Click this link to watch 2 weeks of Cross-Country Road trip in 10 minutes
6,142 miles
18 States
5 National Parks
2 State parks
6 nights of camping
2 Nights of Hotels
6 Nights with Friends
Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah
Okay, Okay.. I know I spend most of 2016 on Caribbean islands, so a fall vacation was going to be difficult to top, but our 2 week road trip from Las Vegas to NYC and back, was seriously one of the best vacations of my life!!!
Nashville, TN
Here are some of my favorite photos, and (of course) a rad musical video compilation will follow!
Route 66 Lounging in a hammock @ camp
The always gorgeous Grand Canyon
Our first time at Carlsbad Caverns Natn'l Park
Lake Ouachita State Park in Arkansas
Graceland in Memphis, TN
Back in NYC with my Love!
Happy to visit so many National Parks during the centennial year!
Laughing and catching up with friends from the city! We missed you!
Few things excite women more than hearing three words:
NEW YORK SHOPPING
A few weeks ago I took one of my visiting friends on a quick trip of the shopping highlights of the City, right by my office on the Upper East Side. ( The photo above is from the office, you can kind of see the shadow of my green sweater taking the photo.)
Here's the layout of the shopping trip- Think of it as your game plan! It's cold outside and you only have an hour and half and you are going to have some serious FUN!
Begin: 59th Street/Lexington Ave Subway Stop:
Subway exits into Bloomingdales
Exact Address: 1000 3rd Ave. Thousand of Designers, Six Restaurants
Get Your Sugar On:
Nearby Treat/Fuel Options: Magnolia Bakery,
Sometimes you need a little pick-me-up before your shopping spree. Magnolia Bakery is famous
for its cupcakes and buttercream frosting and most importantly- Banana Pudding.
In addition to playing the iconic Big piano, nowadays they have Face painting and Glitter tattoos on Tuesday-Sunday, Story-time Monday-Thursday at 11:00, Make your own muppets, Make your own race car and decorate your own Cupcakes. My favorites are the stuffed animals and incredible dollhouse furniture- there is so much to see.
Stay Outside or Go Inside:
This is your time to stay back and window shop or get tempted and take a look.
I absolutely LOVE going into Tiffany's. The first time I went in, I was skeptical because it's a fancy, expensive store and I wasn't dressed quite as dolled-up as Audrey Hepburn.
But they welcomed us kindly and we felt like queens shopping on all 6 floors.
Even if you think you don't like the traditonal Tiffany's look, you may find something else you like.
Main Floor - All Fine Jewelry
1 - Salon and Handbags
2 - Engagement Rings
3 - Sterling Silver
4 - Dishware
6 - Customer Service Center, Sizing
If you're with kids, or need to stop for more toys, @ 49th/5th stop by: American Girl Place Don't forget to bring your doll to bring to the salon, yep, you heard right, there's a doll salon.
End your Shopping at Rockefeller Center
So much to do and see any time of year at New York's Iconic Rockefeller Center
Taking pictures, Taking a seat and soaking it all in is probably all you're in the mood for at this point.
But here are a few other options:
For more shopping check out:
LEGO Store
Metropolitan Museum Gift Shop
Anthropologie
For a sweet treat:
Bouchon Bakery
Jacques Torres Chocolate
Magnolia Bakery 6th Ave.
Or head downstairs in the corridor for a full food court and more shops and most importantly Restrooms!
Don't forget that Radio City Music Hall and Times Square is right around the corner and there are plenty of cabs and subway cars ready to take you home.
Great Job Girls! You successfully got your New York Shopping done in 90 Minutes!
I am exhausted! I feel like I did so much, but I also feel unfulfilled. If that isn't a big enough contrast for ya, I suddenly find myself asking the question: is what I do really that important? Why can't I ditch all this ninny winny of my life and get the coolest job in the universe!
What's the coolest job in the universe you ask? I'll tell you a few dream job options for me:
Talk show host
Snl cast member
Sitcom cast member
Director of anything fun, fancy & onstage/onscreen
Lead singer of a traveling holiday jazz band(newly realized this month whilst singing to pandora daily)
Wouldn't that be great??
Here's my week this week:
Monday: work 9-5 in an office
Tuesday: audition, lunch with friends, babysit
Wednesday: clean my house, run a lot of errands and hang out with friends
Thursday: get ready for Christmas, Skype with Mom, babysit
Friday: submit auditions, babysit, game night
Saturday: brunch with friends, cook, ward Christmas party
Sunday: prepare ward music, rehearse, go to church, cook, make dessert
This a pretty good sense of what my week is all the time (for the last 1.5 months) Is this boring? I don't even know?! My twin sister asked me this week: what do you do all day?
