New York or Bust!—Finding Housing Part 2

Good news, I found housing! I won't mention the name of it or where it is but I will say that it is in a nice area for a reasonable price by NYC standards. It's around $800 per month if they don't raise the rent if and when I move in.

Since it is a women's residence, it is not the ideal place to live since it has community bathrooms and a shared kitchen. They also don't serve meals as part of the rent price (meals are standard at women's residences) but it will do for a semester or so. The upside is that I can have my own private mini fridge if I choose to!

I applied back in September for a second week of January 2012 move-in date. Hopefully, I will be approved for a room before Spring semester starts in late January. If and when I move in, I will post periodic reviews and updates of living there including the good, the bad and the ugly. Stay tuned!

New York or Bust!—My Favorites Places in NYC

I have many favorite places in New York City. Just thinking about them makes me nostalgic for the good old college days I spent in the city! Here is my top ten list of fave places, in no particular order of importance.

 

- The Shops at Columbus Circle: This place was one of my after school hangouts. I’d check out the latest stuff in different stores like Sephora, J. Crew, Esprit, United Colors of Benetton, Sisley, Borders and Whole Foods Market. 

 

- Whole Foods Market: This was my definitive grocery store because it was inside The Shops at Columbus Circle and so quick and easy to get to after school. I love the ambiance, the healthy food and selection there, I also like the other location in Union Square and I like how they have different things in the hot food buffet, salad bar and hot food serving station.


-Fairway: Fairway is my second favorite grocery store that I often frequented at night after school. It was closer to where I used to live than Whole Foods Market and I would walk home from here many times. I loved the hot and cold food buffets but the selection is quite limited though. I love the atmosphere here, it's very lively but it doesn't have an elegant ambience like Whole Foods Market. The layout is very cramped and the floor is always dirty, which is standard in the majority of grocery stores in NYC that I've been in.   

 

- Borders: I came here every night on my rounds through The Shops At Columbus Circle and I’d usually buy a book. (Since I’m such a bookworm, I signed up for the Borders Rewards program, which has saved me countless dollars as a member). I’d also buy a magazine, some cute note cards, notebooks and other things. I really loved the events here as well. They’d have guests from all corners of the culture hawking their latest projects. My faves were Rocco DiSpirito and his mother. Chris Kimble founder of Cook’s Illustrated and host of America’s Test Kitchen, at the time was speaking about his latest series Cook’s Country. Michael Medved, radio talk show host, pop culture expert, political commentator and movie critic. Travel guru and author, Peter Greenberg. Nina Garcia, fashion director of Marie Claire and Project Runway judge. Carmindy, makeup artist and the resident beauty consultant on What Not To Wear. Thom Filicia, interior designer, host of Dress My Nest and former decor guru for Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. The former lead singer of Savage Garden, Darren Hayes and Hungry Girl cookbook author and TV show host Lisa Lillien. Editiorial Note: As of September 30, 2011, the Borders company has closed shop on all of its stores nationwide and is now a fond memory :-(

- 5th Avenue: Posh shopping destination, what more can I say!? I love the H & M and Gap on 5th Ave, both are some of my fave locations of these stores in Manhattan. These locations are expansive and have a great selection. I also love the upscale stores, just to browse in and live my aspirational fashion dream.     

- Union Square: The first time I went here was when I volunteered at Tribeca Film Festival. I was just passing through on my way to East Village Cinema where I would do a few hour’s worth of volunteer work at Tribeca Film Festival helping out with screenings. My other fave Whole Foods Market location is here as well. I also shot a video promo for Volvic Water here for a school project.

  

- Rockefeller Center: I walked all around this place my last night in NYC in May 2009. All I can say is that it was a magical, larger than life experience because it is one of those iconic places you hear about and see and you never think you’ll actually see it until of course you actually see it!

