Tagged: NYC

May 8, 2013

Getting Caught Up

Hope you don’t mind, dear readers, that I had to play hooky for a little bit. The thing that pays my bills sometimes must take precedence over my passion project. But, I’m back and hitting the ground running.

In the time I was away, I produced a huge pop up store for Delta Air Lines called T4X. Located on the corner of West Broadway & Broome (NYC), the space is open to the public Tuesday – Sunday from 11-3pm through May 22nd. Please stop by and explore! And tweet me if you do (@maiah) – it would mean the world.

I was also published on life & career coach Nicole Orisich‘s CareerSugar talking about my career reinvention story. I’m so thankful for the opportunity! Please visit Nicole’s website and let me know what you think.

And finally, I’ve been trying to plan for the future. Or at least figure out what’s next. My very wise mother told me to go where the money is. However, my father, who I’ve recently learned is a dreamer, simply told me to follow my dreams instead. His words still resonate with me every day: “he’ll be lucky to try and have failed, than to have never tried at all.” Here’s hoping to merge both into a successful future filled with the richest dreams a girl could have.

October 23, 2012

Celebrating 10 with Vapiano

Last night I was privileged to attend a birthday party for Vapiano, a restaurant I actually came across for the first time while in Charlotte, NC for the DNC. My colleague and I used to dip into Vapiano Charlotte (on South Tryon Street) to escape the heat (and our coworkers) for delicious food, wine, and comfortable seats. So, when I received a note from Katie over at The Blaq Group suggested I swing by, it was a no brainer.

Larissa, Allie, and I hunkered down at the bar where we enjoyed delicious sangria and took in the after-work crowd in Union Square. Located on University and 13th, we enjoyed girl talk and cute bartenders.

We each took home dinner, Allie received a chef’s recommendation of pasta bolonese (and a quick Italian lesson), Larissa the pesto, and I brought home the ravioli. The concept of the place is adorable – upon entering, you receive a credit card that you present at each station (the bar, salad, dessert, and pasta). Those attending to you are multi-talented in my opinion: the ability to carry on a full conversation with 3 ridiculous girls while cooking multiple dishes is quite the skill. We vowed to come back, and to enjoy it all again.

Vapiano NYC - 13 University Pl, New York, NY 10003
Vapiano Charlotte – 201 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Disclaimer: to celebrate the 10th anniversary, beverages and our meals were comped.

Charlotte on Dwellable

April 21, 2012

Three Small Things That Make A Big Difference

There are a number of small things that can make a huge difference in a day. With a work schedule that’s becoming increasingly more and more intense as I get closer to the big day, I’ve learned to take a minute for these small things. Sometimes, it’s those little things that can raise you above the worst and into a better light.

A delicious cup of coffee
My favorite coffee (the one I don’t brew at home) comes from the coffee cart vendor who sits outside of the Prada store on the corner of Broadway and Prince. He knows my face, always asks me how I’m doing, and gets my order right every time. When I don’t visit him for a while, he always asks where I’ve been. “Fashion Week again?” he’ll say with a smile as he makes my hot coffee with the perfect splash of skim milk (no sugar, never sugar). “Oh, sure” I’ll always answer, even those it’s March and everyone knows Fashion Week is in February and September.

Getting a manicure & pedicure
No joke, there is nothing better than sitting in a pedicure chair, reading a trashy magazine, and having someone rub on your feet. It is worth every penny, and every minute of a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Enjoying a beautiful spring day with a real lunch
The New York City mind set is one that never tires. You work through your lunch, eat hurriedly at your computer, and by the time you leave your desk, the sun has gone down and you’ve missed the day. With the weather getting nicer (especially because everyone knows that Summer in NYC is the absolute best). To enjoy the weather I’ve been “forgetting lunch at home” and popping out to grab something, even if it’s only a block away. Worth every missed call and urgent email unanswered, even if only for 5 minutes.

What are the little things that make your day just a little bit brighter?

April 2, 2012

Explore NYC: 4/2/12

I guess you could say I’ve been busy. Between marching for Trayvon, previewing spring trends, and working, I can’t catch my breath. Don’t worry, still exploring and enjoying the city. Here’s proof:

1. I finally spent a Saturday morning spent at the Brooklyn Flea hosted in the gorgeous venue One Hanson. I’ve been getting so green with envy at the sight of a photo or tweet about someone enjoying the Flea that I had to do it myself. Can’t wait to go back in the summertime to explore when it’s moved outside.

