Post-Thanksgiving Staycation.

STAYCATION. That word rolls off the tongue like the hiss of steam in a sauna bath, and dedicating one night to do so surely felt like being in one. Thanksgiving weekend entailed a mass exodus among New Yorkers. My family doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving ("not our holiday," says dad) so I had no reason to go home, and my best friend Jess just decided to stick around this year. I was too lazy to wake up early and brave the cold for the Macy's parade (maybe next year), but we cooked and wine drank our hearts out during our orphan dinner. So that happened and then what? Day off and the weekend, might as well keep the vacation vibes going.





... can Blackberry please make better built-in cameras?


For work, Jess checked a night in at Midtown's Grand Hyatt, located right above the Grand Central Station and just a body roll away from Time Square, and she invited me to tag along. Wine me, dine me, hotel room me - I'd be crazy to say no to that. Our dining experience at New York Central, located next to the bar of the hotel, consisted of rounds of deliciously dry Ruffino wine, breads ranging from raisin to wheat, and a main course to let my mind sprawl out in gastronomy heaven. Jess got a very juicy burger with fries, and I got the apparently popular, according to the manager, scallops dish. I'm having a hard time remembering the spice mixture and overall flavor. I recall telling Jess that it did not taste like scallops at all. There was a slight toast on top of a hint of sweetness, in which the chef succeeded by throwing in chestnuts and golden raisins.







The hotel recently went through millions of dollars worth in renovations for a more modern, Midtown club look thanks to the architect house of Bentel and Bentel. They have even added a lounge which you can enter for $100 on top of your general hotel expenses. (Good one, no thanks.) The good and bad thing about the overhanging windows of the bar and restaurant area is that it overlooks 42nd street, and thus giving the feeling that you're dining al fresco. Bad, however, because I'm a major people watcher, so I'm sure Jess was a little annoyed when I stared off into the streets while she chatted away.

Jess and I retreated to her room soon after, and I proceeded to disband everything on hand and commence my hotel rituals: dive and belly smack onto the hotel bed (this hotel's comfort grade: B+), and open up the blinds to check out the view - in our case, was the side of another building and a small triangle of 42nd Street. Somehow in the heart of this city's postcard picture - the bright lights, tall skyscrapers, a bum rush of the world's people making a living - we managed to find our getaway. In my case, even if it was for a few hours (had to peace out and her boyfriend took my place), it was nice to be away from Brooklyn and just relax.

"And so, every fourth Thursday in November, American families sit down at a large table brimming with tasty dishes, and, for the only time during the year, eat better than the French do." -- Art Buchwald, "Explaining Thanksgiving Day to the French"

If you can't guess from this massive post void, I have been a very busy girl.

On Monday, November 22, I turned in my final paper for column writing class, which profiled the life and work of a Washington Post and former Herald-Tribune columnist, the late Art Buchwald. It was a treat to end the quarter writing a paper on a very fascinating and funny columnist who's career hay-day spanned from his expatriate, Parisian life in the '50s to Nixon's resignation. Out of all the books I've read so far, "Paris after Dark" and "Getting High in Government Circles" contain his best columns. For those who enjoy the tasteful cynicism of David Sedaris works, Buchwald's commentary on current events and human absurdities would be your cup of tea.

That paper sealed off a quarter that I don't believe was my best. I'm still venting out all the exhaustion and stress incurred from the past three months. On the bright side, it's the future I'm looking forward to - including a fantastic internship throughout the month of December, long-awaited reunion with some NYC denizens, and braving the last two quarters (plus one summer session) of my last year in college... that cannot come any sooner.

Starting December 2nd, I will be spending my month in New York City for a styling internship with, hold your breath, Opening Ceremony. Prior to my chat with Daria last week, I was certain that I wasn't going to get a spot due my short-term availability and my journalism-heavy background. But hey, I expressed my deep interest in styling, especially for a company/brand that has been completely inspiring through their artistic and fun approach to luxury retail.

I'm looking forward to flexing out my styling capabilities and working with the wonderful and youthful team behind OC. To help stretch my dollars to their max potential, my friend Jess and her man roommates have offered to house me in their Brooklyn loft for no cost whatsoever. (I'm in debt to her offer, so I'll be pitching in on groceries, domestic work, and maybe a housewarming gift or two.) I've been talking to some friends in the city who are looking forward to my arrival, I've been mapping out what I'm doing on the first day and destination spots I'll venture to before my departure, and I'm saving my night of clubbing and gay bar hopping for when Branka arrives to the city for a few days. But hey, I'll do that with anyone, any day - saving Netflix nights.

For all this, I deplete what weighs me down and lift my spirits up with opportunities I've scored and those who have helped me along the way. Here's to being thankful for it all. Yes, I had to wrap this entry up with a seasonal twist.

I currently have a food baby sloshing in my tummy as a result of a bread and cheese heavy meal. My single-self spent Thanksgiving at the Sormazs, my best friend's family, who treated me to Serbian delectables and Turkish coffee. We all gave a hand at reading fortunes from our coffee post-sipping, but none of us are experts at interpreting ground blots. Mine sketched out what looked like the movie poster for The Notebook. One could only hope.

PS, still unsure as to what direction this blog should take. More fashion? More music? Fashion and music? Daily dumps in the toilet? Eavesdropping daily?

Image source.