A Girl can Dream . . . can't She?

Looking for an apt in Manhattan is a very demoralizing experience, particularly when one has no job (or wealthy benefactor). Dreaming up ways to decorate an imaginary apt is much more uplifting. I only have three pieces of furniture - a full size bed with no bed frame, a small wooden bookshelf, and a cedar chest - so I can pretty much dream up anything. I have most of the clothes I need now, so I think setting up the vision for my future apartment is the next task. I should mention that I am a terrible decorator. I like the idea of preppy furniture, but I don't like the idea of a pinkish living room, or bedroom for that matter. I do like the idea of:

1. a monogrammed pillow for my bed
2. polka dot dishes
3. a monogrammed blanket for times when I wanna curl up on the couch
4. a bright green rug
5. a big comfortable couch

Also, this post has a bunch of inspiring closets. If anyone has preppy furniture ideas. Show me. Show me.

Book Review: Schooled

So I just finished Schooled by Anisha Lakhani. Loved it. Could not put this book down. In this book, a recent Columbia grad takes a job at the fictional Langdon Hall prep school on the UES. She is scarily naive and overeager at the beginning. She is so so poor which I strongly identified with. I respected her decision when she started taking $200/hr "tutoring" jobs. Lakhani tells her story as if she is giving up every last detail from her real life experience as a tutor only changing the names. Her descriptions of the kids, the moms, the apartments , her borderline pedophillic attraction to a tutee are so outrageous, but not to outrageous to not be 1000% believable. (Is it sick that I just LOVE to hear about apts on park ave? All I want to see all day long is people coming off the apt and walking straight into Blair Waldorf's apt. No doorbell. No door. Just stepoff the elevator and you're home. I am obsessed.) She meets mom's at Sarabeth's, gets her hair dyed blond on the 9th floor at Bergdorf's and gets coffee at Sant Ambroeus (just like B from GG.) Best part of this book: no love interest. Just a young lady doin it for herself in Manhattan.

The Enabler

I don't know why my sister has decided to support me in the most expensive of my preppy habits but she has. I don't ask questions. I just open the presents and wear them. Yesterday I got a package from Sugar (the boutique in Greenwood, SC where my sister lives.) Inside were 2 fantastic Lilly dresses and a pair of Michael Antonio silver strappy sandals.

Lilly Pulitzer Cleary Dress - Chocolate

Lilly Pulitzer Blayney Jersey Dress

I bet those girls at Sugar love to see my sister walk through the door. I am so gratetful. But now I want navy shoes.

Battery Park City - A NYCentric Post

On Sunday, V and I went to see Doubt in Battery Park City, which is located just south of Tribeca. Doubt was great. PSH, Amy Adams, and of course Meryl were all great. But I was really fascinated by this new neighborhood in Manhattan with which I would love to become more acquainted. First of all the movie theatre was in a mall. Weird for the city. And, when we were in line for the movie I almost felt like I was somewhere in middle America. There were all these normal looking people with children there. I'm not used to seeing families in the city. It was a fantastic place to go see a movie.

According to wikipedia Battery Park City is a planned community built on landfill in the 1970s and 80s. The land upon which it stands was created from the Hudson River using dirt and rocks excavated during the construction of the World Trade Center and certain other construction projects, as well as from sand dredged from New York Harbor off Staten Island. I went to Battery Park, which is located just south of BPC, for a Joshua Bell concert several years ago but I never had any reason to go back. It doesn't seem like there is a ton to do there, but it does have the Museum of Jewish Heritage and apparently you can get to the Statue of Liberty from there. (which incidentally I have never visited).

On the way we passed the Museum of the Trinity Church which is gothic and haunting and beautiful on a snowy night. As we were walking along trying to find North End Avenue we came to an elevator. Just a random elevator at the end of the sidewalk. No sign. No arrows. No way around it. Just a random elevator. Without hesitation we got on. We ended up in the World Financial Center. Just another day in the city. I almost felt like I was back in a Minneapolis skyway walking across the WFC. It was like an adventure wandering aimlessly through BPC. I enjoyed it. Nice people. I think it might be a nice place to live one day.

P.S. So far, I have seen The Dark Knight, Doubt, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, and Wall-E. I still want to see Rachel Getting Married, Waltz with Bashir, Revolutionary Road and maybe Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Privileged

Am I the only one that watches Privileged on the CW? I have yet to find anyone else who watches and it's a cryin shame. I love this show. Megan, the main character, is so smart and earnest. It's set in West Palm Beach. She tutors rich girls whose grandmother wants them to attend Duke like their parents (who've passed away). The boys on the show are hotties. And Joanna Garcia who plays Megan is engaged to Justin Timberlake's BFF Trace Ayala. I really can't explain how awesome this show is, but just watch it. So good.

P.S. Megan's sister is named Lilly, perhaps a tribute to Lilly Pulitzer?

Wonder Woman

The February issue of Town & Country is the Wonder Woman issue in which powerful accomplished women are praised. This issue had Diane von Furstenburg on the cover and I adore this quote she gave in the article:

I believe that a woman must have childen because I think that's what we're made for-we give life. But I do believe equally that a woman should have her own identity outside her family-for her self-esteem, for her children, even for the respect of her husband. It's so important not to lose yourself. Women must work. If you don't it's bad for you. It doesn't make you a better mother to stay home; it is the worst idea. Women work anyway; they might as well get paid for it. And your children will thank you for it, because otherwise you're too much on top of them.

Madison Ave

I went to church this evening and tutored the most adorable little girl. I decided that since I would be on the UES area I should go check out this consignment shop called Michael's that only sells designer ware. Well of course I never made it there for two reasons:

J Crew Collection of Madison

Lilly Pulitzer on Madison Ave

I got a really cute Lilly scarf for what I assume must be a recession special. So I missed Michael's, but I made it to tutoring on time. I will have to check it out next week. According to the Upper East Side Fashioniste they have Chanel and Pucci. I have to see this for myself. Hopefully all those affected by Madoff are desparate to unload their goodies.

For Real

Today at the end of my BarBri class, the lecturer pulled out a Banjo and started singing a song he wrote about the NY Civil Practice Law & Rules called Ballad of the CPLR. For real.

It's Great to be Back

I am finally back in the city. It hasn't hit me yet. It's only been 2 years away but it feels like 10. I am taking bar classes which suck, but I am having good food and walking everywhere and wow. I haven't seen too many of my friends yet and I can thank barbri for that. Am I really supposed to be studying 8 hours a day after class? yikes. I am already behind in my studying but I will catch up. I must.

I am also homeless and jobless. I really hope that by the end of 2009 I can get my life back together. I have started visualizing myself as an attorney living in a grownup apartment with at least a little bit of grownup furniture.

P.S. I had a very preppy Christmas thanks to my lovely family. Kate Spade - ivory Karolina heels, cosmetics case, sunglasses, and black bag and Lilly Pulitzer sweaters galore =)