- The Upper West Side: This is where I use to live! West 88th near Riverside Drive baby! LOL. I liked the area except for the massive amounts of dog feces and urine polluting the sidewalk and air! Dog owners were SO DARN inconsiderate about leaving their animal's waste on the sidewalks and they were too lazy to pick up the poo with a plastic bag! I found myself constantly looking down in order to dodge "s" bombs on the sidewalk, which basically created a poop minefield. Very annoying and disgusting! But other than that the Upper West Side was amazing and it was a grocery shopper and restaurant patron's paradise. With all the great little food shops, markets and eateries one could get lost in food for years without having to try the same thing twice.       

- Saint Esprit Church: Free French classes take place here on Sunday. It's located at Park Avenue near 60th street. I went to a few sessions my first and second year of school but I decided not to go back because I wanted my Sundays free. I went to one of their October Fest celebrations and they had a few different selections of tasty quiche.

- The East Village: I loved the grittiness of this neighborhood. The old remnants of an era of punk rock, shady, sketchiness still remain yet wiped clean of all the real meaning from when it was first established. The store fronts are rife with tatoo parlors, peep shows and alternative apparel and of course restuarants. I liked Trash and Vaudeville, the neighborhood salwart and punk rocker apparel heaven (website after all these years! Yay!). Another cool place was Bamn Automat, an interesting dining concept where the inside of the restaurant had a life-sized vending machine style wall that dispensed all sorts of fried food goodies and the other side had a place to sit, sad to see it's gone now (but the website is still up). Last but not least, Pommes Frites, I loved this place, they sell great substantial fries and portions (AMAZING frites and creative sauces).    

New York or Bust!—The Minimal Life, Part 2: Bare Essential Dwelling Accoutrement

In this post, I will share some tips on creating a minimal life, including the items you need to just get by with and still have maximum convenience. 

In my May 26th post, The Minimal Life: Part One, I discussed the general usefulness of living a minimally materialistic life. I emphasized this in the areas of wardrobe, accessories, shoes and cosmetics/personal care items. This is especially handy when you are a woman moving to a place that is likely to be a temporary home such as college, study abroad or programs such as Americorp. 

But having a minimal amount of stuff is not always a no-brainer for people and for me it wasn't either. Even though I was advised not to collect lots of stuff, I didn’t listen! I had casually amassed tons of items, especially books and magazines, by the end of my first year of college in New York City. I thought nothing of it until it was time to pack and head home. 

Even before the end of that year came, I had already decided that I was not going to toss out all my stuff like many students are famous for doing. But I did have to leave behind a few favorite things just because I couldn't fit them into my suitcase and I didn't have time to send the remaining items home. 

After looking back at my time of living in New York City for 2 years for college (minus summer breaks) and experiencing owning too much stuff, I can attest to the fact that living minimally is a more ideal option than having tons of stuff that you think you will need. I believe it is better to live minimally during these transitional periods just to help save peace of mind and your pocket book when it's time to move. 

So with that said, below I've included the bare essential dwelling accoutrement that I've found helpful during college. After reflecting over time about my first two years away at college there are certain things I came to realize about myself. One being that I didn't use 80% of the stuff that I had and two, there was no justifying why I had all that stuff just going to waste.

Below is one list with multiple categories. This list encompasses both a minimum and maximum amount of items you'll need to survive and thrive in college. The reason why I say minimum and maximum is because it's both the least amount of stuff you'll actually need AND truly all you need. Of course, some items here are optional and can vary depending of personal needs/preferences and if you can get by on much less that would be awesome! 

Bare Essential Dwelling Accoutrement  

School Supplies

Laptop + cord (the lighter the computer is, the better)

1 high capacity flash drive (4 GB or higher)
  

Small agenda planner

1 large multi-subject notebook (for one consolidated place to keep all class notes)

1 small personal notebook (to keep track of ideas, misc. information)

1 small notebook (For journalism, media and communications students like me)

Small pencil pouch with the following: 3 black, 3 blue and 3 red pens, 3 mechanical pencils, 2 skinny highlighters, 1 fine point & 1 regular felt tip permanent Sharpies, White Out, colored pencils (optional), mini Scotch tape, mini stapler, mini staple refills, book of stamps, Post It flags, small stack of Post It notes.

