I Heart NYC

It's Monday, which means back to work, but a girl can fantasize about being somewhere else, right?

Skirt:  eShakti (Sold out on-line; Available in black here)

Today, I explored the juxtaposition of a casual sweatshirt with fancier pieces.  I paired my NYC love sweatshirt with my pink tulle skirt, lace-up heels, and a necklace with bling.

Necklace:  LOFT

Sweatshirt:  Wet Seal

I do love New York!  Being from small town USA and a pretty laid-back gal, the hustle and bustle of NYC probably wouldn't be my ideal for long-term living.  That said, I have visited twice and am looking forward to more visits. 

In fact, it was around this time last year that I last had an opportunity to visit New York for the second time.  The street culture and other dynamics of the city nurture my sociological mind, and I feel like I've only begun to scratch the surface of what NYC has to explore.

Shoes:  Prabal Gurung for Target

Ring:  Target
Bracelets:  Torrid and The Limited

I've always had a strong desire to travel the world.  So far, my journeys have only taken me to various parts of North America, but I feel so fortunate to have seen so much of the United States and small parts of Canada and Mexico.  

Maybe it is because I can be more of a loner, an introvert who usually feels a little awkward socially, but I have never felt a strong tie to a base location or a need to nest, if you will.  The idea of traveling through life sounds wonderful to me!  I feel like I have so much more exploring to do!

Purse:  The Limited (old)

Do you have a wandering nature or are you more of a nester?

For this skirt in another look, see here.

P.S.  eShakti was kind enough to provide an exclusive promo code for you, my dear readers!  Use code 'stylecases' to save 10% off your order. This code can be combined with most other codes and offers, and it can be re-used as often as you want now through 6/20/2014.

Adventures in Traveling: Plymouth, MA and Middletown, NY

Jeans:  The Limited (Available here)
Blouse:  Target Petites (Available here)
Sandals:  Kohl's (Available here)

On our trip back home, we became pretty determined to make good time and kept our stops minimal.

The last of our featured stops were in Plymouth, Massachusetts and Middletown, New York.

After we left Highland Lighthouse, we got back on the road.  We soon came upon Plymouth, Massachusetts.  I knew we couldn't pass without at least taking a look at Plymouth Rock.  We drove into town and stopped at Plymouth Harbor where we took a look at some of the boats.

Purse:  The Limited
Bracelets:  Prabal Gurung for Target; Express; The Limited

We then found Plymouth Rock.  It is down in a pit in the sand, with a viewing area built around it.  The tide is still able to wash over it as the observation deck sits above the ground.  As we learned from a Park Ranger, the current Plymouth Rock is about a third to quarter of the size that it would have been back in 1620 and the "1620" was carved in the late 1800s.  The decrease in the size of the rock has more to do with human intervention than natural erosion.

We didn't spend much time in Plymouth, but it's definitely a place where you could spend the say going through the museum, enjoying the Boardwalk, and taking a boat ride.

We continued on down the road and stopped for the night in Middletown, New York.  We went out to a few bars in town and spent some time visiting with a friend.

Jeans:  Torrid (Similar here)
Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)
Shoes:  Target (Available here)

The remaining two days of our trip were very low-key as we were worn out and eager to put an end to all the driving.

Hope you enjoyed my travel pics.  Outfit post tomorrow!!

Adventures in Traveling: NYC

After leaving Hershey, Pennsylvania (see blog here), we continued on our journey towards New York City, booking our hotel room on the way.

We chose a room at Pod 51, a modern and very efficient hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The rooms were tiny but clean, and the hotel had a hip vibe.

To my surprise, we were staying right across the street from the Armenian Prelacy.  My beloved maternal grandfather was half-Armenian, and I grew up learning the stories and legends of my ancestors' escape from Turkey shortly before the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century (more on the Armenian Genocide here).  I lost my grandfather about a year and a half ago, and seeing the flag made me feel like he was right there in New York with me.  :-)

After getting settled into our hotel room, we cleaned up and were ready to hit the town.  I packed my suitcases with versatility in mind, and my blue moto jacket definitely worked overtime on this trip! 

We walked over to Times Square and around Midtown, and of course, enjoyed a slice of New York pizza!

Jacket:  Forenza by The Limited
Blouse:  Forenza by The Limited

Pants:  The Limited
Shoes:  Target

Purse:  Target
Earrings:  The Limited

We ended our night at the rooftop bar of our hotel.  The bar had a relaxed feel and offered a fabulous view of the Manhattan skyline.

The next morning, we headed back to Times Square.  Times Square was fun and interesting at night, but it was much more alive during the day. 

Necklace:  eBay

Blouse:  Forenza by The Limited
Jacket:  Forever 21+

While certainly geared towards attracting tourist dollars, Times Square offers a cornucopia of personalities, sights, and smells.  We had a blast walking around and observing lots of interesting people.

I was familiar with Naked Cowboy before our trip, but I didn't realize that there is actually a Naked Cowboy franchise now with multiple street performers adopting the Naked Cowboy moniker.

Blouse:  The Limited
Jacket:  Forever 21+

Former stripper, Sandy Kane, also represents for the ladies as Naked Cowgirl.  She is not affiliated with the Naked Cowboy franchise.  She's also more bawdy and vulgar than her male counterparts, which some people may not appreciate.  I found her to be pretty funny and was laughing in all my pictures with her.
 
My favorite experiences at Times Square involved a dancing troupe and an amazing drummer.

After leaving Times Square, we walked around some more, snapping pics by Radio City Music Hall and a fountain in front of the Chase building.

Purse:  Target

We walked over to Central Park and spent a while enjoying the various performers and random interesting sights.

Sandals:  Kohl's
Bracelets:  The Limited

Kung Fu in the Park

We then decided to head down to Lower Manhattan to the 9/11 Memorial site.  We walked back to Times Square and hopped on the Subway down to the site.

Going down to the memorial brought back memories of 9/11/2001.  It was nice to see the efforts to commemorate those who lost their lives on that tragic day and during the aftermath.

Union, baby!

We walked from Lower Manhattan back to our hotel, enjoying the various neighborhoods along the way.

We stopped in a vintage shop in Soho, took a short rest in TriBeCa, took a quick peek into the Museum of Sex and walked through Washington Square Park.

We were sore from so much walking, but I loved getting to experience the different feelings of each neighborhood, the vibe often changing from block to block.

We left New York the next morning headed towards Philadelphia.  This was my second trip to New York, and I can't wait to go back.  So much more to see!!!

Philly pics coming tomorrow!!!