Summer Happenings & Other City News

So, technically summer starts on Friday, but for me, it's already here. Warmer and longer days, green Central Park grass, beach trips and eating at outdoor cafes make it my favorite time of the year. I've been busy so I thought I'd give a quick recap of our past two weeks...(warning it mostly involves food).

First and most importantly, our Friday night spot is closing. We've been going to the same place (Dean's) for dinner on the Upper West Side for 3+ years. They know us there - by name. I'm even Facebook friends with the bartender - is that weird? We heard rumors about a pending close, but it is in fact locking its doors in two weeks. Dean's deserves a whole post to itself so more on that to come.

In other Upper West Side restaurant news, Good Enough to Eat just opened up on my block. It moved from 80 and Amsterdam to right around the corner on 85 and Columbus. The line is crazy y'all. I thought it was bad over on Amsterdam but it's even longer over here and no one seems to mind. The brunch is that good. We had breakfast here this morning and it was so pleasant sitting outside and having coffee before work.

Two weeks ago our friends took us to the Yankees game. While I can't remember who they played, I can remember what I ate. We were lucky enough to sit in the Legends box close to home-plate and ate for free. Yes, free! A rundown of what I consumed - lobster, crab legs, sliders, corndogs, cookies, three bites of ice cream, and probably more but I forget. The next few days I ate nothing.

That same week, I made the trek to BK and went to a bourbon and leather event down in DUMBO. My good friend Liz works for Moore & Giles (I've mentioned them here). The store, Modern Anthology was a perfect spot for showcasing M&G's leather bags, while sipping on yummy bourbon drinks while catching up with a good friend.

Later that week, friends from the sailing trip came for a visit. We had a blast and like most trips with friends we ate our way through the city including this amazing dinner at Lexington Brass. When your friends know the executive chef, you are treated like a king. I wish this happened to me more often.

All that food and drink has made me feel like I need to run and spend time in Central Park with Bailey. And, in the summer, I couldn't think of anything better.

Amagansett, Montauk, Heaven...

Have y'all heard the term hampsters? You know, when Hipsters meet the Hamptons? I hadn't either until last weekend while spending the weekend in Amagansett. You should read this and it will explain ohhhhh so much. 

It's that time of the year when the lucky few jump on the Jitney or the Cannon Ball and head east on Friday afternoons. We have been so fortunate to be able to crash our friend's in-laws' (The Overby's) beautiful home in Amagansett.You can read about our last trip here. As I said before, I could definitely summer here.

Friday night was spent chatting around the dinner table with The Overbys, talking about jobs, summer shares and even politics. On Saturday we walked into town to the Farmer's Market and ate the best bacon, egg & cheese sandwich I've ever had. Why is it that everything is always better out there? And, of course I ran into Eastern NCers who had to stop and say hello since I was wearing my favorite NC shirt. Southerners are everywhere people. Everywhere.

Saturday night we drove out to Navy Beach and watched the sunset, surrounded by all the beautiful people who looked like they just stepped out of a J. Crew catalog. I had my first Mojito of the season, so it's officially summer in my mind. Then, we ate the most delicious calamari salad at Harvest in Montauk. Y'all have to go. It was THE BEST.

It was a weekend filled with lounging by the pool, walking on the windy beach and daydreaming about buying houses at the beach.

And just like last year, we brainstormed business ventures in the hot tub (haven't quite hit the million dollar idea yet) and of course I got to use their outdoor shower. [note: I will have one of these in my home oneday].

On Sunday, we drove to East Hampton for ice cream and jumped back on the train to the city. And, because who doesn't think Penn Station is worthy of a photo, here's one we took, despite the fact that we live here and pass through Penn on a weekly basis. Next time, more photos on the beach ladies!

Doesn't quite capture the beauty of the weekend, does it?

Thank you Overbys for another great weekend in Amagansett!!

7 years ago this week...

...I moved to Manhattan. When I think about it, seven years has felt more like two. And, to be honest, I never imagined that this Southern girl would spend more than two years in the city. But, that's life for you, always surprising you and showing you a different plan than what you might have expected.

