A NEW YORK CITY LIFE & STYLE BLOG
Hello loves! Sharing a round-up of all the pieces that I am loving at the moment. You have probably seen me wearing each of these items on my latest posts. Get the look by clicking on any of the images above. Hope you are having a great week. Xx
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It’s February 2020, and tomorrow marks the five-month anniversary of my move to New York City, so today I am sharing what I have learned so far, plus what has been difficult to adjust to. With time we’ll see how my feelings of living in this city evolve!
Many of you remember that I lived in Miami Beach for the last 9 years, and in Barcelona, Spain, two years before that. I also lived in Paris, France, and Buenos Aires. I have moved around quite a bit, yet my transition to New York City was still not an easy one!
Let’s start with the weather… when I moved from tropical Miami Beach to New York in September, it was right before winter started – so my wardrobe was not ready. I wish someone had told me to buy this, this, and this upon arrival.
Life on the beach often feels like an eternal relaxing vacation, but here in NYC it is quite the opposite. While walking on the street, I quickly learned to keep up with everyone’s pace! Competition here is fierce, there are thousands, or millions, looking for the same job positions, apartments, and everything else just like you.
My fiancé got a job offer in the city and suggested that I join, and I said yes, after many long months of hesitation.
My younger brother had been living in NYC for many years, so perhaps that helped, although spending time with him was not the easiest due to his intense work schedule.
If you are trying to break into an industry that is based here, i.e., health care, finance, fashion, or mass media, then living in New York City is an excellent idea.
During one of my trips to the city, we spent a full day looking at apartments that we found on Streeteasy. I remember that we took several breaks, and had ice cream inside Chelsea Market.
Streeteasy is a real estate search engine for apartments in Manhattan. Walking around the city’s neighborhoods, and checking out available units helped me learn that ‘quieter’ living areas do exist in the city.
If you are planning to move to New York City, start browsing apartments on Streeteasy, it’s the best website to familiarize yourself with pricing, sizes, and neighborhoods.
September was my first month in New York City and the only one that was a breeze. Fall in New York City has lovely temperatures so we walked around with our dogs, went apple picking in Warwick, grabbed pizza outdoors in DUMBO, Brooklyn, and drove to New Jersey (Wegman’s trips, check-ups at the VET).
October and November were eye-opening for me. By mid-October, I realized I would need a heavy jacket, similar to those worn on previous family ski trips. I suddenly missed my car (the comfort & privacy it offers), was tired of overcrowded subways, did not like freezing rainy days, and was feeling homesick. By November we were engaged, two months after Hurricane Dorian intervened with his original plan of proposing in September.
Before I knew it, December was here, and it brought the first snow of the month! The city dressed up for a new holiday season, and we decided to spend it here instead of driving to Florida for Christmas in fear of him losing his new job. By mid-December, New York City experienced a snow squall, a record-breaking windstorm with heavy snowfalls and strong surface winds.
It’s February now, and earlier this week we had a few ‘warmer’ days so I explored around (it’s easier when it is 50 degrees as opposed to 30 degrees). I surprised myself feeling content while walking along the east side of Central Park, realizing that I was starting to feel a little more steady.
New York City – Things I’ve Learned:
A final note:
Adjusting to a new city is a big process. A generally positive outlook will always help you. Having my two rescue dogs with me made it easier, at least for me. I love dogs – they make everything better, don’t they?
We are enjoying our engagement, looking forward to Spring, and planning our wedding for next Fall. Five months into my new life in New York City, I finally feel that I am exactly where I am supposed to be!
Have you ever moved to a city you did not intend to live in? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Stay tuned for more updates! Talk soon! xx
MY ESSENTIALS FOR NYC WINTER
Good morning my loves! There are many beautiful destinations close to New York City, so this year we hope to explore some of the coastal cities that are accessible to us by car. So happy that our first trip of the year brought us to New England – a quick three-hour drive from Manhattan.
