Another week, more crazy adventures. I'm a little short on time (ok, I took like a four-hour nap and then watched the Survivor finale. (Yay for Cochran!) Sorry not sorry.), so this is mostly just going to be a long string of pictures. Visual appeal!
Monday was fairly uneventful. I went shopping for some needed business clothes and shoes and walked through the streets of Harlem by myself, so that was fun.
Tuesday we ate at the Starlight Diner, a restaurant that turns waiters into Broadway stars. Or something like that. It was cool for the experience, but the food was pretty expensive and honestly not that great. I don't know if I'd recommend it.
Wednesday we had class, so not much to report on that front. We heard from Toni Muzi Falconi, PR extraordinaire and professor at NYU. It was an interesting lecture. Afterward we had Shake Shack and EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET THE PRETZEL CONCRETE. So freaking delicious.
Thursday night Katrina and I attended the LiveWire
series at the Apollo Theater, where these two
awesome speakers led a discussion on the
history of Harlem and its influence on the
music world. It was a fascinating look
into a different culture.
The discussion was sprinkled with performances
from Lady Leah, who had a wonderful voice and
evoked feelings of an older era of jazz.
For work on Friday I got to help out with Grand Central Terminal's Parade of Trains event, particularly the press preview. It was cool to see the old historic trains from the 20th Century Limited and to see train-geek reporters nerd out.
The Parade of Trains.
Why can't trains be all fancy like this today? Transportation is basically just another way to herd cattle these days.
Friday I also got to see The Great Gatsby and I loved it! I totally thought it did the story justice and of course Leo was amazing. We also stopped by the Plaza Hotel before heading to the movie, to see some of the costumes from the film as well as Nick's typewriter (see video). Only in New York can you do something like that. So dang sweet.
We started off Saturday by seeing Ben Stiller direct a movie on our street.
Then we won lottery tickets to Newsies!! My name was the first one called--literally the first time that's ever happened to me.
The show was so good!! The choreography was especially spectacular. I scored pretty good seats, too. Second row in the middle. Not too shabby. The guy next to me could have smelled a little better, though.
Next was the Met, where I finally got to see the Impressionist paintings I love so much. Especially some Van Gogh and Monet.
Washington Crossing the Delaware.
Just chilling with my favorite Founding Father. I got yelled at for standing too close. And for taking pictures. And for being too loud. Basically the Met hates me.
Sunday Mother's Day lunch was celebrated at Sylvia's, Queen of Soul Food.
Where of course I had to get the chicken and waffles. Seriously the best combination known to man.
So that's about it. The video has a bit more footage. It's been another fun yet exhausting week!
These last two weeks have been, without a doubt, some of the two craziest weeks of my life. This is the first time I've had a chance to catch a breath. I'm not complaining (you know me, I like keeping busy), but it is nice to finally have a chance to sit and reflect on everything that's been going on. Yay for Sundays.
So! Recap of my first week in New York City:
Last Sunday I flew in and literally slept through both flights. With graduation and moving and family gatherings, I maybe had seven hours of sleep total the few days before. So I was exhausted. The two-hour time difference didn't help much either. But it's all good now.
We took a taxi from the airport to the International House, where I'm staying these next two months. It's not as bad as I had imagined. It's one of those buildings that was really majestic back in its day, it's just that it's day was 100 or so years ago. Here are some pictures:
tiny, tiny. and easily messy.
one of the lounge areas. old, but i like it.
the subway station i take to work. right in the middle of harlem. i think it's actually quite beautiful.
The communal bathrooms are an adjustment. Last night I was showering and the lights turned off midway through. Thoughts of Psycho ran through my head. Luckily I did not end up like poor old Marion and I]m safe to see another day.
Monday I started my internship at Goodman Media. I took the subway and didn't get too lost. I mean, I made it there on time. Also, first rule about being a New Yorker, DO NOT make eye contact with anyone on the subway. I accidentally looked at this one girl, smiled, and received a death glare. Oops. I did find that most people are nice one-on-one, but commuting to and fro they just don't want to be bothered. It makes sense. There are a lot of people. Don't want to get too cozy.
