Transportation in NYC

One thing I have come to love about NYC is how easy it is to travel within the city as well as how easy it is to travel to destinations outside of the city. 

Within the city, the app HopStop is essential. Plug in your destination, hit go and within seconds it will give you the walking distance, which subways to use or how much a cab would cost. It really is a great app and I want to personally thank the person who created it. It has saved me from walking miles and miles in parts of the city that were unfamiliar to me. 

While living in NYC I have traveled home, which is just an easy 3 hour bus ride, to Atlantic City, to Boston, Cape Cod and Long Island. All relatively easy to get to from New York. Having both Penn Station and Port Authority bus terminal within easy walking distance from my apartment has been both a blessing and a burden. While it has saved me from missing the bus/train numerous times, it has also caused my stress when walking to the subway in the mornings. In addition to this, two airports are just a subway ride away.

Overall, NYC is a great place for public transportations. In Manhattan, subway stops are everywhere and other destinations are within reach.

Fashion Week Preparations

With Fashion Week quickly approaching, it is interesting to see how differently Elle and LGC prepare. While Elle is responding to emails with RSVP's for editors, LGC is worrying about sending out invitations, keeping track of RSVP's and going through final seating plans. 

In the days leading up to fashion week, I am finding myself busier at LGC, assisting them with invitations while also helping them with other client work. It's busy weeks like the past few that make me realize how much I really do enjoy public relations.

It is hard to believe that I will be attending my first fashion week this year. I am so glad that my first experience will include all of the backstage hustle and bustle. I hope everyone has a great fashion week! 

One Goodbye and Another Hello

I start my day with my morning commute with my favorite stop along the way, Starbucks. I will start my day the same way when back in Philly, only my commute will be a five minute walk with my mocha in hand and headphones to accompany me. Driving to and from work has been something I thoroughly enjoy each morning and night. I share a car with my dad so some days we carpool however when I get the car to myself I automatically know it is going to be a good day. Listening to my music along the way to work is my definition of pure bliss, motivating me in the morning and letting me unwind in the evening. Two opposite feelings created by the same experience. 

When living in the city, I will not be able to drive however I will restore my love of walking. Being able to get to where you are going with your own two feet is an empowering feeling. Being able to transport yourself to where you need to be only using the vehicle that are your legs whilst not causing any harm to the earth in the process is something I look forward to. Something loved left behind, something loved to start up again.

When moving to Philly, I will leave my family however I will rekindle my friendships and connections at school. One thing lost and another gained, from one loved place to another. 

There's only one chance to experience your senior year of college, and my time is now. 

Prima Famiglia - "Family First"

Living back at my parents house these past six months have been pleasantly enjoyable. I have moved downstairs into our basement apartment and have my own bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom so it is almost as if I am living in my own apartment that is attached to my house. The one thing I do miss about living on my own would be the most obvious, the privacy, however the ability to see my family at my disclosure is my biggest treasure, it outweighs any downsides. Being at home these six months I have got to witness my nephew's birth and early stages of growth, an experience incomparable to any other. Watching a child grow is the most blessed experience, knowing that that child shares the same DNA as you creates an inexplainable connection, a connection so strong you can almost feel the energy vibrating in your body when proximal to one another. We are different yet the same!

Spending time with my niece has been my favorite thing to do while I have been home. Sophia is three and a half and is the light of my life. Being able to stop over after getting off work and give my Sophia a hug and a kiss is the best part of my day. I go into withdrawals when I haven't seen her in a couple days, that sweet little hug is all I need to recharge! We are alike in so many ways. My mom used to babysit her every day before she started going to pre-school (so grown up) so she must have instilled in her the same mannerisms as she did to me. I am young at heart, and she is wise beyond her years. My life completely changed when she came into this world, I am bonded with her in ways unlike any I have ever known. 

I will miss a lot of things when moving back to Philadelphia, all these things being centered around family. 

Good Morning

The office is buzzing with people. I thrive in this environment. The mumble of conversations can be heard mixed with phones ringing, coffee brewing, people rushing by spreading good morning greetings. Morning is in the air and everyone is awake, alive, and ready to get work done. It's hard to have a bad morning in this place, it's hard not to feel motivated and happy to start the day. 