The image above perfectly sums up our vacation in Newport, Rhode Island. I am delighted to share with you guys our stay at The Vanderbilt, the loveliest areas that we visited, as well as our ride along Ocean Drive and Bellevue Avenue in a classic car from the 1960s.
We planned this vacation on a whim, fully aware that the weather reports announced rainy days with 20+ degrees. But we got lucky, and the city of Newport welcomed us with temperatures in the 50s and lots of warm sunshine.
THE VANDERBILT – TOP 20 HOTELS IN NEW ENGLAND – CONDE NAST TRAVELER 2019
The Vanderbilt is a luxury boutique hotel that was originally built in 1909 by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, a scion of the Vanderbilt family. It has been restored to its former glory and is one of the few private homes of the era to operate for guests as a fully functioning and top luxury hotel in Rhode Island. Today, The Vanderbilt Hotel comprises 33 rooms and luxury suites, a spa, and a fitness center with indoor and outdoor pools. Overall, we LOVED our stay here, everyone was so friendly!
Breakfast at The Vanderbilt Hotel is oh-so-good! We started our first day with one of the best avocado toasts I’ve ever had, a fruit plate, toasts with homemade jelly, hot tea & coffee, and fresh orange juice.
The breakfast room is connected to the hotel’s beautiful Garden Terrace (see below!) overlooking Trinity Church in the back.
After breakfast, it was time to explore Newport… Our first stop was Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina located on Goat Island, and surrounded by Narragansett Bay. Our pups loved feeling the breeze from every angle!
Meandering through Bowen’s Wharf & Bannister’s Wharf is a fun experience in the early afternoon. If you want to get a warm cup of coffee, head to The Coffee Grinder, a charming & iconic coffee shop overlooking historic Newport Harbor. Be sure to walk around the pedestrian area, you will find boutiques, galleries, cookie stores, and restaurants – it is so lovely and enjoyable.
Later on that day, we headed to The Vanderbilt’s fine dining restaurant. The ambiance was spectacular, and the food was exquisite. New England clam chowder is a must when visiting this area of the country, and the one I ordered was amazing!
For dessert, we opted for an all-time favorite of mine, the classic Italian panna cotta, and delicious beignets. The dishes were beautifully presented and seasoned beautifully, exactly what we were craving. Grabbing a table by the fireplace was the coziest too!
The following morning after breakfast, we walked over to Saint Mary’s Church, and did a little sightseeing by foot. The day started out with some clouds, but by 1 PM the sun was shining bright again.
One of the highlights of our vacation was traveling back in time to vintage Newport in a classic car. Nothing better than touring the city’s beautiful architecture and coastal scenery in a 1966 Ford Mustang! We appreciate that The Vanderbilt organized this beautiful ride for us!
The Vanderbilt offers tons of activities to enjoy while visiting, including ‘spirit sessions’ (to learn how to make delicious cocktails while exploring the spirits of the regions of the world), The Oysters ($1 oysters from 5:00 to 9:00 PM at The Bar), 30-minute winery tours at the Newport Vineyards, a culinary walking tour through Newport, a Cheese Masterclass, a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Breakers, an educational seal-watching boat tour, private sailing lessons at the Newport Yacht Club, as well as the opportunity to learn the art of glass blowing. As you can see, we opted for the classic car experience!
Be sure to drive along Ocean Drive. There are multiple spots where you can stop to take photos. It is a popular Newport scenic tour that has been designated a National Historic Landmark District!
A visit to Newport is not complete without a visit to one of the historic mansions. The Breakers, The Elms, Rosecliff & Marble House are renowned for their exceptional elegance (during this trip we toured Rosecliff). These mansions were built during the city’s Colonial, Victorian, and Gilded Age, and can be found along Bellevue Avenue.
We arrived back at our hotel, and it was time to pack to drive back to New York City. This hotel was the perfect base for our stay, with spacious suites, a fabulous lobby area, a prime location, and an incredibly friendly staff.
Below you can see our room, I thought the decoration and space were fantastic, especially since we had to fit two puppy beds (the hotel provided these for our stay). If you’re looking for a wonderfully located, beautiful, and upscale place to stay, then I’d definitely recommend looking into The Vanderbilt for your stay in Newport.
