirsty idiot.)

This second day was also the most memorable, because we visited Ground Zero. The sight was very cleaned up, but it was still so emotional to see the actual location. Workers were still cleaning and people were everywhere. This day made me realize that what happened to our nation was real and not just something that took over our television stations.

As I stood and looked at the site, there was the largest American flag I'd ever seen, - flying freely in the wind. This gave me an emotional and raw sense of patriotism - but what stood out to me most was a cross - crafted out of the building’s structure beams. This stood in the center of the site and moved me in a more personal way. I thanked God that no one I knew was involved and took a few moments to pray for the many families that did have loved ones involved or lost in this terrorism tragedy.

This second night we also did what I had always thought of when traveling to New York--we saw the Broadway play "The Lion King” - nothing short of amazing!

It was now time for our third and last day. As we sat in our hotel with no money and completely out of ideas of anything to do with NO MONEY – we went with the obvious option and decided to try to get on TV again. So--we went to a convienence store and got a box out of the trash dumpster and made a sign. This sign accomplished our final goal--we were on the Today Show! We made a sign, wore Razorback noses, and matching "I love NY" shirts--and not only got on the show, but they talked to us and let us call the Hogs! We were so excited, after that, but to make it better--Katie Couric made time to come and talk to us and take a picture with us during a commercial break! Hey--we finally had an advantage to being "the Arkansas girls!"

As the day ended, we went back to Pennsylvania -- with no money and not enough space to carry all of our purchases! This was an amazing and unforgettable trip--I saw Fifth Avenue, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, The Empire State Building, etc. But I learned that I love the South--the friendly people and slower pace of life! I will never wish to become a "city girl" again--I'm just fine as "the practical Southern belle."