The people here are so kind. The authenticity can be felt in their warm, inviting smile. I knew the first day that I walked into this place and received a tour of headquarters that this would be an environment that fosters creativity, learning, and expression. Little did I know how attached I would become to these people, this company. This office creates a harmonious balance between employee personal expression and company representation, advocating their employees to be themselves trusting in their judgment and professionalism in respect to the brand reputation. The short amount of time that I have worked here I have become acquainted with my surroundings and formed a bond with my fellow employees. I look forward to seeing them each day and will truly miss this place and my routine when I am gone.

On another note, the band is coming into town this Thursday and will be performing 3 shows while they're here. It's exciting to actually spend time with the people you devote you're day working for, you'd be surprised at how much you get to know someone just by being in their physical presence, that is something that our relationship lacks however we constantly communicate with one another daily to make up for it. When you are the online voice of someone, getting a good solid sense of who they are is key. At least to me it is. It's extremely important that I pick up on their mannerisms and quirks, the 'real' stuff that distinguishes one person from the next, the stuff you find out without them coming right out and saying it. This shall be an exciting weekend, and I am looking forward to it! I am excited to see them, as this will be the last hoorah before I go back to school. Be sure to visit Colour of London on Facebook to see what we're up to!

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NYC Finds

A few weeks ago I made the trek down to an area of NYC called Tribeca to visit a friend after work. I had never been to that part of the city but had always heard that it was a great area (lots of families live there). Getting down to that area included a lot of walking but didn't end up being as complicated as I thought it would be.

After making it down there, we decided to walk along the water to enjoy the beautiful afternoon. After walking for a while we ended up stumbling upon a pier with lots of outdoor activities, which is something you hardly ever find in NYC. This area had the only mini golf course in Manhattan, volleyball courts, a skate park and a mini soccer field. I felt like I had hit the jackpot and knew that I had to play a round of mini golf.

While I do love Manhattan, it was nice to be in the city but feel a thousand miles away for an hour or so. Here are some pictures of the golf course- you can see small images of the city high rises in the background. Also, here is a link to the mini golf course and the pier where all of this is located: http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/explore-the-park/activities/mini-golf. Being on co-op for six months it is easy to feel a tad homesick, especially since NYC is completely different than any other city in the US. Like I said in my first post, it is extremely important to find comforts from home or activities that allow you to mentally escape the city for a while. 

The Views From Brooklyn

This past weekend I ventured to Brooklyn for the second time since I've been living in NYC. Somehow I always find an excuse why I shouldn't make the trek to Brooklyn but I have since vowed to go a few more times before I move out.

Since I was attending a concert in Williamsburg Park on Saturday afternoon, my friend and I decided to go early to check out the Smorgasburg, aka "Brooklyn Flea Food Market". If you've got an appetite this is the place to go. The whole park is full of every food and drink vendor you can possibly imagine. It also is a very short and easy subway ride from Manhattan, trust me. There is plenty of seating in the area, both on picnic tables or on a very small beach on the water which actually offers a great view of Manhattan (see above). This is a great place to go for lunch or an early dinner with friends. I personally would love to be able to go around and try every vendor but unfortunately I don't think that would end well.

Staring across the river at Manhattan I couldn't help but think about how fast the past few months have gone by (cheesy, I know). It's hard to believe that there is only a little more than a month left of co-op. While NYC can be extremely overwhelming at times, I have really come to like it here. This city has such life and I am really going to miss it. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to live here because I now know that this is where I want to be when I graduate. That's why the co-op system is so beneficial, it gives you the chance to try new things while there is still time to change your mind.

Thinking Things Through

Work has helped me because it makes me treat life day by day, hour by hour even. Every moment counts so you value them more. A skill that I have noticeably improved upon is my ability to grasp my capabilities and how much time to designate in completing projects. I am more on top of my deadlines and see the world realistically because of it. Deadlines are so common and small activities cannot be overlooked. In turn, every action or step that you take in completing something is accounted for and recognized. The pressure at work is much higher, and appearance is extremely important whether it be through your looks, actions, or words. You have to be conscious of everything you project to the outside world and have a good reason for doing so. Being conscious of how you act and knowing your audience is a part of growing up. It has nothing to do with being fake or changing yourself for different people, and has everything to do with being professional. 

