5 (almost) Free Things to Do in NYC When You're Bored

Good Morning(ish) Lovelies!

If you are like me, your schedule is so filled with meetings, classes, work, and responsibilities that the word "bored" sounds like a foreign word or gibberish... However, we all have those random freed-up afternoons in which we don't know what we could possibly do with ourselves. Here's an list of ideas to fill those random 5 hours on a Thursday afternoon:

Bryant Park

Located around the west forties, Bryant Park is a lovely place to have lunch or chillax. It's especially beautiful when the leaves start to change. This time of year, Bank of America sets up its Christmas village surrounding a glorious (and free if you bring your own ice skates) rink. I specifically asked for ice skates for the Christmas of my freshman year for this very reason.

Staten Island Ferry

I know, it's not the Statue of Liberty ferry, but this one is almost as good, and some say it affords a better view of Lady Liberty. If you ever have an hour where you literally don't want to be found by anyone... the SI ferry is the way to go. It's relaxing, free, and you get to see the Manhattan skyline and smell the fresh (ok it's the Hudson, so not really fresh) ocean air.

Roosevelt Island

Beautiful, serene, and merely 5 minutes away from Manhattan by the Roosevelt Island Tram (or subway if you want to wait around for the F...). It is said that the Island used to house the city's mental asylum (creepy), but now it's just a bunch of hospitals, and a bunch of families and retired people (imagine if the Upper West Side was an island unto itself). If you want a mini vacation that's doesn't require leaving the city at all, this is the place to go.

The Cloisters 

This is one of those gems of a discovery that I made my freshman year (when I had so much more time on my hands to actually explore). Yes, you do have to pay an admission fee, but since it is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, your "donation" can be as little as 50 cents, not that I personally have been that much of a cheapskate ever (*cough*). Like Roosevelt, it feels like you aren't even anywhere close to the city. I could get lost in the stone walls and stain glass for hours... I highly recommend it!

Central Park

Who could write a summary of the best things to do in NYC without including this baby? I enjoy walking through the little mountainy paths, or walking to Bethesda and pretending I'm Blair Waldorf... whatever you like to do in your spare time, Central has it!

XOXO

-H

Havoc on Wall Street

Hey there Lovelies! 

This is a couple days old, I know, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to grill some rebel-without-a-cause, climate-obsessed, tantrum-throwing, hippie-liberals. 

I'm sure you all heard about the "Flood Wall Street" protest that occupied the streets of the FiDi, completely and utterly uninvited. I am fundamentally against such wild and nonsensical protests. Not because I don't believe that people aren't entitled to their own (wrong) opinions, but because, well, when has protesting ever accomplished anything?

Let me start by saying how much I appreciate the NYPD for doing all that they did this Monday. Even though I was quite pissed at how long it took for me to get to and from school (because I had to keep convincing the officers that I did in fact live and go to school here, and just because I was a college student, did not mean that I was ready to jump on the protest bandwagon).
Anyway, so these reds decided that the best way to promote climate change was to come through, make a ruckus, and leave trash in our otherwise clean-ish streets. Please, someone tell me how they screwed up being effective on the most basic level.... 

Not only was it noisy, it disrupted everybody's work day. So, instead of working hard themselves in order to make a living and stop having a reason to complain about income inequality, they not only threw a giant protest through the streets of the Financial District, they got in the way of the masses of hard-working Americans (your fellow 99%, people! Just these aren't sitting around complaining, they're actually working for their living instead of depending on others' tax money) on their way to work. 

If that isn't enough, they decided that those responsible for the climate change were...... the 1%? What, did they run out of party themes and thus decide to create a nonsensical mash-up? This is an intellectual embarrassment. But it just serves as more proof that people will blame "the rich" for so much as a stubbed toe. 

Here, however, is the one highlight, the one positive outcome of this congregation of sheeple: The House of Reagan, ladies and gentlemen. I'm so proud (I'm serious, not being sarcastic for once) of these boys representing our school in such a way. I know there have been arguments flying back and forth about whether this interaction with the protesters was as productive and tactful as it could have been, and I have to say, in such a setting, it was. Here's why: When you get a massive congregation of "supporters" for such a protest, I GUARANTEE you that at least 85% are there just for the experience (i.e. just to get an adrenaline rush). Do they support these views? Maybe.... Do they fully understand what they are advocating? Abso-hella-lutely not. They are literally just their to say that they were there. They are not looking for an intellectual discussion, their only purpose is to get right up in your face and have a "reason" for it. Thus, even though I wish we could sit down with each and every one of these people to have a discussion on their views, in these situations, the only opposition they are going to pay attention to, is opposition of the same form (fighting fire with fire). Therefore I am proud to say these boys go to my school, and I kinda wish I could have been out there with them. 

Since none of my posts are complete without visuals..... here are some pics I snapped making my way to and from school. 

The cops in front of my school... I practically had to wear my student ID on my forehead. 

Blocking off the NYSE

Thank God it's all over... the FiDi has returned to its clean, quiet, normal, self. Sleep awaits.... I will see you lovelies later :) 

xoxo

-H

San Gennaro and the Broken Laptop

Hey there lovelies ;)

I have a new-found respect for all those before me who successfully completed college without a laptop, because that is what I have been doing for the past 3 weeks. A word of caution for all those in the market for a new laptop: DO NOT buy an HP from Sams club. Their repair fulfillment company does crap work at best, and they are not above sending laptops back worse than how they were sent in. Hence, my silence since Labor Day.