I do stuff! I keep busy. I make enough money! But is my dream job in the future?? How can I get there? What am I doing now that is distracting me from getting there? Is this unrealistic? Am I sentenced to a life of watching other peoples kids, doing crafts, catching up on occasional netflix and only trying to be a star? (Is that really a sentence?)
Well, these are today's thoughts that I have (not thought) & shared them with the world instead!
Things I am constantly grateful for:
Amazing, amazing New York City!
On the way to babysit I saw 3 subway performers, nice smiling faces & I was just HAPPY! I grew up in suburb where you could make contact with zero people on your commute to work. You sit in a car alone, pull up to your individual driveway, shut the door and go home to your family, seeing or meeting no new faces. Here, I share my commute experience with hundreds! There are so many reasons why I love the city and for these EXPERIENCES I get to have everyday, I am truly grateful!
Is life so much about getting your dream job? Or about having magical experiences everyday? A little of both? I'm really not quite sure! Can't I just be old and wise already?
87th Annual Macy's Day Parade
Where we were: 55th St/ 6th Ave
Parade came around the corner from Central Park South at apx. 9:30am , ended 11:30am Our toes and fingers were frozen, our voices were shot. We chanted for 2 hours straight! Highlights:
Float: Duck Dynasty
Chant: Uncle Si, Uncle Si!
Along with being the loudest and most obnoxious group, one of my friend's daughters came wearing a camo snow suit, which captured their attention and we got one of these "I've got my eye on you!" looks!
Float: Jimmy Fallon/ Sesame Street
Chant: JimMy, JimMy
He was by far the most energetic celebrity on any float. He pounded the block and gave us "rock on" signs!
Float: Seaworld (Shown above right)
This was just the prettiest float! Those walking around it were jellyfish, starfish, and wore puppets of fish
Float: Daily News/NFL
Chant: BYU, BYU
Decorated as "NY" with a mini statue of liberty and a tribute to all the major Subway stops
Float: Manhattan Steam Roller
Chant: Cac-tus, Cac-tus!
Decorated as a Train in the south west, the clowns were dressed as cowboys and desert plants. One of them, a cactus, didn't seem as enthusiastic, so we we a little provoking in a good way.
The stuff you don't see on TV
CLOWNS
Clown Babies, Clown Fried Eggs and Toast, Clown Butter, Clown Banana, Clown No. 2 Pencil, You got it!
Highschool Bands, Dancers, Cheerleaders and others each dressed like the float they were following: i.e. behind the Wizard of Oz Balloon, came an entire troupe of dancing Munchkins!
Confetti: Our most frequent chant: "Con-fet-tii!" came everytime we saw a clown with a bag of confetti. And when they heard us, we got it thrown all over us, even into our mouths. It was actually awesome!
How awesome are these expressions? We were laughing so hard, we were covered in rainbow dots, and my feet and ankles were numb! So grateful for my friends and hubby for making it one heck-of-a-morning! On the other side of the avenue, there was no mess anywhere, on the ground in front of us, was the happiest asphalt New York has ever seen!
Happy Thanksgiving and Thank You Macy's and New York City!
I recently had an annoying interaction that I know many women (and especially Moms) deal with. Within the same week I met more than my limit of people who relentlessly asked me to do simple things for them. At work, people kept asking me questions they could have easily answered themselves- like math problems, food suggestions, or train directions. Am I being rude, but can't you just ask Siri, or Wiki or Shazam or Yelp or Hopstop or Google, or a robot? Or, by all means, can you use common sense?
"What train stop is this?"
"Well, what does the sign say?"
"42nd"
"Well, then you're on 42nd, idiot!"
I am just so rude, they should keep NY girls caged.
Anywho, last week, too many people needed my help with questions that were not worth asking. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but sometimes you gotta be a grown a** woman, stop asking for help and Figure it out yourself! Or in most cases, Deal with it!
That's why I am grateful to live in New York City! A city where every girl has a grand set of big girl panties! Not to be mistaken for these anti-rape panties:
I think it's time to be brave, independent & smart and start doing things ourselves! (unless it's killing a spider or lifting heavy stuff- pick one weakness)
I am a 25 year old Mormon girl living in New York City and I Love it! Am I scared? No. Am I bored? Never.
Just living in this city for one year can change your actions and your belief in yourself!
