I’m in NYC!
To be completely honest, I’m a tad shell shocked and I’m still settling in. My friends R & J with their kid Z have been more than amazing and welcoming. I’m staying at their fab apartment that’s HUGE even to LA standards in a room that’s the same size as my old bedroom. Not my LA apartment big but my Torrance room big. It looks out to the street where there’s a mini mart, a Chinese Halal takeout place, and a tattoo shop. There’s a school, a post office, and a library just down the street, so really it’s quite “homey.” Plus it’s only two blocks from the subway station.
View directly out my window.
Speaking of subways, I rode it alone for my first time ever, and I’M ALIVE! My friend showed me how to swipe the Metro Card (seriously convenient), and I just followed people onto the train. Sure riding it at 5:30 pm during rush hour meant rubbing butts with strangers, but you’re so tightly packed you couldn’t care less. Not saying that it’s OK to grope people, but since I was so close to the guy behind me, I just leaned back for stability.
View from my window towards Upper West Side.
And why was I riding subways alone less than 24 hours after landing in NYC? To check out a fancy Midtown salon, of course! Pivotal PR brought two of their celeb stylists, Mika Fowler of Gavert Atelier in Beverly Hills and Cherry Petenbrink of Joico, out to NYC to meet the NYC beauty crowd. I mentioned to Mika that I’ll be there and they scheduled me in! A full post with pictures is coming – but let’s just say, I waved bye bye to bleached out faded highlights for the time being. In a way I said goodbye to my beach LA inspired hair to embrace a city lifestyle.
Salon service menu for cuts, instant styling, and color by Mika Fowler and Cherry Petenbrink at Eiji Salon.
After I got my hair done, I wandered down Madison Ave just to wander around. Tons of higher end but mainstream shops like ones you’d find at Century City Mall, guys in suits (hotness), and people just walking around. Since everyone walked really fast (compared to my usual leisurely pace) I just walked along with them without really getting to look around. I didn’t want to seem out of place or tourist-y, ya know? After wondering around for a good while, it got really warm and I really had to pee. True to form, I found a Starbucks, my go-to even in LA when Coffee Bean isn’t around, to pee. The Starbucks bathroom was extremely clean and there was a fantastic public area with benches and four trees! So yay for Starbucks!!
Street life in Harlem.
That was day one. Tomorrow I’m staying in most of the day and hanging out with my friend around his neighborhood.
xoxo
PS: Thanks everyone for being so supportive on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram. It makes it a bit easier knowing that I have so many people supporting my dream. I love and miss you all!