2. I’m an east coast girl who is extremely elitist when it comes to lobster rolls thanks to being completely spoiled by them on Martha’s Vineyard. I’ve been exploring lobster rolls in the city, only to be disappointed. That is, until I found Red Hook Lobster Pound at the Brooklyn Flea. Two words: life changing.

3. A late night walk after 2-for-1 martinis with the girls left me on the corner of 57th & Lexington. I’ve always been obsessed with the building on this corner, thanks to episodes of Lipstick Jungle (I still don’t understand why everyone didn’t love this show as much as I did). When I first moved to NYC, I saw that building and nearly passed out. To this day, it still takes my breath away.

4. An old receipt from brunch with a friend at Spring Street Naturals. I just loved the message at the bottom: Peace Love Unity Respect.

March 19, 2012

Explore NYC: 3/19/12

Explore NYC efforts were originally thought to be perfect for a brisk weekend day (to be spent with a latte). However, this past week I found myself visiting new places and having a generally amazing time:

1. I finally had the joy of dining at Red Rooster, a Harlem based soul food joint by the dreamy Marcus Samuelson. My colleague and I split savory corn bread while I went to town on Fried Yard Bird and her on the Rotisserie Chicken. As we ate, a band played bossa nova and the bar was bustling through our entire Tuesday evening meal. If you haven’t dined at Red Rooster, I highly suggest you make your way uptown fast.

2. Wednesday night brought me to newly opened sushi spot, Neta, in the West Village. We ended up enjoying a 12-course meal selected by the chef, and by course 6, my colleagues and I were wondering if we’d be able to make it to the end. The spot was cozy, the staff was kind (though still working out a few new restaurant kinks) and the reception seemed positive – the place was packed!

3. Friday night I found myself dressed in my 80′s best at midtown Drag Bar, Lips for a birthday party. The venue was small, but perfect for the birthday boy’s 300 person guest list. With highlights like a rubik’s cube birthday cake to the open bar, to the drag performances, I spent the night dancing until my knees hurt. I also may or may not have had a dance off with the DJ in exchange for a Beyonce song.

4. St. Patrick’s Day is a fascinating day to me. I was shocked to learn there is an annual parade and am never prepared for the sea of green on the trains bar hopping. That said, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. And that’s just what I did at Studio Square Beer Garden in Astoria.

March 12, 2012

Explore NYC: 3/10/12

Testing out a new series on the blog called Explore NYC. If you haven’t already gathered, I am not from this city, but instead from a tiny suburb just outside of Boston. So, four years into my stint in NYC, I’m finally exploring the places I’ve been dying to see. Prompted by news that Carrie Bradshaw’s on-screen home is for sale, I started with the West Village.

1) Carrie Bradshaw’s home on Perry Street & W. 4th. The brownstone, which is gorgeous, features a sign that says “for those taking pictures, remember someone lives here”… no wonder they are moving.

2) A delicious latte from Magnolia Bakery on Bleeker, which I am finally visiting for the first time. I’ve always passed by but have found the lines too daunting. Luckily, I beat the crowd and left with a delicious warm beverage.

3) Bookmarc, a store I’ve been dying to visit, happens to be across the street from Magnolia. It’s the most adorable little space curated by Marc Jacobs. By little I mean honestly tiny – I had to fight for a compact while the woman next to me purchased at least 25 lipstick pens (creep).

4) Of course, no weekend is complete with a little treat. I tried to select the most “Carrie Bradshaw-looking” cupcake I could find while at Magnolia. The perfect end to a perfect day.

February 2, 2012

Saying Yes to the Dress

It is my personal belief that every woman is secretly thrilled when the stars align and she can spend Friday night at home with a bottle of wine and Say Yes to the Dress. Now come on, I know you do it. You know I do it. So, let’s all embrace the goodness that is Randy, Sarah, Keisha, and Eyebrows.

This past weekend, I had the ultimate pleasure of meeting my closest girlfriends on 20th Street. Two out of our group of six are engaged and we thought it would be a great idea to make the first stop Kleinfelds Bridal. It was: there were tears and laughter (the sign of a well rounded day). I might have even classified it as perfect, except moving forward, one appointment at a time, ladies. I was completely overwhelmed between the dresses, the super nice staff, and their army of interns.

