Tag: city

Florida Part III Miami

Oh my goodness have you ever been to a place where the water is so blue you couldn’t believe it was real?! The only beaches I have been to were deep blue and chilly, absolutely nothing like South Beach, Miami.  My dad told us we had to take a day to see Miami and I am so happy we went.  One day wasn’t nearly enough though. We all stayed in the water the entire day, floating in the shallow waves, catching little sand crabs and filming fish on our fake-pro (a generic goPro). The city towered over the coast majestically and eventually we had to regain our land legs to go get something to eat.

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After we were forced to leave the water by our sun-burned skin and need for food we ventured into Miami Beach and went down to Lincoln Lane where there were lots of restaurants and shopping.  It reminded me of how New York City closes down parts of Broadway in Herald Square for outdoor dining and temporary pop-up restaurants from around the 5 boroughs.  The vibe was very Miami Vice though, I loved the stucco buildings, archways and palm tree lined sidewalks. We ate at Havana 1957 and had an amazing Cuban dinner outside on the sidewalk under umbrellas and huge fans.

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The family branched off and we all went our own ways to do some exploring.  Megan and I found a shaved ice cream shop through an alley way of palms and an outdoor coffee shop. It had a private little courtyard where we got to eat our sundaes together and watched green parrots flit and fly around.

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Wearing BCBGeneration shorts and top, H&M hat

After  dinner and shopping we walked the ocean path back to our car and enjoyed the full moon casting its light through the Miami skies.

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It really wasn’t enough time. I want to make it a point to go back to Miami and take it all in. The perfectly turquoise waters and the vibe of the bustling city beyond its calming waves was mind altering and honestly took me away from everything that I’ve been carrying with me these last few months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

90’s Child

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27. That is where I am today. Born in 1991 this dress may possibly be as old as me. I was given the task of helping my mom clean out her closet a few weeks ago and saw this gem. The 90’s were cool but I was a child of many fashion disasters, like those little floral dresses with the weird built-in bibs (anyone know what I’m talking about here?).

My headshot circa 1995

 

Also, I had bangs…with curly hair…I love my parents but why the bangs? They always stuck up like I had horns because my hair curled on the top of my forehead. But I’ve survived all of that and even took the risk this last year of cutting my hair shoulder length and that’s working out too.

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This last year of my life was pretty amazing, I was living in New York City working in fashion wholesale and had a studio apartment in Harlem with my girlfriend. We adopted two kitties from the ASPCA and shared so many memories as a little family.  I’ve said in previous posts (24, Seven Ten) that my birthday is an important day for me. I like to reflect on the changes in myself; my growth, my opportunities and all of the things I have accomplished.  Each year is a milestone to me and learning how to tell people my new age is like writing 2014 on a form at the doctor’s office but hello its now 2018 how could I be lost in time?! Anyway, my goal for this year is to do the things I say I want to do.

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I had six months off from life after I had shoulder surgery. I needed time off of work because the recovery process is long and brutal and that gave me a lot of time to myself, maybe a little too much time. Now I’m back to work and working through life lessons that no one really prepares us for, but our parents warn us about from their own life experiences. The amount of love and support I have received from my loved ones and my friends has been that guiding light for me and now that today is officially six months post-op (I picked January 10th on purpose knowing my freedom date would be my birthday) I can now ride my horse again and do all the fun activities I love to do like a true Upstate New Yorker. This year will be a good year like every other year has been, and I’m also aware that there may be some struggles in my future and I’m ok with that because with every struggle comes a strength.

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Wearing vintage Ulterior Motives dress and Nine West sandals

Sk-nek-ta-dee (Schenectady)

At golden hour I was compelled to drive to the new city on the Mohawk River in Schenectady. I had been visiting the site since it was a construction ghost town and couldn’t wait for it to come alive.

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 All this new energy draws me in like a moth to the light.  I took these pictures of the empty stores, some of which have been claimed by businesses, but most are empty and unfinished. I love the anticipation of something new.

IMG_3909I’m excited for a new restaurant in particular, Druther’s, which is a small brewing company started in Saratoga, New York and has now opened their third location here on the Harbor.  Since my birthday is a couple days away I figured this would be the spot to grab a celebratory dinner and drinks.

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IMG_3961Everything that is grand reminds me of  New York City.  I mentioned in my post “On the Pier” my favorite spot, The Boat Basin, which was a marina and restaurant right on the Hudson River. I brought anyone who visited me to that spot and rode bikes on the Hudson River Greenway to get there, so the new Mohawk Harbor already feels like a piece of home to me with so many familiarities. Also, Schenectady has a brand new train station just a few hours from my beloved NYC.