You never know when what you say or do is going to impress someone so paying close attention before you act is critical. 

The World of Social Media

In the world of social media, time is critical. The three main concerns when dealing with social media are what, when, and how? I ask myself these three questions before I do anything. Thinking things through and having a justification for every decision is necessary. A lot of my decisions are based off of data insights from BuddyMedia, Radian6, and Facebook Page Insights. BuddyMedia is a database service that provide us with information of when our fans are engaging the most and on what content in order to get a better reaction from them, while Radian6 is used to filter through all online content and pick up specific keywords that are being mentioned online, such as Colour of London. These services are extremely helpful because we can monitor who is talking about Colour of London, see what they are saying, and depending on the content, we will most likely respond to it, but more importantly we can grow in a better direction in response to the feedback. I check these almost daily, sometimes multiple times throughout the day, for timely feedback. 

A huge daily concern is the time that I schedule posts in correlation to the content I am posting and the audience it is aimed at. You would be surprised at how what time and day you post content effects the engagement you receive. The goal is to get as many views as possible on your post, the more views the higher chance of getting a 'like' or comment, which in turn increases the visibility of the post, as posts that get more likes and comments appear more in news feeds and have a higher chance of being viewed or shared by even more eyes. The more eyes that see our posts, the more people that know about Colour of London, the more recognition the band receives, and so on and so forth. These three factors have to match up and make sense with one another before a post is released to the outside world. Sometimes you feel like you want to skip one step because you reached the other two, but before you release something you have to be sure you hit all of them if you want the greatest feedback, which of course we do. 

Though these insights are extremely helpful and informational, they are not always accurate in predicting the responses we receive. Just because you post something at the largest peak time during the day does not always directly signify the most engagement. That is why you have a keep a close monitoring eye on what your fans are reacting and responding to and make decisions accordingly. Social media is a balance between data and real-time personal monitoring. Analytics are extremely helpful, but at the end of the day when you are growing a fan base you have to keep a close eye on the personal connection that exists between the fans and the band's social media presence. Analytics can only tell you so much, at the end of the day social media thrives on the connection of who is behind the computer versus the data that that computer can provide us. 

On My Way

I am sitting in the airport awaiting my flight to board. I had a great trip to Philly and am really happy that I came. I planned the perfect amount of time however because I really could not take another day off. I am looking forward to going back to work and getting back into my routine. The job doesn't stop when you go away, and its always at the back of your mind. The rest of the world just keeps on moving and there's always work to be done. I look forward to getting up tomorrow morning and going through the motions, a day of schedule and predictability. Waking up in my own bed and sitting in my own cubicle, settings where much of my day is spent. What a strange statement coming from myself, someone who loves change and adventure, which I had a lot of the past 4 days. It's funny how you get what you think you want and it turns out to be not as sweet as you'd thought it'd taste. I miss my team and am ready to get back to work and do what I am there to do. 

My visit to Philly was great though. I got to see and spend a good amount of time with my good friend and her family that I have not seen in months. I am happy that I got to wet my palette of what my life back here is like, seeing familiar landmarks and spending free time in a similar way. Spending these days in places I have not been in 5 months is a bittersweet feeling. It is funny to think that in just over a month I will be moving back here continuing a chapter of my life that was put on pause, consequently doing the same scenario to my job. Only this time I will be doing it a changed person, one that has had six months of work experience at a corporation. I have to keep reminding myself that my experience back at school will be different because I am a changed person now after having this experience. Having such a good job makes me feel like I do not want to leave and go back to school, I want to keep doing what I am doing so I can improve and grow in my position. I have to put it on hold though and remind myself that although I will not physically be in the office I am still a part of the team. 