I am a New York Woman and I am:
1. Independent
I just feel like I can do anything! My possibilities are limitless because I live in such a beautiful place, I have friends. I am constantly around people, nature, buildings, shopping, good smells, bad smells, and CONTRAST! You can tell because I said buildings & nature and good smells & bad smells. I mean, I don't love the smell of urine, but I do love walking by pizzerias and waffle carts! I love the leaves on the trees at the park and I love the Empire State Building. There is contrast here and I love it all and I am happy.
There are so many independent women here I can aspire to be like. Working in NYC makes me feel like I am waving back to 100 years of women saying "Hey ladies! We made it! We have a place in the city workplace! I love cramming onto a subway at 8:15 and swiping my badge in the lobby of my office. I am happy to be in the working class of the greatest city in the world!" (Or just watch Thoroughly Modern Millie and you'll get what I mean...)
2. Cultured
Gals, it's a Melting Pot here! You can be 23, Mormon and have a baby; you can be 30, Atheist and an actor; you can be 40, Muslim and icing cakes at a bakery. I've seen it all! I not only get my fill of culture by being included in this mix of races and religions, but by being exposed to the history, music, art, recipes, museums, statues, concerts, festivals, markets, outdoor recreational activities, movie filming's, celebrity sightings and subway enter-train-ment with young opera stairs, the little Michael Jackson, break dancers, Mariachi bands and homeless guys getting in fights. I see a lot here.
3. Brave Being in New York "changed my fate!" There were times in my life when I was sad, when I was full of stress and anxiety, when I was too reliant on my husband (or mom.) I outgrew that foolish life way and became brave when I moved to New York City. The city unleashed my need to go, get out, explore and have fun! I felt satisfied with my activity level and I grew more and more comfortable with exploring the city by myself. Spring 2012, my husband got a job in regional theater out of state and I felt confident enough to stay in New York alone. I worked 2 jobs, auditioned, did call backs, went back to being vegetarian, it was all good. I was happy. I felt empowered. I felt strong.
I lived here for 2 months by myself and I testify, I was safe, I was happy, I was life-fulfilled. All because I was brave! Looking back I feel proud of myself and I know I can do all things through Him who gives me strength :) I am brave!
4. Frugal
You think that "New York is so expensive!" And, well.. it is. BUT, that doesn't mean you have to spend all you money. Living here has made me more frugal than I have ever been in my entire life and here is why:
I can go ANYWHERE for free!
I spend $112 per month for unlimited use of MTA and nothing more. I can ride and subway or bus, make as many transfers as I want and I am one happy bee with unlimited destinations
I don't waste any money on food- I enjoy it!
When I lived in Utah I, and like everybody else there, got bored in Utah, I would get in my car and head to the drive-thru. It didn't matter if it was an Arby's medium Roast beef meal, McDonalds Ice cream cone, or fourth meal at Taco Bell, it happened several times a week because, friends, I WAS BORED! In New York, Drive-thrus aren't as accessible nor are they popular. What IS popular are Delis, Salad Bars, Juice Stands and gourmet pizza. It's not the best for you, but it's a heck of a lot better than Arby's curly fries! Consider that it's not a matter of caring about what you put in your body, the calories, the convenience, the whatever- It's about DELICIOUSNESS!! And when I live here, I don't crave Taco Bell, I crave the delicious Ricotta and Basil Pizza at the famous place around the corner. Therefore, I save up each week so I can order it and Enjoy my food! I eat in most days of the week and save up for special meals at local eateries I want to try as an "Adventure." This way of budgeting allows for a lot less impulse buy and a better grasp on my outgoing money.
Sorry, Cash Only!
Places that only allow cash actually prevent me from buying things. In addition, most small businesses have a 10-15$ credit limit- you can only use your credit or debit card for large purchases.
No room in the Inn
I know it's the holidays, so maybe that joke isn't funny but another reason why am frugal is because I don't have a car to carry everything I buy in. Yes, I love that throw pillow, and that beside table is on sale, but do I want to carry it home with me on the subway? I think not! And back at "the Inn," my apartment is teeny so I can't fit anything in it anyway! And more reasons to buy less stuff? I will only use it for another while?, I might move when my lease goes up, I can't nail the walls of my rental, Where will I store it? It's just not happening People!?! I am a cook and I don't have a microwave or a toaster, or many other things from my Williams Sonoma wish list. How do I do it? Minimalism- its a way of life!
5. Awesome! This is the coolest city and anyone here who dare to deny it- thou shalt change your ways!! I don't mean to start an argument, but the bottom line is, I feel awesome and proud when I tell people where I live. I have changed, grown and become proud of the woman I have become. I have this city to that for that!
I live in New York city and I wear awesome panties!
I live in the most amazing city in the world! I love it more and more each day! Grateful!