Desk Organization/Personal Items

1 accordion folder + extra dividers (for storing homework, term papers and important school documents)

1 foldable stacking shelf (for textbooks, books, magazines & accordion folder)

1 all purpose desk organizing tray or small supply box

Small business card folder (you should collect important ones and keep them organized)

Light weight photo album

5 small/or light weight items that help decorate, add color and personality to your space

2-3 personal books that are indispensable to you wherever you go

Electronics

Cell phone + charger (instruction manual if needed)    

IPod Touch + ear buds + USB cord for charging (optional)  

Travel size surge protector (I recommend Belkin Mini Surge Protector with USB Changer) 

Digital point and shoot camera + 1, 4 GB or higher memory card (for pics and descent video) + manuals if needed

1 extra rechargeable battery set and charger (for camera)

Mini memory card reader

Small, inexpensive MP3 player + USB cord for charging (must have audio recording capabilities for recording lectures, speakers at events and interviewing for journalism, media and communications students) 

Small case to consolidate all electronics

Kitchen Supplies

1 microwave safe glass mug

1 microwave safe glass bowl

1 microwave safe glass plate

1 plastic plate to use as cutting board

1 shallow baking pan or small cookie sheet (optional)

Silverware set: 1 fork, 1 knife and 1 spoon

Misc. kitchen tools: 1 all purpose sharp knife, 1 large cooking/serving spoon, 1 compact spatula, 1 heat proof silicone pan mat, 1 oven glove, 1-2 small kitchen towels (optional: depending on your needs and kitchen or lack there of)

Electric skillet or medium frying pan + medium pot (optional: depending on dorm rules for electric cookware, your needs and kitchen or lack there of)

Hot pot (optional: depending on dorm rules for electric cookware, your needs and kitchen or lack there of)

Bed, Bath and Closet

Plastic fitted twin mattress protector + water proof pillow protector(s) with zip closure

Twin sheet set: 1 fitted sheet, flat sheet, pillow case (compatible with both a standard or long mattress)

1-2 comfy pillows (required)

1 warm plush fleece blanket

1 multi pants hanger

Set of skinny hangers covered in flocking (strong and you can hang pants, shirts and jackets on them)

1 vertical multi-shirt hanger

1 belt loop hanger (serves double duty to stores belts and scarves)


1 narrow hanging sweater organizer (can double as dresser in a pinch)

Shower organizer/caddy with handle (for community bathrooms outside your room)

Turbie Twist Hair Towel

Towel wrap   

NOTE: Special considerations for communications, film, journalism and other media students.

You may need to bring your own camcorder depending on a few factors:

1.) Your school's policy on borrowing cameras, which can be a very short length of time, maybe one-three days (even when you have an important project). Generally, the more flexibility you have on time using the camera, the better off you are for completing your video taped projects in a timely and unrushed manner.

2.) Also, you are probably going to want to go around the city shooting video in your off time to get as much practice as possible. That is where having your own cam is very important.

You may need to bring your own large external hard drive (with spinning parts and firewire cable) depending on a few factors:

1.) How many video projects you will need to do and how important are they going to be to you? If you'll only be doing less than four videos for the sake of class requirements there is probably no need to invest in a large external hard drive to store your footage. In this case, saving the orginal tapes on which you filmed the project and a few DVD copies of your finished project should be sufficient.  But if you know you will be doing projects that mean a lot to you during school AND you will be doing more than say 6 major video projects you may want to consider investing in a good large external hard drive to store the footage on, in addition to saving to footage in its orgininal medium such as mini DV tapes.

2.) Consider your school's storage resources and data security. Depending on your school's loan policy of hard drives during the semester and what options they have to store your work on computers securely, you may find this option better and more cost effective than buying a large external hard drive.

The camera and the external hard drive for footage storage are two major parts of many media student's daily equipment repertoir, so investing in them can be very important but not essential since the school can usually loan these items to students.