Anyway, about Goodman ... I love it here! Right away they placed me on several accounts and put me right to work. Real work too, not grunt stuff. And I'm happy to say that all that schooling paid off; I at least have a basic knowledge of everything that's been asked of me. I hope I'm doing a good job. Everyone's been super nice and helpful. They have a ton of interns throughout the years, but they still treat us as one of the gang. It's really comforting.
Oh and did I mention the view??
view from the times square conference room
the "diner"--coolest break room ever, or coolest break room ever?
standing outside the office building
That night my dad was actually in the city for a business meeting, so he took me out to eat and to pick up some supplies, which I was so grateful for. I was starving, and we ate at this delicious Italian restaurant, Carmines, where the family-style portions were much more than I could handle. I'm really glad Dad was there to help me out on my first day; it was such a blessing.
Tuesday some of us went to eat at Dallas BBQ, which was good, but Fluffy's cheesecake was even better, a place I remembered from last time I was here. Basically I want cheesecake all the time. Number one reason I came to New York. (I'm only slightly kidding)
mmm.mmm.mmm
We also walked around Times Square, where the costumed men kept making Jessie scream. It was hysterical.
Wednesday was the NYC Great Gatsby premiere, so we wandered over to the Lincoln Center to see if we could spot Leo and the gang on the red carpet. It was pretty crazy, there were a ton of people and lots of screaming girls. But we got to see him! Along with Tobey Maguire, Amitabh Bachchan, Carey Mulligan, Jay Z, Nina Dobrev, and others. I couldn't get that great of pictures, but here they are:
jay z
amitabh! the indian crowd behind us was going nuts.
tobey
so sexy.
Thursday we tried to get lottery tickets to a Broadway show and failed, so we ended up eating at Shake Shack and wandering around Times Square instead. We bought tickets to a stand-up comedy show, which hopefully we will go to sometime this week.
Friday I went to the Met! I only really had time to explore the first floor--this place is huge! I'm going to go back several times, especially to see all the Impressionist paintings I missed. The first floor contained some pretty rad things, such as Greek statues, Egyptian tombs, medieval art and armor, OLD French furniture, and Native American clothing. I felt so cultured walking around there. It's amazing that humanity has lasted this long and there are still artifacts left over from those eras. It sometimes boggles the mind to think about how they came up with all this stuff with their ancient tools and knowledge. Craziness.
more cheesecake. obviously.
Saturday was a pretty long day. I got to sleep in, which was nice. We went to Central Park, Canal Street, Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Wall Street. I actually took the time to make a video of our Saturday adventures, which I need to be more proactive on in general. It's hard trying to balance not looking like a tourist in your business clothes while wanting to video everything you see. But Saturday was casual, and I had no shame. Enjoy!
Overall, it was an exhausting, but thoroughly enjoyable, first week at New York! It flew by so fast, much like I'm sure the whole two months is going to. There are a million things I want to do and I hope I have time to do them all. I'll continue to keep you updated. It's weird that I haven't had much time for social media, I've just been so busy! I'll try to keep in touch as best I can. But feel free to text and call me!
It's official. Four years of exams, group projects, and harsh winters have finally paid off. I graduated BYU. I got my degree. (Well, almost. I technically won't get it until June.) I did it.
These last couple of days have been hectic, but I won't ever forget the time I walked on that stage in my cap and gown and spoke about how grateful I was for this school and the Communications Department. How I loved every experience I've been given, from my classes, to the Bradley Lab, to my internships, to the wonderful people and friends I met while I was here. It was an honor to be able to reflect on those things, and I hope my fellow graduates were able to look back on their own college experience and realize the potential they have. Especially my fellow PR folk--we're the best.
Tomorrow I fly out to my internship in New York, effectively beginning the next phase of my life. It hasn't hit me quite yet that I will no longer walk across the campus grounds of BYU as a student. Or that I might not see Provo or some of the amazing friends I made here for quite a while. It's a little depressing, but you can't be stuck in the past. I'm ready for whatever the future has in store for me. Bring it on, post-grad life.
P.S. As soon as the recording of my speech is sent to me I will post it here. I know some people wished they could have come, but were either too far away or too tired to come at 8 in the morning. I don't blame you; I've probably slept a total of seven hours the last three days.
