New York, I Barely Knew You

Readers, this past summer has been one of the best of my life and leaving New York was one of the most unnatural things I’ve ever had to do. Sorry for the dramatics but it just felt wrong.

Sigh.

I’m going to miss taking the subway everywhere and walking everywhere else. I’m going to miss hearing about nine different languages being spoken as I make my way to midtown. I’m going to miss passing the New York Times offices and the Parsons School of Design. I’m going to miss talking to random people who always surprise me with the kindness that is stereotypically not New York.

I’m going to miss the mariachi bands that would come in the subway cars and entertain the passengers. I’m going to miss coming home from a night out when everyone else is going to work. I’m going to miss all the vegan restaurants.
I’m going to miss laughing to the point of tears with my sister; I’m going to miss her awesome friends. I’m going to miss feeling at home when I’m surrounded by thousands of strangers.

Looking back at this summer, I realize all those moments of complete panic and sleep deprivation were cushioned with these amazing moments of satisfaction with the work I was doing. The summer I once felt I was wasting away on my sister’s couch with my laptop was actually filled with these great little excursions.

My last day in New York was spent writing posts for Lovelyish.com. It almost feels wrong to say I was working when I enjoy what I do so much. I’m really blessed that "work" happens to be something that encompasses so much of what I love. So yeah, I blogged most of the day away, baked some chocolate chip cookies, got in the shower about an hour late, loaded up some bags with the goodies Amber put together and took the R and D trains into the city.

While it was fun going to Times Square and doing all the other “touristy” things, my favorite moments in New York were spent just chilling and enjoying my surroundings. So it was fitting that I spent my last night eating some vegan cookies, enjoying the perfect summer weather and watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind on a big screen in Bryant Park.
It was awesome; the perfect way to end a perfect trip people. We got to the park about three hours before the movie even started and there were already shitloads of people sprawled out everywhere. So we took our blanket, found a pretty good spot, spread that baby out and chatted as we waited for my sister and the moon.

The movie is a favorite from childhood so there were no surprises there but watching it again with a bunch of people who all had the same appreciation for it was just nice.

After the move and a tinkle, we headed to a bar called Hell’s Kitchen (in Hell’s Kitchen) for a few late night drinks before heading back to Brooklyn.

And that my friends, was my last night in New York.

I know this is the part where I say it’s been an incredible journey and thank everyone for coming along for the ride. Puhleeeaaaasssseeee, I didn’t get to blog about half the stuff I did this summer. There are loads of experiences that I wrote about in my journal that I will be sharing with you all in the next week. Not to mention the fact that I am still working for the boss lady.

That’s right, my internship has been extended into the fall peeps! My story isn’t close to being over : )

Click here for more pics.

Happy Birthday To Meeeeeee!

Hello dear readers!

How have you all been? Good? Super duper? We're now in August and I can't help but feel a little sad that the summer is almost over. Is anyone else dreading it? The only great thing about the summer ending is my birthday. Well, for me anyway.

I LOVE birthdays. Since I was a baby, my birthday coincided with the mini-reunions we had in Lagos with all the other Ajayis and Odukoyas. I associate birthdays with Nigeria, huge family gatherings, fried fish, jollof rice and cake.

Family and food, my top priorities!

Well, a lot has changed and it's hard to get everyone together for anything let alone something that's not even recognized as a holiday (I'm working on it people). But as long as I have some cake and calls from the family, I'm a happy gal.

For my 23rd, Yemi and her roommate came down from Boston and our friend Viv flew in from LA and it was an amazing three days which was made even better by all the facebook birthday wishes.

Thanks guys!

We went dancing at M2, went to a karaoke bar near NYU, had some sushi in Bay Ridge, some vegan pizza in Williamsburg, a little craziness in Central Park, sake for me and Viv, cherry bombs for Yemi and Nastia and cake, a HUGE slice of coconut vegan cake.

Cuz that's how I roll.

We never made it home before the sun came up which resulted in some odd looks from the people on their way to work as we dragged ourselves home.

And I got the best presents, like a vegan guide to NY restaurants (thanks Shola) and the book Why Men Love Bitches (thanks Nastia) and the best picture of the sisters (thanks Yemi). But honestly, just being able to spend time with the people I love was great.

Life is short people; cherish every second you have on this earth with the people you love and care about.

Anywho, it was good. It was super. I didn't have a care in the world. Ofcourse, Monday came around and it was back to the reality of having way too much work to do but for those three days, life was pretty sweet.

Anyone feel like fast food (there's some illegal substances involved for your time)?

Hi everyone! How’s everyone doing? Good? Great, okay let’s do this blog thingy. I have more than five projects due preferably before tomorrow morning so we’re gonna do a quickie, fast food style.
Well my friends, the rain stopped so yay to that. Thank God, I couldn’t take another day of bad hair and soggy flats.
I still love it here and I’m now working on my plans for the big move in December. My expenses aren’t really going to increase surprisingly so yay to that as well.
But who cares about that stuff? Let’s get to the good stuff like getting offered cocaine and being propositioned in the same breath (I have so much respect for multitaskers).
I was in serious need of some bad dancing that couldn’t be blame on alcohol consumption so my temp roomie Dave, his boyfriend Jesus and I headed to the East Village to a club called Pyramid. We met up with their friend Charlie and Shola met up with us later. Anywho, we’re standing in front of Cock… and this guy comes up to us and says something. I’m thinking the guys know him or something but noooo. Turns out he was trying to sell us "the powder". Ofcourse the guys turned him down and then he looked at me and asked if I was gay. I was tempted to say yes.

I mean really; why do people go around asking that question? It’s like me going up to a random person and asking if they’re straight.

Anyway, said no and he said I was “fine” and asked what my name was. I then did what I always do in situations like this (ha, cuz it happens all the time) I put my arms around Charlie and Jesus and said I was with my boys tonight.
On to Pyramid, where 80s music played and people danced with abandon. Let’s put it this way, I didn’t look like a bad dancer among this group : )

It did have me thinking about crazy encounters when going out. What's the craziest thing that has happened to you during a night out; when all you wanted to do was knock back a few and drop it like it's hot?

P.S: How funny is it that I'm at a bar in New York and the bartender is a blonde-haired boy displaying his O-town love for the world to see?