Both years in college, I took my own camcorder, which is an old bare-bones Canon ZR40 from 2002, I believe. The second year of school I bought a large Western Digital "My Book Home Edition" External Hard Drive with 1TB (terabyte) storage capacity, which should be sufficient for a film student, broadcast journalism or TV production students who do a lot of on-location shoots.      

I would also suggest a sturdy, light weight tripod plus optional monopod and mini tripod for desk-mounting, shotgun mic and lavelier mic set for the serious students who know they will be using the equipment a lot and plan to do independent personal projects and maybe a little freelance work on the side.

A few options to secure data and belongings include investing in an online data backup service, a portable dorm room safe that locks onto the bed or desk and having your equipment, computer and all other belongings insured before you leave home (you can insure all your stuff for one flat rate with special dorm insurance policies).

But again this is optional depending on budget, space constraints and if the dorm has built in options to lock up your stuff in your dorm room. However, because roommates and/or friends can and will steal your equipment if they are thieves, you must think about these things before bringing all this to school.

I hope this post has provided some useful ideas and options on what to bring to college. If you have more suggestions please add them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

Fashion: Minimal, Chic College Wardrobe

I'll keep this short and sweet. Here are the absolute must-haves to look chic and have a light load college wardrobe. First, I highlighted the clothes, then I put together the shoes and accessories. These are just according to my own taste but by all means change out items to fit your personal style. 

In my opinion everyone needs: sweaters, basic tees and turtlenecks, jean shirt, crisp white blouse, black skirt, black slacks, black blazer and a nice every day blazer. As for footwear and accessories: black leather knee boots, "sport" shoes, dress shoes, cozy hats and drapy scarves, carry-all and smaller bag, leggings and tights, statement stretch belt and drapy multi chain necklace.

I selected items that had clean lines and basic styles because that's what I prefer. I stuck with a neutral color palate and added pops of my fave colors.

Enjoy! :-)

Minimal, Chic College Wardrobe: Clothes by naturallystyled featuring a white short sleeve shirt

Minimal, Chic College Wardrobe: Shoes/Accessories by naturallystyled featuring studded handbags

Packing it all will be discussed in my June 1 post titled Decorating/Organizing: Travel Edition—The Perfectly Organizated Carry-On.

New York or Bust!—The Minimal Life, Part 1

If there is one thing that I've learned when I was in New York my first 2 years in college, it was the fact that tons of possessions are not cool, especially when you live on the opposite side of the country and are NOT interested in chucking out any of your stuff at the end of the year like most students do. Here is what I learned the hard way about having way too much of everything:

1. If you don't start mailing boxes of your stuff home in enough time, you will end up having to abandon and chuck stuff anyway.

2. Having "stuff" is not important, but having the bare necessities is.

3. You can always get by without much stuff, but you don't know that yet. :-)

4. Being unfettered by "stuff" is the best policy. You won't miss the extraneous stuff I promise.

5. It's a good idea to be as mobile with your possessions as possible, you never know when you may have to up and leave. An out of control rodent or bed bug issue could develop in your space or building and you'd fare better with good mobility.

6. Chances are you can get by with just: a laptop, thumb drive, digital camera, mp3 player, good mini speakers, 1 high capacity multi subject notebook for class notes, 1 personal journal, 1 agenda planner, 1 accordion folder, well stocked pencil pouch, basic bed set, bathroom, kitchen, closet, general and food storage essentials. (More about this in another post.)



7. Basic wardrobe including a carefully edited collection of the clothes, shoes and accessories you already wear A LOT. Don't take anything you never wear or think you might wear because you probably won't. (More about this in another post.)

8. Take basic winter gear: great warm boots, wool blend socks, wood blend sweater, hat, gloves and scarf (in your fave color), wool coat or waterproof nylon parka, cold weather thermal leggings, thick tights and your good! (More about this in another post.)



9. Basic skin and hair care products. Proper styling tools and accessories to fit your needs (keep it minimal) and your good! (More about this in another post.)
10. Anything beyond this and you run the risk of having unnecessary stuff.
Stay tuned for part 2 when I'll show you how to create your own minimal life for college.