I moved to NYC right after graduation from Elon University. I had barely unpacked my suitcase of college memories before repacking it for the big move up North. Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to live in a city so for me, it was less of a dream and more of a "well yeah, I'm going to do that" state of mind. I had an internship, a sublet in Murray Hill (where all post college kids live), and enough money to afford me a cheap beer while listening to 80's music at Joshua Tree and eating a late night slice at Rays. But that's really all you need when you're 22.

The apartment window of my first bedroom looked out to the Empire State building. Laying there my first night, I didn't sleep at all. The sounds of the taxis, the lights from the buildings and the excitement that I would wake up in a new city, a place I wanted to live for so long, was now a reality. Okay, so maybe it was a dream come true after all.

My friend's sister is moving to NYC today. Like me so long ago, she just graduated college and is about to begin a life here. It's made me think about what I've learned in my time in Manhattan and what things I could share. So to the newly-planted New Yorkers, here you go:

1. Just because bars are open until 4 a.m., doesn't mean you have to stay till closing time. Nothing good happens after 2 a.m. Nothing.
2. I get it. Your best friends are those from college. So are many of mine. But, and this is a big BUT - don't be afraid to meet new people and open up to others like you did with your college buddies. The people you meet in NYC are the only ones who can relate to this time in your life, specifically what it's like to live in one of the craziest places in the world.
3. Pay your rent on time even if it means you have to eat leftovers for a week.
4. To that end, rent is high. We get it. If you want to live here, you have to pay.
5.Weird things and weird people ride the subway. So do celebrities and normal people. Always wear your poker face. Pretty soon things won't shock you as much. Also, the F train is slow, so is the L. The 4, 5, don't run as fast as you hope they will in the morning rush but the 2, 3 is pretty reliable. Taking the bus will take you twice as long to get anywhere you want to go. Plus, only old people ride the bus.
6. Always look up. It's easy to forget that one of the coolest things about the city are the buildings themselves. When I'm feeling down, I always look up.
7. Be competitive but polite. Some of the meanest people I met were those I worked with at a my first job at a PR agency. They worked long hours, were rude and unappreciative. People will say you can't make it in NYC by being nice (hell, I had someone tell me I was too nice for a job) but that's wrong. You can be assertive while keeping it classy. [Southern ladies, I'm talking to you]. And even among the mean people, there a genuine ones. I met my two best friends at that same company.
8.Try not to compare yourself to others. It's easy to get caught up in "they're doing something cooler/making more than me" hype, especially in NYC. You'll get there one day and remember, not everyone loves what they are doing 100% of the time.
9. Don't forget where you came from. This is big for me. No matter how long I've been here, I will always be Southern and will also remember my roots. Keep something out in your apartment that reminds you of home and I promise it will help you when you're homesick.
10. And you will get homesick. Guaranteed. It's inevitable. But, don't let it get you down for too long. Get up, shake it off and remember why you moved here. You live in New York after all.

So it's May...

Though it might not seem like it weather-wise, it's May. I cannot believe it. Where did this year go? It's been a "challenging" few months to say the least, but I'm hopeful that this summer will be a happy time with lots of fun memories made.

Going back and looking at what blog posts have been the most popular for Southern in the City, many of those have been the design related posts - go figure. There are so many design blogs out there and mine was never meant to be one. I just like talking about fun, interesting tidbits about the city I live in. Though, I do love a good decorating blog that provides me with inspiration for my own little APT.

Saw these on Lonny last week and loved them. Thinking about doing a few small projects this week around my home to keep me entertained and these caught my eye.

What have y'all been up to/reading/doing lately? Ready for the summer like me?

Pop B's Pencils

My grandfather passed away five days ago. I just returned from North Carolina yesterday after saying goodbye to him. I haven't quite been able to put pen to paper just yet, so in the meantime, I wanted to share my cousin John's story of Pop B, which you can also read on my mom's blog.

Pop B's Pencils

by John Jenkins

I stopped by Scotland Neck before the last time I saw Pop B at the hospital. It was just me, my mom, sister, niece and aunt writemuch. Sometime during lunch, I decided to walk around the house I've explored thousands of times since I was born. I am not sure why I decided to do this, but it sure helped. 