Following our Kleinfelds visit, we went to dinner to debrief and I realized something: “I don’t think I could try on any dresses without my mother” I said, thinking of the extended mother-daughter shopping excursions (dubbed “fieldwork”) I can’t live without. “I would need her eyes on everything.”

As our conversation went in circles about what was necessary and what wasn’t, I realized that I would also absolutely need my Dad’s final nod on the dress he walks me down the aisle in. “You don’t want to surprise him on the big day?” Allie asked.

I considered this, but as I thought through every big decision I’ve made so far, be it college, my jobs, my move to NYC, I realized that each has been punctuated by my Dad’s final seal of approval. ”No, I don’t want to surprise him, I want him to give me the Dad-nod. I’ll save the surprise for my future husband.”

What about you? Would you/did you bring your parents? Could you do it without them?

November 29, 2011

My Abusive Relationship with New York

Today was one of those absolutely impossible days.

You know the ones? The shower water isn’t quite warm enough, your breakfast didn’t come out the way you love it, you’re running late for no reason, and you’re in a funk but not sure why. Yeah, one of those days.

The sky was a little overcast, a fog held in the air, mercury was in retrograde, and the forecast called for rain. Yeah, one of those days.

I’d lost my expensive umbrella (a desperate purchase made in an attempt to stay dry when it rains in NYC, which is nearly impossible because the rain is almost always sideways) and had to dash into an ATM in order to spend $4 on a budget umbrella just a few inches too long to fit comfortably in my purse. Yeah, one of those days.

Pig-Pen — Yup. I felt like Pig Pen. Struggling for no reason.

I spent every moment at work either in a meeting, on a conference call, or typing away. I left my desk once for the 2 minutes it took to heat up my lunch. Then, I ate it as I worked. And then I worked some more. Yeah, one of those days.

But when the day finally came to a close, and when I thought I’d been granted a minute to retire, to take a deep breath, to close my eyes and let out the sigh I’ve been holding in all day… something happens. A homeless man drops his pants to the ground and begins to pee in the street right in front of you while asking for spare change. Yeah, one of those days.

You’ve gotta admit, NYC has a great sense of humor.

Bitch.

November 20, 2011

Sometimes, my job doesn’t actually make sense

As you know, during the day I am an event producer. I throw together a million elements to create one awesome event. The type of event varies… While I focus mostly on beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands, the events themselves include Fashion Week, Fashion Presentations, Runway shows, editor events, parties, and the always exciting kabuki reveal.

My most recent assignment involved traveling across the country for a 3 hour “layover” in LA during which we had a site vist, and then traveling back across the country to my home in NYC. However, our 3 hour “layover” turned into a 9.5 hour purgatory. Here is my story, told in photos.

11/17/11 4:30am EST

Wake up, attempt to put on clothing acceptable for clients. Settle on leather, heather grey, black, and leopard and leopard. Struggle to stay awake for car service to bring me to JKF. Decide to take mirror photos.

1:30pm EST

Arrive in LA. Immediately get whisked away for an airport tour. Explore an airplane repair hanger, which is essentially a big square room. Inquire about standing at the top of the tail repair ladder (seen in the back of the photo). Receive side eyes. Inquire about taking a photo with the airplane tires (bottom left). Receive side eyes.

4:30pm EST

Arrive at gate for return flight to JFK, putting us home at 10:30pm EST. Very excited. Gate attendant announces there is an issue with the air conditioning and airplane is “very hot”. Less excited. Air conditioning issue turns into what is actually a missing fuel line. Not excited at all. Decide to refuse to board plane. Gate attendant announces we will need a new plane, and this one will not leave until 10:25pm EST. Really un-excited. Watch line form at gate and wonder if we should get in it. Decide to go to Sky Club instead. Excitement grows.

6:30pm EST

Find great seating and an open bar in Sky Club. Rejoice. Decide to do more work until we can’t see straight, then we close all computers and indulge in wine, and then wine, and then some more wine. But not before having a bit more wine. They announce our flight is leaving “on time” at 10:25 and we bolt to the gate, get the most fantastic seats, and enjoy complimentary in-flight television and more wine. Notice women wearing fur and think, “I could live in LA.” Call home before take off. Employ a mom recommended buddy system do to excessive wine.

11/18/11 4:30am EST

Back where I started a full 24 hours later. Unclear of what just happened, likely due to the wine. But after 5000 miles and a brutal red eye, I am home.