Sunday, June 29, 2014

Back to the Big Apple

Wholey moley I made it. While a red-eye flight and fitting my life into two suitcases was far from fun, seeing the city skyline get closer and closer couldn't stop me from smiling. Even though I was only gone a month, I really missed NYC and couldn't be happier spending the rest of my summer here.

Now along with my new internship this summer, I am living in a new neighborhood. I had spent a little time in Little Italy last school year, but my healthy obsession with the West Village usually kept me from adventuring in the small but vibrant cultural pocket of city. So today, after unpacking, I spent the rest of the day wandering and boy oh boy I fell in love.

Before I go too in depth on my first, "first day as a Little Italy resident" observations, let me just say that Little Italy is surrounded by other unique, interesting, and delightful areas. Soho, Nolita, Chinatown...are all literally steps away. Definitely will be exploring these areas this summer as well! 

Back to Little Italy: cobblestone streets, outdoor cafes, colorful tablecloths and umbrellas, the smell of fresh pizza, gelato...on every corner, twisty roads, and fun street names (Mulberry, Mott, Spring-fun to say right?!), happy people who want to feed you, historical buildings, and views that give you a peek at the Empire State Building. Everything about this area is so rich and maybe even a bit overwhelming--there is just so much! So, I will be breaking down my favorite spots once I find them all and put together some sort of list. Little Italy may be overlooked by some, but I think it is a diamond in the rough.

Update soon!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

I'm Back!

Wow, I haven't posted on this in ages. For some reason something about my blog didn't stick after its genesis many months ago. Was it because of a crazy class schedule or just because I wasn't ready? I guess it doesn't matter now.

So I am going to start again.

Summer is here and it is marvelous and warm and full of so many things I love. After I found myself back in California, my time off was spent traveling and catching up with friends I hadn't seen in ages and of course working. I would like to think that this part of the summer is 'phase one' with 'phase two' starting Monday. I am headed back to NYC to start my first official internship and couldn't be more excited. Do I feel a little tiny bit like Lauren Conrad in the first episode of The Hills--oh yeah.

This is another transition in my life. It mirrors the transition I made last summer, from a high school student to an NYU student, but this time I feel more prepared. And now I'm a NYU student transitioning to a second year NYU student. Plus, I have 'how to survive in New York City' metaphorical tool belt filled with subway navigation knowledge and hand sanitizer (plus all the lessons I learned from last school year). But, I still have butterflies in my stomach because this time I'm doing all the moving in/dorm shopping/situating thing, solo. *cue more nervous butterflies*

It will for sure be an adventure. And that is what college years are for, right?
Let's go.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

BAM Harvey Theatre and A Doll's House





Wholey Moley it's March!


While this is a sign that NYC will be saying sayonara to sub-freezing temperatures soon, it is also a little reminder that I only have three more months of my freshman year. And there is a lot of stuff I want to pack into these next three months. A lot.


Thursday night I made a trip to the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Harvey Theatre to see Ibsen's A Doll's House. My friend and I had been working on the play in acting class and were stoked to see a professional production.It was incredible, go see it ASAP. (It closes on March 16th!)
  • The theatre is easy to access. You can talk the Q Downtown, get off at DeKalb Ave, walk for 6 minutes, and you are there.
  • Student Rush tickets are CHEAP. Like $11.50 cheap. Just make sure you have your school id and regular id. We got there an hour before curtain and the box office was extremely kind with giving us the best seats available.
  • BAM supports incredible artists. You will see extremely talented, award winning performers and theatre that will give you goosebumps and make you think. The shows are both educational and entertaining. 
  • In the gap of time between buying your tickets and the house opening, you can stroll on over to El Toro for a quick dinner. Imagine a combo of Chipotle and Dos Toros. The prices are reasonable and the quesadillas are killer. It's fast and filling, and the close proximity makes it a great option. (89 Fort Greene Place and cash only)
  • Upon entering the theatre, you will automatically feel like a hipster. The walls are elegantly in distress, exposed beams and light bulbs are sprinkled in the lobby, and the luxurious carpet is very posh. Your insta pic of you looking classy, in the lobby, getting ready for the show will make your friends either A) jealous or B) think you are super cool.
Check out the review of the show from the New York Times here.

So, try BAM. Take your visitors there(it will impress them you can maneuver yourself around Brooklyn). Experience shows that will leave you feeling inspired.

Have a fabulous week.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Welcome to Always Alice


I’ve been trying to figure out how to start my first blog post for quite a while so I’m just going to jump right in…here we go.

Hi, my name is Alice.

That seems like a semi-proper way to start things.  *insert handshake here*

I’ve lived in New York City for almost six months now and let me tell you—I am obsessed. Like, so obsessed just talking about how much I love it makes my heart flutter. As a Drama student at NYU, I get to be in the heart of the city and study what I love; two things I could have never dreamed to be in the same lovey combination.

I thought I would share my experiences about living in this incredible place (on a student schedule and budget) and sometimes maybe show you cool little things that just make my day.

Now maybe a little more about myself so we can be friends:
  1.  I like theatre. I like theatre a whole awful lot.
  2. Books are my boyfriends. Plays (to me) are also included in the category of books.
  3.  I am a self-proclaimed history nerd. I read textbooks for fun (again, books… but I felt the need to repeat).
  4. Professional crafter is my back up career.
  5. Coffee, coffee, coffee. Diet Coke.
  6. Museums and cool libraries and cute townhouses are my weakness.
  7. A day is incomplete without reading a real deal, non-digital newspaper.
  8. Puns and terribly cheesy jokes always make me laugh.


I’m pretty excited about all this.

So, here is to new friends, adventures, sharing, and memories in the making.