I discovered something pretty funny. At least I thought it was funny. Right on top of Pop B's keyboard was a tiny pad of paper, and a pencil. On top of that pencil, like most pencils, was an eraser. Pink as a newborn, and so obviously unused, the eraser sat on top of the white pencil and looked more like a decoration than anything. That struck me as humorous at the time, but did not seem like an observation worth sharing. But then in every room I knew Pop B spent time in, I kept seeing these pencils. Perfect looking pencils. They weren't the pencils I used throughout school, eraser worn at the top or sometimes even nonexistent. His pencils almost looked elegant in an odd way.

But now as I look back at that short visit to my grandfather's house, I think my pencil and eraser observation reflects Pop B more than anything else I could think of. He was so cautiously perfect in ever single way throughout his life. After 84 years, he had to know that he was never going to make a mistake drastic enough to use the other side of that pencil. But there the eraser sat—just in case. Pens— now those are for the reckless and mistake-prone people like myself. That's why my papers have always looked like a crazy, mistake-ridden mess. 

Marked up, crossed out and confused. Pop B wasn't any of those things. Ever. The notes he took on the songs he was learning on that keyboard weren't like that, his conversations weren't like that, his life wasn't like that. And that's rare. His notes were as eloquent as he was. Pop B was well spoken, easy to follow, helpful. He had no need for any of that flashy stuff. He didn't need to impress anyone with his presentation because his delivery, his accomplishments, his whole life really, spoke for itself. Navy veteran, beloved doctor, even more beloved father, grandpa and great-grandpa.

Another thing I noticed during that exploration of his home was his pictures. Of course he was in some, always seemingly nodding in approval of everything going on around him and everything he helped build. But what was on display most was his beautiful and headstrong wife, his uniquely gifted children, and his whole mess of grandchildren. This set up was also how Pop B seemed to live his life. Not once was it ever about him.

Whether it was spreading health among Scotland Neck or spreading his Atticus Finch like knowledge to us grandkids, it was never about him. It was how what he learned and what he knew could help us every day.

And that brings us back to the pencils Pop B has left behind at the house. I know I won't be needing one, because Pop B's influence is certainly never going to be erased.

Someone Come, Come My Someone...

Despite that fact that so many of my friends have gotten married over the past few years, each one of their weddings has been as unique as they are. Everyone of their personalities has shown through from everything to the venue to the ceremony to the food and the decor.

On Sunday, my dear friend Lauren (Lo) married her Adam. Lauren is one of my most special friends as she was one of the first college friends I met at Elon. As I mentioned in my toast to her, we did not like each other at first. Swooping in and befriending my guy friends freshman year, I did not know what she was all about. Then, one cold night in January on the way to a party, we both connected by breaking the ice (literally) as we fell down in the snow. From that moment on, we were pretty much inseparable and have remained close since. Even if we don't speak on the phone everyday, we always make time for a gchat - in fact today we've already talked about her wedding, her wonderful massages yesterday and changing her name on Facebook.

Lauren and Adam got married at JCT in Atlanta on Sunday....Master's Sunday. I would describe the venue as Restoration Hardware meets a restaurant. It was beautiful, romantic, simple and elegant - so Lo.

Us Elon folk tend to stick together at weddings. I think it's because we only have 48 hours in each others' company so we try to soak as much catching up time as possible. The boys snuck upstairs hoping to catch a glimpse of the end of The Masters as the girl's Instagrammed photos. Our group hasn't met a band we didn't like and by the pain in my feet on Monday morning, this band was no different. If my memory serves me correctly, we ended the night singing to Bennie and the Jets. Can't get better than that.

Since I left this part out of my toast on Saturday night (in fear that it was too corny), I'll leave it here instead...

Because I love Bruce Hornsby (and I mean who doesn’t really?) I want to end with a few words that remind me of Lauren. I heard this song first with Lauren on our way down to Key West freshman year and it’s especially meaningful tonight:

Someone come, come my someone

Take the clouds from my eyes, my one

I know that sometime soon

One day I'll walk in the sun with you