California

So I really want to move to California. I have loved it there ever since I was seventeen and went to visit family. I had wanted to go to UCSB for college but didn't even apply. Sometimes my mind prevents me from following my dreams. Then after college I planned a road trip with a friend and we drove from Massachusetts to California, with the ultimate goal of me moving there. The road trip was fun but once I got there I started missing my family. My mom flew out and stayed a week and then I went home for a couple of weeks. Then I went back and stayed the rest of the summer. But in September I was home again.

I have been yearning to move there for a while now and have given myself a two year plan (this was six months ago) so hopefully I will follow through. I have thought to write to Ellen to request a job...and move to LA or closeby. My theory is if I give myself one year there then I'll see how I manage. If I like it after one year i'll fully move. Here's to hoping.

WHERE TO GO IN NEW YORK CITY

I've lived in this city for nine years. I get this question a lot. I eat out a lot. It's one of the many great things about this city, but remembering the what and the where and the when. The food begins to all blend into each other. So, I've made a list (mainly of where to eat, but also where to shop/sightsee). Some of it's obvious (but not too obvious like saying visit Central Park or Empire State Building). And hopefully some of it's helpful. The city is constantly changing. There's always a new place to eat. The majority of these places are located in Manhattan, but had to include some of Brooklyn. Because if you're a real New Yorker, you know Brooklyn is just as cool and great as Manhattan (and sometimes even better). Below is a list of the top places I would visit. I will continue to add throughout the year.

A
ABC Kitchen - 35 E. 18th Street

B
BES (Boutique Eat Shop) - 559 West 22nd Street
Blockheads - 322 W. 50th Street
Bubby's Pie Company - 120 Hudson Street
Burger Joint - 119 W. 56th Street (in Le Parker Meridien Hotel)

C
Cosi - 257 Park Avenue South
City Bakery - 3 W. 18th Street
Candle 79 - 154 E. 79th Street

D
Doughnut Plant - 379 Grand Street
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - 700 W. 125th Street
Doma Cafe - 17 Perry Street
DUMBO'S - boundaries are Hudson Avenue to Fulton St.; Prospect Street to John Street/East River. However, some would argue that anywhere east of Bridge Street is considered Vinegar Hill. Located in Brooklyn.
Don Giovianni - 358 W44th st

F
Ferrara Bakery & Cafe - 195 Grand Street

G
Grimaldi's Pizzeria - 19 Old Fulton St. - Brooklyn
Gemma - 335 Bowery at 3rd Street

H
Hill Country Barbecue - 30 W. 26th Street
Hudson River Cafe - 697 West 133rd Street
The High Line is an old railway track which is situated on an elevated path that winds along the west side of Manhattan, roughly from 34th Street down to 12th street. Nowadays, parts of the South have been converted to a promenade.

I
Island Burgers & Shakes - 766 9th Avenue

K
Keko Cafe - 121 Madison Avenue

L
Loheman's - 101 7th Avenue (btwn 16th and 17th Street) - Shopping
Little Cheese Pub - 362 1/2 W. 23rd Street
Lombardi's - 32 Spring Street
Lula's Sweet Apothecary - 516 E. 6th Street (btwn Avenue A & B)

M
Magnolia Bakery - 401 Bleecker Street
Milk & Cookies Bakery - 19 Commerce Street
Mercer Kitchen - 99 Prince Street
Markt - 676 6th Avenue (at 21 St.)
MUD - 307 E. 9th Street

N
Norma's - 118 W. 57th Street
Nathan's Famous - Surf and Stillwell Avenues - Brooklyn

O
Odeon - 145 W. Broadway
Old Homestead Steakhouse - 56th and 9th Avenue

P
Peter Luger Steakhouse - 178 Broadway - Brooklyn
Popover Cafe - 551 Amsterdam Avenue
Peking Duck House - 236 53rd Street (btwn 2nd and 3rd Avenue)

R
Rub BBQ - 208 W. 23rd Street
RubiRosa - 235 Mulberry Street
Roasting Plant Coffee Company - 81 Orchard Street

S
Smith & Wollensky - 797 3rd Avenue
Spotted Pig - 314 W. 11th Street
Sweetiepie - 19 Greenwich Avenue
Sweet Revenge - 62 Carmine Street
Shake Shack - Madison Square Park

T
Tribeca Grill - 375 Greenwich Street

V
Vesuvio Bakery - 160 W. Broadway
Vynl - 754 9th Avenue

230 Fifth - 230 Fifth Avenue
The Best Street Meat - SW corner of 53rd and 6th Avenue (Halal Cart)

Tattoo

Mark has been constantly telling me I should blog about my tattoo. So yes. I did it, I bit the bullet and finally got a tattoo. I have been wanting one for a while, but my courage kept dwindling whenever thinking about it or making plans to get one. About eight months ago I had made an appointment at a parlor in providence and chickened out the last minute. The fear of the pain overcame me.

So I decided for my 31st birthday I would do it. I told only Mark and a couple of my other friends; JWU Carrie, Amy and Dave. Nobody in my family knew, and Amy and Dave didn't think I could do it, even betting me $20 I wouldn't go through with it.

I made an appointment at a place down the street from my house for the day of my birthday. I was set. Luckily Mark came to visit that weekend and came with me for moral support. The tattoo artist (and owner of Inkognito) led me to the chair and prepped my ankle for the artwork. As he was getting the needles ready I started to slightly freak out. But I didn't back out. The worst part was definitely the anticipation. The tattoo itself was not bad at all. And from the many people who have told me that the ankle is the worst part because there's not a lot of fat to cushion the needle...well I wasn't in any pain. Or much I should say. As he got lower it hurt a tad, but easy peasy!

I love it. It's the deathly hallows symbol from harry potter with the breast cancer ribbon entwined around it. It's a symbol that means a great deal to me. The ribbon representing my Aunt and the symbol (which is a combination of the Elder wand, Resurrection stone and Invisibility cloak) basically means the owner of all three is the master of death. I changed it to mean 'master of breast cancer' with the addition of the ribbon. So to me, the tattoo means my aunt is the master of the disease.