Always happy to bring our two pups with us on vacation.
Discover more from The Vanderbilt in Newport, here.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I would 100% recommend this hotel for a romantic vacation, otherwise for any weekend getaway!
A special thank you to The Vanderbilt Hotel for their outstanding hospitality.
SHOP FOR YOUR TRIP TO NEWPORT
To check availability and see reviews of The Vanderbilt in Newport, visit here.
THINGS TO DO IN DOWNTOWN NEWPORT RI
RELATED TRAVEL GUIDES
Thank you for following along, and most of all… thank you for your love and support! I absolutely love what I do, it brings me so much joy. This year saw me move from Florida to New York – what a move! From now on, I will be featuring looks based on the four seasons, haha! I am excited for this new change! 🙂
As we go into this new decade, I encourage each of you to switch your focus, from what you were not able to accomplish in 2019, to what you were… Let’s slowly improve the way we treat ourselves in 2020, it is something that I am trying to do as well. An attitude of intense gratitude towards life, yourself, and your loved ones – will change your life. Wake up every day determined to find the little blessings… and you will find them. Finally, I wish each of you a new year full of LOVE, PEACE & HAPPY MOMENTS.
Find below a round-up of this year’s top looks, partnerships and campaigns. Which outfit was your favorite!??
See more about the race–inspired Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio here.
See more about flattering swimsuits for summer here.
See more about our stay at the Glover Park Hotel in Georgetown, DC here.
See more about Easy Ways to Style your Paper Bag Pants here.
The Minimalist Style is always having a moment… and there is nothing more minimal than wearing just one color palette, and one color only. During fall & winter I love wearing monochromatic outfits, like this one: I paired a brown knit skirt with a brown turtleneck (in a larger size so that it would fit loosely). This outfit is uncomplicated, effortless and chic. For those of you that like to put simplicity first, this post is for you. All my favorites are linked below! Check them out!
GET KNIT SWEATER!
I can’t believe that I have been living in New York City for two months now. Some days it seems like this is just another short vacation in the city, and that I will be returning to Florida in a matter of days.
Moving to a cosmopolitan city like NYC was not in my bucket list. After spending a few years living in Paris & Barcelona, I returned to Florida and told myself that I was done living anywhere other than Miami. While I enjoyed my time in Europe, I was happy living right on the beach, and one block from my parent’s home. Life on the ocean is peaceful, especially when you love a slow pace of life, and enjoy walking the dogs by the ocean as much as I do.
Until … life surprises you! … and introduces you to a person from up north who accepted a temporary job in South Florida so that we could meet! Just kidding 🙂 But really, how else would we have met!?? Prior to meeting him, I had only visited NYC three times, and as for him, he had never been to Miami.
We dated throughout his time in Florida, did a beautiful scenic road-trip together across the east-coast, and then endured a long distance relationship for a long time. I knew very early on that he was the person that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. That is why I was okay with doing long distance with him. Fast forward to a few months ago, and he received a job offer in NYC that he did not want to pass up!
So that is how our search for an apartment in New York City got started, and it was not an easy one! I remember that during one of my trips to visit him, we spent 10+ hours on a Saturday looking at units all over the city. Because I was so unfamiliar with this city, I felt that at a minimum I needed to explore the neighborhoods that we considered moving into. For the next three months I spent countless hours researching areas, studying floor plans, and imagining what my life in NYC would be like!
After spending the last 9 years living with so much warmth & comfort in Miami Beach, I was nervous about moving to a large city with such long winters. I am also very close with my family, and was used to seeing them every week. That is why my heart aches a bit when I think of family that is now so far away. Has anyone recently moved and feel the same??