Since my last post I have:

1. Traveled upstate for a school retreat (and thoroughly enjoyed my little taste of nature)
2. Finished reading my first piece of Russian literature (not all Tolstoy novels are tomes)
3. Found a $100 bill on the sidewalk (New York moment... waaaatttt)
4. Started making plans for my next international trip during Spring break (*top secret location*)
5. Celebrated the Festival of San Gennaro on the streets of Little Italy (and was overwhelmed by a crowd for the first time in my life as a New Yorker)

1. What can I say about Fall Retreat? hmmm.... how about my house totally OWNED the drama competition and is now perched in 1st place overall (for the first time in house history). Prayers are appreciated for the upcoming reading test (fingers crossed!). I don't know if I posted about last year's fall retreat, but all I can say is that it was beyond cold. As in, we had to double-up in twin-sized bunks to stay warm, and I woke up with my hair par-frozen, COLD. Packing all of our heavy winter gear for this year's retreat, however, we arrived to sunny, 80-degree weather. We spent most of the weekend on the lawn sunbathing or by the pool. Needless to say, I had one "summer" outfit, and that was the only thing I wore all weekend.... not complaining, though!

LeTower of TenBoom

2. I didn't think I'd be a fan of Russian lit.... my roommate last year took an entire class on it, and all I can really remember from her experience is that she would periodically die on the couch from the sheer amount of reading she had to complete. This year's Interregnum theme, however, is Mortality. What better author to explore the theme than a long-winded old Russian guy? The assigned book was "The Death of Ivan Ilych." A short, pleasant introduction to Russian literature as a whole, in my opinion. It was short, witty, and completely relatable for something written almost 150 years ago. I recommend this one!

3. Yeah... so that happened... don't ask me how, but it was right by the Stock Exchange (i.e. they won't miss it one bit). And if you are reading this and just lost a $100 bill from your wallet.............. sucks to suck.

4. (*Evil grin from across the internet*) You won't know about this one for a while.... just know that it is on par with my London trip, except that this one hits a little closer to home for me. PLUS I will have my brand-SPANKING new DSLR, so you, my readers, are in for quite a photographic treat.

5. I don't normally feel the need to go out and do something at 10pm at night (I know, as a New Yorker I should embrace it). But honestly, as a college student, sleep is a rare commodity. So in a bout of self-pity and boredom I found myself in my jeans, slouchy sweater, and a pair of boots that have seen better days, in the middle of a bustling street in Little Italy during the Festival of San Gennaro. Every other booth was selling pizza, pasta, cannolis, and cigars. The entire street was strung with lights and decorations. It was quite a thing of beauty. The festival itself was amazing, but -and I never thought I'd say this being the extreme extrovert that I am- the crowd was utterly overwhelming. So I grabbed some Lamb and a giant Cannoli and left back to my apartment around 1 in the morning thankful for the experience and the quiet streets of the FiDi.

And they call it Bella Notte....

It is currently too late for me to be up on a Sunday night... I am cringing thinking of all the reading I have to do in the morning. So I will leave you all with this.

Buonanotte!

xoxo

-H

P.S. A piece of eyecandy for my lovely readers... a smokin' McLaren right outside my building... I look forward to the day when (not if , mind...) I will be able to afford this baby.

Happy Labor Day from NYC!

Lazy Wednesday Morning Update

Among the many things I love about this city is the simple fact that no matter how long it has been since you lived there last, it has no qualms about taking you back in to its fast-paced, honest-to-a-fault, go-hard-or-go-home family. I realize that makes little to no sense, but that is the thought that woke me up on this beautiful Wednesday morning. I have no classes today which made everything just a little bit better too. 

My summer was so crazy that it didn't even feel like summer. Usually those three months are filled with lazy afternoons basking in the sun and reading to my heart's content. On the contrary, when I wasn't traveling clear across the continent, I was working three jobs just so that being a broke college student, I could have something to eat over the semester. I began THIS book in early May, and I have yet to reach the half-way mark (to give you an idea of how insanely busy I was).

I am currently writing this from my surprisingly quiet apartment (same one as last year). There is a beautiful clear-blue sky outside, therefore, this post is likely to be short... when there is sunshine in the city, you have no excuse to miss it. 

In other news, my house took home second in The Great Race this year! If you don't know what that is, click HERE. I was on the running team as usual, and after four grueling hours running through the city on probably the hottest day of the year, we made it to the finish line in one piece. Here's a picture of the house with all the new freshies!

If you have no idea what on earth I'm talking about when I say "house," here's a little explanation: My school is kinda like Hogwarts in the sense that when you enroll for the first time, you are "sorted" into one of ten houses named after famous Christians in history. It's not like Greek life because you don't have a choice not to be in a house, but also because the house is more like a combination of a sorority, an academic house, and a family. House life is one of the many reasons I chose this school over so many others... 

I have a feeling this is going to be a really great year. I'm hoping among many other things that I can effectively balance school and work, that I can do well academically, and on top of that, that I have time to enjoy this incredible city. 

One last thing, if you haven't already, please subscribe to my blog! Doing so means you automatically get notified when I post anything new, which means you visit my blog often, which makes me very, very happy. It's a win-win situation ;) 

One last pic that I took as I was landing in LGA: 

xoxo
-H