P.P.S. There's a lot more I could say about my awesome experiences as an undergrad, but the thing I'll miss the most is the people. And since a blog post can't properly express how much I'll miss everyone, I'm currently working on a goodbye video showcasing everyone that's made an impact on my time here in Utah. I'm also working on one telling all things I won't miss so much about this place. My computer's been pretty sketchy lately though, so I'm not sure when I'll have it done.
P.P.P.S. Did I mention I'll be in New York tomorrow??? Stay tuned for my adventures in the concrete jungle.
Today marks the two-week wait until I fly into New York City. I still have a million and a half things to do, but since I don't feel like doing any of them, I'm instead going to tell you how pumped I am for the Big Apple.
What I'm looking forward to:
The food. Of course this makes the top of my list... Regardless, NYC is the mecca of delicious food from all over the world, so it's basically heaven to a foodie like me. Also, cheesecake.
Working for an awesome PR firm and learning a lot about media relations. Did I mention the office is in Times Square? And their clients include PBS, HBO, and Scholastic Books? Here's a picture several employees took a few months ago. I don't want to brag, but I definitely nagged the best internship in the program.
LEVAR FREAKING BURTON, people.
Mastering the subway system and the whole map of Manhattan. Basically, by the end of these seven weeks I'd be happy to not look like a total noob and at least appear to know where I'm going.
Broadway shows. I really want to see Newsies and Phantom.
Seeing something new every day. Whether it's the different cultures, landmarks, or this guy:
Yankees game, the Met, Ground Zero, etc... I unashamedly love touristy things.
SHOPPING
And of course, hanging out with my awesome BYU friends at the IHouse. It will be a party. SO EXCITED.
What I'm not so much looking forward to :
The tiny IHouse dorm room and communal bathrooms. Enough said.
Getting lost. Which will happen every day, knowing myself.
The fact that I'll have practically no money out there. I might have to take up a part-time job like this guy to earn some extra cash.
stone. cold. statue.
I'm excited to tell you all about my NYC adventures when I finally get out there! I also love restaurant advice.
The race towards graduation is happening so fast I can barely keep up. These last two weeks of school will be super busy (this last week was the worst), finals won't be too bad, then it's just prepping for graduation and my speech(!) and then I am OFF TO NEW YORK. Craziness.
When I have more time I promise I'll have more topic-specific posts, but for now just a quick update of what I've been up to.
I've been attending a lot of concerts lately. Hillary and I went to see our friend Jared's band, Red Orange, for starters.
And then MIKA, whom I absolutely adore. He did all of his songs acoustically, and it was one of the best shows I've been to.
Shiny Toy Guns. I have to say I'll really miss Utah audiences. They get really into it and it's always a blast.
Cori and I got a pic with the lead singer of Midi Matilda (they were good--check them out!) and he told Cori she should die her hair all the way pink, which was pretty funny.
Last BYU NIT game with Christine. I'm still shocked she didn't caught with that cowbell.
I attended TEDxBYU, which was amazing and inspiring and basically highlighted everything I wish I could be as a public speaker.
Yesterday was a Comms awards luncheon, where free food is always appreciated. Here are some of my other awesome PR friends who were honored. I'm gonna miss everyone so much. Gah. Can't think about it yet.
That's basically it. These last few weeks should be more eventful, including my raging graduation party on the 19th!! If anyone knows where to find an empty keg, let me know. It's for root beer, of course :)
I should also mention my April Fool's joke, which I thought was kinda lame since I didn't have much time to think of something better, but everyone still seemed to be fooled. I simply changed my birthday on Facebook to April 1, and everyone kept wishing me happy birthday throughout the day. It was pretty hilarious. Hillary even bought me fudge! Hahaha.
After months of agonizing over my future, I can finally say what I'll be doing this spring (thus delaying the future-agonizing a couple of months). I've accepted an internship with Goodman Media International in NYC and I am so excited!! I've felt for a while that I needed to go to New York for some reason. Now it is finally happening. In a future post I'll list all the things I'm looking forward to. But mostly I'm just excited to work for an awesome agency in one of the best cities in the world.
Other things that have happened lately...Oh. I was asked to speak at graduation?!? Still not sure what that's all about. I'm flattered obviously, but also very confused as to why I (not the best public speaker in the world) was chosen. People are telling me its because I've basically done everything in the program that one could do, which I guess is true. But it's super stressful because I have to speak for the entire Comms graduating class on how awesome our time here was. No pressure or anything.