Many of my girlfriends in Miami have been asking whether I have found a big coat yet, and the answer is yes! A few weeks ago, I purchased this faux fur trimmed parka coat (see it in other colors here), these waterproof boots (see it in other colors here and here) and these fleece ear warmers. My coat truly saved me this past week when we had several days with just 26-36 degrees. What I appreciate the most about this parka is that it has five pockets, as well as interior thumb hole cuffs. With regards to the boots, I have yet to wear them, and the ear warmers have been fantastic. Also, this fleece sweater that I purchased over a year ago is my favorite… I wear it almost every day.
For my dogs I bought these super useful yellow raincoats. I absolutely love that they protect their neck/body, and I prefer them wearing a raincoat than getting wet (see image at bottom of this post!). I also got them these awesome dog parka (available in all sizes) for a fantastic price. They are warm, have a water-resistant exterior, a detachable hood (I keep it on for warmth around the neck area), and the parka is very easy to remove as soon as we return home. They wear these almost daily. Now I want to buy each of them a cozy cave bed!!! If any of you have pets at home, I’d love to hear how you help them keep their paws warm during the winter. I linked everything at the bottom of this post for those of you looking for ideas. Click on any item to check it out.
Wishing you a great new week… Talk soon! <3
SHOP WINTER GEAR:
Get the dog raincoat, by clicking here. With regards to sizes, I purchased an XL, and a L, but I wish I had purchased two XL. Just measure your dog’s back length, and then size up. These raincoats & the snoods are hands down the best items to keep a dog as dry/warm as possible during rainy/cold days. I bought the snoods in size XXL. Feel free to reach out if you have questions! 🙂
I am happy to introduce to you Christine Nendick, the creative editor of “Rescue In Style,” a blog dedicated to making a fashion statement for adoptable pets.
While spreading awareness of animals looking for their forever homes, as well as featuring dogs/cats in urgent need of adoption, she also shares trendy outfits, information on local adoption events, behind-the-scenes videos, and hundreds of tips so that you, too, can foster, adopt, or rescue cats and dogs.
Christine has the cutest cats, Roni and Cheese, a dog named Rawlings, and often fosters up to seven kittens at a time.
I love meeting people who welcome rescued dogs or cats into their homes. I have two at home that you can read about after Christine’s interview below.
I came up with the idea in December 2016, but officially launched the blog in February 2017. It’s just been a little over two years now!
I was scrolling through Instagram late at night and came across a fashion blogger sharing a picture of her dog. Unfortunately, the dog was not a rescue dog. She had so many followers that I thought it would have been an incredible platform to spread awareness of all the dogs (and cats!) in need of homes. The idea of being a fashion blogger who showed off adorable pets struck me as a way to market so many animals. After searching online, I couldn’t find anyone who was doing what I was picturing so I decided to do it myself.
There are a lot of awesome accounts on Instagram devoted to rescue organizations, but I wanted to target an audience that might want to follow all of them. Fashion is my way of welcoming a new demographic into the rescue world. I hope that by showcasing some fun fashion, I can cater to a group that hadn’t previously been aware of all the animals in need of homes. They might come to my page because of the style, but hopefully, they’ll stick around because they enjoy learning about all things rescue.
I hope people will learn that there are so many wonderful pets looking for homes. Sadly, 1.5 million animals are euthanized each year simply because there isn’t enough space for them at our shelters. I hope to encourage people to pursue adoption when adding a furry family member to their home!
There are so many ways to help. You can find the perfect way to support your local rescue! Whether you want to walk dogs, socialize cats, help with social media, or fundraise, your skills are needed. I would recommend looking at their website, there is usually a tab for volunteering. If there isn’t reach out through email or call them.
Also, fostering is the most instrumental way you can help save lives. If you can temporarily bring a dog into your home, you will save two lives: the dog in foster care and the one that gets to take its place in the shelter. It’s also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in rescue.
Besides my own Greyhound (a Florida native!) and two cats?! Absolutely! There have been so many wonderful animals that have caught hold of my heart. One of the first dogs I ever met was named Lady. She was a pittie who was used for breeding. The poor thing was so young but had had so many litters. Lady was the sweetest and wanted just to lay her head in your lap and snuggle with her stuffed animals. She spent a few weeks at the shelter before someone scooped her up and took her home and spoiled her!
