In the Spirit of Halloween

This year I have been totally lame about participating in Halloween festivities. I always over do it when it comes to holidays. Last year during the month of October my friends and I went to haunted houses and corn mazes. We through a big Halloween party and I made sure that I carved a pumpkin. This year the most exciting thing I have done is watch an entire season of American Horror Story in one night, by myself while drinking a peanut butter banana smoothie, which is totally lame because peanut butter banana smoothies have no relation to the month of October or Halloween. 

All month I have had a $2.99 pumpkin from Trader Joes, sitting on the top of my dresser. If I had to, I was going to carve it by myself. Times are not like they use to be and I don't have nearly as many friends in New York as I did in college. Actually, when I go to social gatherings people that I have met multiple times still ask me if I am new. I am like no..... I have been here 6 months,  yes I have already met you and we have had this conversation before. I am going to give these people the benefit of the doubt and say it is because I recently dyed my hair. Don't get me wrong, I have made friends but I haven't settled into a big group of friends yet. So when it comes to having a reason to through a party, I have like 4 people on my invite list. It is totally sad I know. 

This past weekend I did get a chance to carve a pumpkin and on Saturday my roommates and I took a train an hour north of the city to a little town called Tarry Town. If any of you were a Disney Channel junkie like I was growing up, then you will understand when I say that Tarry Town looks exactly like Halloween Town. I was like, "I need to live in a place like Tarry Town." I mean I can only imagine what it looks like at Christmas time. After my friends and I walked around the town and grabbed a bite to eat we were able to watch the Halloween parade that both children and adults participate in. I was like, "okay.... the people of Tarry Town are the bomb." "How do I get in with these kind of people?" I am amazed that everyone gets into the spirit of Halloween. The main event of the night was the lantern tour through the famous Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. The tour was awesome and now I am completely satisfied and ready to move onto Thanks Giving. 

Happy Halloween!!

Central Park at its Finest

This weekend I had absolutely no plans, so I made plans with myself. New York has brought out a side of me I have not known before and I have become kind of a recluse since living here. I went from hating to be by myself to preferring my alone time. Maybe this change of attitude comes with growing up. I find myself enjoying real simple things, like drinking peppermint tea and writing in my journal. Maybe I am making myself sound real lame. I still of course love being around people but sometimes it is nice being able to do exactly what I want to do, exactly when I want to do it.

I have made a lot of interesting goals for myself that most people wouldn't exactly consider goals. For example, one of my goals is to watch a lot of Netflix. I know, so weird..... but I am being one hundred percent serious that it is definitely one of my goals and so far so good. I am making a lot of progress in that area. I have almost finished all three seasons of New Girl. Other goals include, using all natural products for my hair, skin and face, discovering new places to eat around the city, learning how to cook well for myself and lastly I want to start reading a collection of books. (If anyone has book suggestions, please send them my way.) Random goals....I know, but basically I want to have a lot of Natalie time. I am sort of in a self discovery chapter of my life.

Saturdays are my days. It is a day I look forward to all week long. Today when I woke up I wanted to have a productive but fun day. The weather has been so beautiful and the only thing that comes partially close to driving up the canyon in October to see all the pretty changing leaves, is walking through Central Park. I live on the North side of Central Park and I am lucky that I basically consider it my backyard. I walked all the way from the North side of the park to the South end. These pictures illustrate what I saw while on my stroll. I was in my own world this afternoon. I put my iPod on and walked, walked, walked until the park turned into the city again.

It was so peaceful walking through the park. I thought to myself, life is too perfect. It is nice to be reminded of reasons why life is wonderful. During the week I experience the stresses of work, the busyness of the city along with the frustrations that come from living in a place that is occupied by 8 million people. Some days I am like, "I love New York!!!" and other days I am like, "I hate New York". Regardless of how I feel on a day-to-day basis, there is one thing I know for sure, New York is challenging me. I am growing so much as a person because of it. My experiences here, at this stage in my life, are going to mean a great deal to me down the road. I am learning that life really is to be enjoyed. We just have to believe that great things will happen to us, that's all.

Say Cheeeeeeeese

This song is my jam.

The Best Things About October

October is one of my favorite months. It is the month that kicks off the holiday season and I am one of the most festive people on this planet. I love to carve pumpkins, throw parties, watch scary movies and bake holiday cookies. I am being totally serious, I love everything about the holidays.  Every other month other than October, November and December are such let downs.

I am super excited about this holiday season because this will be my first in New York.  I hope to take part in as many festivities as possible. 

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I truly love living in New York.  It has been a dream of mine to live here but it wasn't easy moving away from my friends in Utah. My experiences I had at Utah State were some of the best ever. It was difficult to see that stage of my life come to an end. I worried that I wasn't going to have friends when I moved here and I worried that I was going to be lonely. Well luckily that has not been the case. I have met some of the most wonderful people while I have been back here. My current roommates are awesome and the girls I work with have become some of my best friends. I can't believe that I did not know them a few months ago!

Work can be stressful, discouraging and demanding but it helps having people by your side that make light of unenjoyable situations. I am so glad I work with girls that make me laugh. We dress up in our clients products, take pictures, order take out and make treat runs through out the day. Our most recent treat run was to George Town Cupcakes in Soho. 

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George Town Cupcake

Soho, New York 

 Chocolate Salted Caramel

This cupcake was incredible. Treats at George Town Cupcakes have definitely made it to the top of the lists for best cupcakes ever.