Growth In A Struggle

Never underestimate what you can accomplish in one day. Every moment is worth taking hold of, use it to your advantage, make it worthwhile. Yesterday was the first time I felt deep stress at work, a feeling I am no stranger to but one I'd like to be. I was worried that I was not going to make a deadline, as I had 3 assignments put on my plate on top of managing social media, a full time job in itself, and 2 days to complete it all. I put in extra hours at work that night but still felt like I wasn't making any substantial progress. I really wanted to finish everything before I left for vacation, as I am off for the next 4 days, so I kept on working, didn't take a lunch break and kept my focus steady. Now this doesn't end in me miraculously finishing everything, but that's not for lack of trying. Deadlines are extremely important but sometimes unrealistic. I gave it my all those 2 days and even surprised myself with what I did accomplish and the time it took to do so. No, I did not finish everything, but it will get done and in the right way. I owe it to myself and to my company to do my best. And sometimes that means an extended deadline to do things right. My bosses were fine with it because they knew how hard I tried and the work that I will put in when I get back. Don't let your energy go into worrying, put that energy into your work, sometimes a little adrenaline can be your best friend.

Continuing My Internship

Today I found out that I will be continuing my internship while back at school, as most of my job can be done through the great power that is technology. I am very happy to still be a part of the team while I am not with them, and it will make my job a whole lot easier if I end up back there next summer after graduation (fingers crossed). This way I will not miss a whole year of activity, converted to social media time and that's more like a decade. The pressure of landing a good job after graduation is increasingly higher, and I have been nervous about the struggle. I am extremely blessed with this opportunity and extremely thankful. While at school I will still continue to manage Colour of London's social media, I will communicate with the band on a daily basis, I will still send in my daily accomplishments to my bosses, and I will still complete a weekly time record and submit to payroll at the end of each week. Only this time, I will be doing it 250 miles away from my coworkers. It's astonishing what technology has done for us as a society; there's always a way to make things happen, there's always another option. I am happy that I will not be closing the book on this chapter of my life, as I am not ready to leave it behind. This job has become a part of me, as I have become a part of this job. I am a key member in our division and the fact that they want to keep me around while I am away means a lot. I am lucky that I applied when I did, timing may be everything, but your experience is everything and more.

Visit to Philly

On my way to good ol Philadelphia for my first venture out of New England this summer. I'm excited but it hasn't hit me yet, I don't think it will until I arrive. I drive past the airport every day on my way to work but on the road its just another landmark in the way of my morning route. It's so funny how different the same surroundings look and feel when looking through the window of the plane. We haven't even taken off yet and I'm already transported to a different place. That is what I love about traveling, you are transported in body and spirit. I am ready for the change in atmosphere as well as a fresh mind that awaits me on this journey. Not to discredit how happy I am about traveling, but I am equally looking forward to coming home just as much as I am for this trip. Work is great and by no means am I ready to leave just yet. We have some very exciting things coming up that I am so very happy to be a part of. The universe has blessed me with this one. It's too good to be true. But it's so true, it's so true and I love it. 

I'm excited to be in my old stomping grounds without the pressure and stress of school and the aroma of summertime in the air, mixed with gasoline of course. I get to see my good friend Rachel and her family, which I am very close to. Her sister is going off to college this fall so I am paying my goodbyes. I remember in the distance when I left for college three summers ago. So much growth has happened in those three years, and I am excited for her to experience such a crucial stage of development in her life thus far. This is my first time on a plane in over 6 months and I'm ready for it. I've traveled this route more times than I can name, it almost feels like second nature to me now. I love to travel and would love a job position that allots traveling, whether it be on air, land, or sea. 

NYC Restaurant Week

One of the great things about living in any city is Restaurant week, which for some reason tends to always be more than a week long but hey, I'm not complaining. July 22- Aug 2nd is restaurant week in NYC so of course I had to take advantage of it.

The deal during this time is 3 courses Mon-Fri or Sun nights, $25 for lunch and $38 for dinner. This ends up being much cheaper than a typical NYC meal. 

Last Thursday I went to FIg & Olive restaurant in the Meatpacking district. I had heard great things about this place so that made for an easy decision when deciding where to go. We ended up ordering more than the 3 courses but it was so worth it. We ordered 3 crostinis (shrimp, prosciutto and burata) , which ended up leaving just enough room for our 3 other courses. For my 3 courses I ordered the gazpacho soup, lobster risotto and berries & cream on a waffle. The meal was just what I needed after a long day of work. 

Anyone co-oping in NYC or anyone who will be next summer has to check out restaurant week! Here is a link to view the restaurants participating and to book a reservation: http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek/?pid=hp-hero-1-full_image