New York or Bust!—Finding Housing, Part 1

In my last installment of New York or Bust!, I mentioned my mission to return to New York City for my final year of college. In this installment, I will be going over my housing search. My search has truly been an epic saga. I have been researching temporary housing in New York City that is suitable for students for about 10 years now and surprisingly I have still not come to any definitive conclusions!

My search began long before I wanted to attend my current school. The housing hunt began in 2001, when I wanted to take a summer class at New York University and possibly get an internship. I didn't end up taking the class at that time since I couldn't find housing.

For the first several years of my housing research I pretty much only turned up a few possible options. These included Sara's New York Homestay, a hand full of independent homestay search websites, a few very expensive temporary corporate housing options and New York Accommodations Centre.

I read the information provided on the websites of each organization very carefully and I found that Sara's New York Homestay had reasonable rates, meal options and seemed to be what I was looking for (at least on paper it was perfect). So I did research on the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and other websites to check the reputability of this place and absolutely nothing came up!

I searched the organizations that they claimed to be members of, which were listed on their website and still no information regarding their track record or reputability. Finally, I contacted the owner to ask more questions. Well, the answer's that I received from them were a little iffy.

It ended up that the owner seemed to have a shady, corner-cutting way of doing business and it showed in their responses to my inquiry. In addition, I took to the internet message boards to ask if anyone had any experience with them but no one else had dealt with them. I did, however, receive generally helpful advice in looking for housing in the city.

Also, one interesting person responded to my inquiry and sent a link to Sara's Homestay. It was, wait for it.... none other than the owner himself, I was flabbergasted!! And another member of that message board who gave me some advice had   private messaged me later and said she saw the owner's iffy response to me so she clicked the link that he gave and said she read the website and found that the name of the owner matched the name of the person who responded to me! It was beyond weird! But kudos to the lady for informing me.

From then on I knew something was up with that business. Years later I Googled them again to see if anyone has had written any reviews of their experiences with them and sure enough now every single review I find on them is very negative. But I'm not surprised at all. Here's are some links that I found on Yelp.com and InsiderPages.com that showcase the poor business practices of Sara's New York Homestay.

Needless to say that my New York City housing search had proven to be fruitless for my first few years on the hunt. But I have pressed on all these years and found some different options along the way. Stay tuned for next week's post, where I will share my other NYC housing finds. Will I successfully find housing before Fall 2011? Only time will tell.

New York or Bust!

New York City has been a huge theme throughout most of my life, first as a 13 year old wanting to attend Fashion Institute of Technology's fashion design program. Then, my restlessness and longing for the city permeated my 20s. When NYC became a reality and I landed at JFK International Airport for the first time to begin my journey as a communications student at age 26, at that point I knew my career and life, as it were, would begin right then and there.

As a small town girl from Washington state, I always had big plans and dreams to do something big with my life in New York City. I always wanted to have a career in fashion design but I realized in time that I just didn't have the chops to be able to design whole lines of clothing, make patterns for all the pieces and sew samples of them all nor did I want to.

Even so, I still loved fashion but as time went on I realized my true career calling--journalism/media--even before the age of 13, I loved to write and had a knack for language. Now, I know I can still do fashion as a career, but as a fashion writer/editor and stylist, these jobs would still allow me to work with clothes but in a slightly less involved manner by working with words and finished products, which is just my style. In addition to that I would like to become a part-time professor and college student media advisor.

My road to New York City not been easy by any means and I've had a few set backs along the way such as having to come back home and taking a 1-year break and then taking a year of online classes with my New York college but I am as determined as ever to make my dreams come true and I won't give up!

Fall 2011 will kick off my final year in the communications program and I will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Arts in May 2012 (hopefully)! I'm hoping to get back to my school's NYC campus to complete my degree. I'll be sharing my journey, insights and NYC retrospectives in the New York or Bust! section of this blog. Stay tuned, because you know I'm all about NYC or Bust, baby!!