I’ve also become more involved with my city municipal shelter, Chicago Animal Care and Control. It’s where people surrender their pets and where we house strays. Generally, it’s mostly pit bull type dogs. Landlords here aren’t very friendly with “bully breeds,” so they populate our city shelter. My favorite dog there for a while was Lucy. She gave me the best hugs and would sprint over for belly rubs. She was taken by a local rescue and she’s now awaiting her forever home!
I recently launched my very own merchandise! My next big task is creating a few more items to add to the collection. I’m also always looking to work with new rescues in the area and, hopefully, across the US!
To visit Christine’s blog click here!
To adopt a pet in need of a warm home, visit AdoptAPet and PetFinder!
How I Ended Up with Two Dogs
Let me share a little bit about my dogs. Mia turned 7 years old in October, weighs 60+ pounds, and is 100% blind. Anastasia weighs 50+ pounds, and I found her on June 26, 2015, when she was living on the street. That day, I picked up her collapsing body and rushed her to the only animal hospital that was open late on a Friday night.
Anastasia showed up in my life while I was temporarily staying at my parents (who live in a condo that only allows dogs under 20 pounds), I was searching for a new apartment, Mia was being cared for by a dog sitter that I had hired, the relationship that I was in for 4+ years had just ended, and I was working 70+ hours per week.
Almost every building turned me down due to my dogs. I searched for three months for a building that welcomed dogs of all sizes, and in August 2015, I moved to a pet-friendly apartment with both dogs. Everything was wonderful until Mia started to disapprove of the new dog, and while many suggested that I re-home the new dog or put her up for adoption, I instead decided to figure it out and make it work.
It took 11+ months of separating the dogs by wooden barriers in my living room, group classes at PetSmart, one-on-one training, and lots of patience until they learned to co-exist in harmony under the same roof.
Looking back, not giving up on Anastasia was one of the best decisions I’ve made! When I rescued her in 2015, Mia had eyesight in only one eye. In January 2018, when that eye lost all its vision and her eye pressure could no longer be controlled, her ophthalmologist in Florida, Dr. Dylan Buss, performed CBA (ciliary body ablation – the least invasive treatment for glaucoma) on her eye. While I have been diligent in putting about 6-7 different eye drops, twice a day, on her eyes since 2014, Anastasia’s tenderness towards Mia has helped immensely as well.
Both Christine and I agree that it is important to invest our time in training dogs. I love ‘group classes’ because dogs learn in a controlled environment where they have to practice self-control while being surrounded by multiple dogs and their humans. Mia completed all levels of training at PetSmart (beginner, intermediate, advanced). She failed each of the final exams, but PetSmart allows dogs to retake the course… so we did every course twice! Ha! In all seriousness, the effort that I put into taking her to 30+ classes has paid off. With Anastasia, I completed the beginner course, which she passed, and I hope to take her to more soon.
A final note:
I started training with each dog when they were adults, despite many telling me you can only begin training dogs when they are puppies. Well, that is not always true. My experience with training an older dog was excellent.
What about you?! Have you adopted or rescued a dog/cat before?!
If so, I’d love to hear your pet’s name and story!!!
My Favorite Products for Pets!
Here is a round-up of my favorites. These are all amazing products for dogs!
A final note!
After volunteering for two years at one of the largest animal shelters in the country, I learned that homeless and shelter dogs don’t need much other than love, a warm place to sleep, and a responsible owner who will feed them on time and help them with their basic necessities.
If you currently live in a small apartment, without a yard, you can still adopt/rescue a dog. The lack of a yard will be the perfect excuse to take the dog for walks (beneficial to you and the dog). That is how I handle the lack of a patio or backyard.
READ NEXT:
We bring our dogs everywhere we go. As they started getting older, I stopped leaving them with dog sitters. Here is an article I wrote listing the hotels around the United States that we have stayed at with our dogs! Perhaps the article will encourage you to take your dogs on vacation 🙂