The weather is the best I've been in all year. 63, the sun is shining but not too bright- you are comfortable in anything you wear and 1 other thing: New York Fall! Orange, yellow, brown, green, holiday music, delicious smells, farmers markets, apple cider, street fair, dogs with jackets, trees, trees and trees! Grateful!
I love paper! Yes, that's a title of my Pinterest board.. But right now I love Rifle Paper Company and my iPhone & its case is simply glorious and I am Grateful!
isn't it just lovely?
I do, however, want a new one from RPC for Christmas
ahhh! I just love it and am so happy to be a New Yorkaaah!
I took the most gorgeous photos on this glorious Saturday and am so grateful for the weather,
my technology & this city!
I take the 7 train from Queens and get off at the 2nd to last stop: 5th Ave/Bryant Park and the park is already in full swing! There are shops and restaurants lining the ice skating rink they put in every fall/winter. I can't wait to start getting into the holiday spirit! Here was my view getting OFF the train and seeing Bryant park for the first time in 1 year! Left: Unedited; Right: Help from iPhoto
Below: After Bryant Park, walk east on 42nd, view the Chrysler Building, and arrive at the NY Public Library on 5th Ave. (seen here, a headless woman reading a book..maybe she was late for Halloween, just kidding she was very old and must have had some neck problems but anyways: This picture is awesome!!) Continue east on 42nd Street and arrive at Grand Central Station. My favorite part is the Grand Central Markets- beautiful gourmet groceries, from fresh fish to baked goods and flowers!
Enjoy an afternoon at all 3 NYC tourist attractions, conveniently located just blocks from each other!
Going to NYC and need a little advice? email us: survivingmormoncouple@gmail.com
Inspired 13 year-old me, inspired by Michelle Branch J
New York City is the greatest city in the world.It’s seriously the best.There is no other place like it. It
makes all other places that call themselves “cities” seem teeny, unorganized
and cleaner.I can’t really
explain why I like it so much.Of
course.. I have yet to be out of the country.I am sure I will like other cities more than NYC in my
lifetime.But right now, NY is in
its own category of awesome and huge, and it’s my favorite.
So many things entertain me here and I wish them all a
grateful goodbye.
Goodbye Subway Entertainers.
Thankyou
Woodside-61st man for your trumpet rendition of Cruella D’Vil and
the many other family favorites I enjoy. The time you sang Frankie Vallie’s “I
Love you Baby” flat every single note AND winked at me at the same time, was
inspiring.
Goodbye Single Old Guys
I will miss all the super tacky pick-up lines I received, all
the times I answered “yes” when you asked if I was married, and the hope you
had when asking, even though you’re over 70 and wearing slippers on the
bus.The fact that you think
there could be a chance with me teaches me to really reach for the
stars.
Goodbye Single Young Guys
Now I can actually say someone had pulled the pick-up line:
Where are you from?Are you sure
you’re not from heaven, cuz you look like an angel!
Yep, really happened.
Sometimes you’re crude, but
sometimes you’re really funny.Thanks for saying hi and then vocalizing that it’s going to be a good
day because you saw me in my running shorts.Not even my friends say that.
Thank you Closterphobia.
It was great having someone sit right next to me on the train, even though there was room on the
bench nearby, in fact every other seat was open.Thank you to the creeper who stood right behind me and then when I turned around to move my hair, you
were staring right at me. Thank you Closter
phobia.
I will miss you on the cruise ship. Wait?….
Goodbye Muttering Crazy Dude.
Goodbye Loud Scolding Black Mothers.
Goodbye Trannys.
Goodbye digital Solitare players.
Goodbye dead homeless man whose McDonalds breakfast meal is
taking up two empty seats on the 4pm R train.
Goodbye New York.
Haha! Singing this song in my room every night in 8th grade is why I love singing so much and probably why I am going to sing on a boat for 8 months...turns out the song is about a goldfish!
While I have lived in New York for only 9 months, I have picked
up a lot and have grown on the idea of considering myself a New Yorker. True
New Yorkers would argue I need about 8 more years and a few more boroughs of
experience. But, if I can argue for myself, I have had several different jobs,
met a ton of new people and I get a-round! I ride about 20-40 trains a week at
all hours of the day/night and while most people think i'm from out of town,
they usually guess Long Island as my birthplace.
Even though LI is technically New York City, locals call
anything out of Manhattan “out of town,” anything north of the Bronx
"upstate" & New Jersey the end-all, you'll never be New Yorker again. Here is a clip from our favorite t.v. show How I Met Your Mother, similar to this situation.