That's about it for now. Still just plugging along in school. Although it's really hard to concentrate on anything now that I know I'll be going here in just over a month:
I'll be here soon enough.
PS: Who else is stoked about the Veronica Mars movie!?! I'm sooo excited. I literally couldn't talk about anything else the day it was announced. VMars is probably one of my all-time favorite TV shows and definitely didn't have time to wrap up in a satisfying way, and now it will. Logan and Veronica better end up together though. You have been warned, Rob Thomas. You have been warned.
Everyone go and donate if you haven't yet! Extra money means extra tiny-blonde sass!
So today I had like three people tell me (in person) that they actually read this blog. Which is nice and validating, but it also reminded me that I haven't posted in forever. I did get a Tumblr account though! Probably a bad decision, but if you ever want further insight into my weird mind, go ahead and check it out. You've been warned.
I wish I had more to report, but mostly this semester's just been the usual--busy, busy, busy. There were a few notable things though:
My last BYU basketball home game. I managed to get second row seats by being sneaky (which I felt a little bad about but not really) and even though we lost, I still teared up. BYU basketball's been a huge part of my life the past four years and I'm so glad I got to go to most of the games. There's nothing like the Marriott Center during a high-stakes conference game. Especially during Jimmermania.
Last week I attended the Matt and Kim/Passion Pit concert with Hillary and Cori. It was so much fun (especially watching Hillary completely fangirl). Also, it's so nice to be 21 and go into the 21 and older sections now. So much more chill and enjoyable.
I GOT MY CAP AND GOWN!! This means I'm officially graduating or something. Still feels unreal.
That's about it for now. I hope to have some more exciting news soon! (Ooh cryptic...)
But for now let's talk about my latest obsession: YouTube! And I'm not just talking about awesome goatremixes and Harlem Shake videos here. I'm talking about full-on web series and vlog channels that are professionally produced. I know I'm way late on the bandwagon here, but they are just so addicting! They're short, so you feel more justified in watching them. (Of course until you've gone through like 50 episodes and your day is shot.) They're usually pretty high quality, clever, and just really enjoyable. Technology has really changed how we view things, and I wouldn't be surprised if web series soon become a part of the mainstream, being nominated for Emmys and whatnot. (The new Arrested Development, possibly?)
Here are some of my favorites. Say goodbye to your next few days. You're welcome :)
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
A modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries follows Lizzie, a 24-year-old grad student, as she vlogs about her family, friends, and the incorrigible Mr. Darcy. In addition to being hilarious and filled with great actors, this series is one of the most clever adaptations I've seen. They really have time to delve deep into each character and as such, characters such as Lydia and Georgiana, who don't have much of a role in the book, become some of my favorites. Mary Kate Wiles, who plays Lydia, is one of the breakout stars of the series and is someone who will be going places. And the hipster William Darcy is very attractive. Even though you don't see him until episode 60 (but it's very worth the wait).
Another thing I love about this series is that in addition to the basic videos, there are also spinoffs and transmedia elements that give more layers to the story. Each of the characters have Twitter accounts, for example, and The Lydia Bennet series really has an amazing and heartbreaking arc that delves deep into the character and her relationship with Wickham.
Here's one of my favorite episodes that gives a good taste of the humor and modern feel. (Also, this one's probably the worst in terms of suggestive content and language. It's pretty clean throughout the series. Although I'm not sure what that says about me since this is one of my favorites...hmm)
DailyGrace
I just discovered Grace Helbig's videos, and they have kept me up for far longer than I care to admit. This girl is hilarious, and she's been vlogging for four years strong. She's got a good system in place now at this point, and pretty much every video is guaranteed to be hilarious. If you REALLY want to waste time, check these out.
Squaresville
I saw that Mary Kate Wiles was in another series, so I had to check it out. It's called Squaresville, a show about two girls trying to navigate life in their boring town. It's quirky and a little strange, but I really enjoyed the first season. Season 2 was just released, and I think I like it even better. Check it:
There are many more awesome web series out there (the VlogBrothers can do no wrong, for instance), but these are the ones I've been obsessing over lately. Do you guys know of any cool web series that I should check out?
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