There’s also another great episode called: I Heart NJ in which
they really just bash NJ and list why they love NY so much J (also, sorry for the do-it reference :/)
I freaking LOVE New York. It is the perfect place for me and
Ivan to live right now. There's always something to do, something to eat and
always a cheap, free or crowded way of getting there. I love love love NYC and would
choose to spend the
rest of my life here! NY represents so many of my dreams- as a little girl, hs girl, college girl and my Broadway wishes :D Anytime I am having a
bad day, I stop and stare at the ESB or Chrysler Bldg and my dreams wash over
me and I'm happy again! I can't find many reasons to ever leave New York, but
all of our family lives on the west coast so… - I just thought of a few reasons. After vacaying in California/Malibu/Sacramento/Meadow
Vista-Coming back to New York is where my dreams get a little twisted. After a
weekend of Boogie boarding and tanning, my first 24 hours back in New York are
filled with cringes, eye rolls and tiny mouth vomit. New York is either THE
MOST FANTASTIC ANSWER TO MY DREAMS AND HOPES or eew, nast..get me out of here
that homeless man just sneezed on my shoes.
Ivan and I agreed:
What's the most exciting thing about New York? Broadway.
What's the nastiest thing about New York? The subways at
night.
I would love you hear your answers to the same questions
NYC always hits you in the face. It is inspiring you with the
talent of Broadway, the lights and sounds of Times Square, the thrill of 5th
Ave. Shops and beauty of Central Park. On the other hand, it can smack you in
the face with profanity, litter, rats, nudity and Girls,Girls,Girls flyers
~which are offered to Ivan as we walk hand-in-hand. To top it off, New York can
shock you with the best-worst smell in the world-Urine!!!
"the best-worst" = the WORST, nastiest, wins the
award for being the worst smell and grammatically can't be the "worst-worst." So it's hence the best-worst smell, in my talented nostrils opinion. It’s gross
and I, regretfully, have gotten used to it.
In New York, you can be surrounded with the richest culture in
the finest museums and the most intricate tastes and expensive foods, and the
next minute be stumbled on by a half dead homeless dude who just crapped his
pants. It happened!! (to the girl sitting next to me on the subway) I almost
cried bad smell discharge from my eyes and had cheek cramping from holding a
cringe/nose plug/laugh. Basically, New York is Claahssy! In New York, you also
deal with an array of new people. Last night, immediately coming of the plane,
I was "greeted" by an airport employee waiting to pick up a passenger
with a wheelchair. Her face looked EXACTLY like this:
Needless to say, I ran down the terminal without holding in my
snort laugh, racing to Ivan, who had seen the same thing and laughed the same
way ;) “We’re HOME!” This is what a NY welcome is to me! Welcome Back to us! Although it's only for one month. Soon, soon, soon to be living abroad. I cannot wait! And so, Living in New York is nuts but seriously one of the best
experiences of my life!! Sooo far ;)
This is a Jamaica Center bound E train. The next stop is…?
Today is decision making day. All things that I want in my life are pointing towards
YES!Why am I so suspicious of
saying “yes” to something that has 5 arrows pointing to it? I’m suspicious of
things that are too good to be true.
The trick to life is (see how I’m 23 and apparently have it
all figured out? thanks mom) enjoying the JOURNEY.So, the cruise can’t be the answer to all my problems.
The day before Ivan and I got the news, Monday 7/16, we were
walking to the library and talking about life- how adult of us.I said that cruise couldn’t be the
end-all, conclusion to our sorrows because once we got there we’d find a whole
‘nother series of problems to blame our life state on and we’d tell our selves
once we got off the cruise our life
would be better.The night before
that we were with our friend who’s in a Broadway show right now who said just
that. Her life isn’t perfect because she’s on Broadway.*Remember this because my ultimate
goal/end all sorrows has been to be on Broadway for who knows how many years..
So on the walk to the library, Ivan and I made the decision to
just BE HAPPY with our lives.It
was no coincidence that I was at another/different audition trying to move
forward when I got the invitation e-mail.No coincidence.
I am Mormon.I
believe in a God (Heavenly Father) who has a plan for me.I try hard to follow His plan because I
know His plan is probably better than one I could cook up myself.I know not all my friends are
religious, but for me, believing in Heavenly Father makes my life easier and I
am really happy.I am so lucky to
have my husband Ivan.I am lucky
to have the opportunities, experiences, mentors, friends and family that I have.I know it’s no coincidence.
So, where is the next stop?
Sitting on the E train after work hearing the lady tell me
what my next stop is, studying my calender on my phone, making plans with
friends- there are SO MANY other things telling me where my life will take me.
But ultimately, I decide.
