summer in the city

I'm flying out to New York tomorrow to spend a few days planning my big move. My last day working retail was bittersweet. As great as it is to be surrounded by clothes all day, I look forward to earning a paycheck that isn't spent entirely on dresses, jackets, and sweaters that I don't need. In the future, hopefully I'll only spend half of my salary on my closet.

I'll only be in the city a little over 48 hours, but I hope to fit in as much as possible... even though I plan on being back on the East Coast for good within the month.

If you had two days in the city, what would you do? I want to eat cupcakes, shop for shoes, buy a book at the Strand, wander around the West Village, visit Marc Jacobs (the store, not the designer), sit in Central Park, find an apartment, land a job, wear my new navy blazer that makes me feel like a grown-up, and find the Gossip Girl filming (which resumes this week... fate, is that you?).

Sipping Pretty

Having snagged two tunics, two skirts, a bikini, clutch, tote, and canister from Target's Liberty of London line, you would think that my craving might have been satisfied. You would be wrong.

Now that the collection is available again online, I haven't been able to stop thinking about the two-tiered dessert tray (for the second time around -- I was fleetingly fascinated with it back in April). I would use it when I bake, when and if that happens, but mostly I'd use it to display my jewelry.

Maybe I could get one for my vanity and one for my kitchen, to go with the rest of the gorgeous cookware. Right now I have a jumbled collection of dishes and glasses, but all I want is a set of pretty kitchenware that looks like it belongs. Maybe a bunch of floral-print melamine bowls and plates aren't practical for longtime use, but they sure would be nice for summer.

New York, I Love You

I have been reading New York Magazine's annual summer-in-the-city issue with more enthusiasm then ever because, well, I'm going to be moving to New York. In August. For good.

I don't have a place to live or a place to work—yet—but I'll be freelancing for a few websites and enthusiastically looking for something full-time.

Over the next month, I'm going to be chronicling my adventures in looking for apartments, packing my belongings, buying big-kid things (purchase #1: a real stove-top teapot), and kissing Missouri goodbye.

If anyone has advice, especially regarding NYC housing, I would be forever grateful.

Working Girl

I have a favorite store in my college town, and for the past four years, I've stopped in often. Often enough that the manager started recognizing me. Last month she mentioned a job opening and asked if I would be interested in applying. Because anything that involves getting paid for looking at clothes all day is pretty much the job of my dreams, I, of course, sent in my resume.

Long story short, this week I started a full-time job in retail (where I'll have a chance to dip my Pierre Hardy x Gap wedges in visual merchandising, a little bit like one of my favorite bloggers Ascot Friday). I love writing and I definitely plan to continue, but I love that this position will open up opportunities for other careers in fashion.

This doesn't mean I'll stay in Missouri, but it does mean that I'll have some additional experience (and extra money in savings!) when I move to a city where the cost of living is double what it is closer to home.

Besides, if being the next Amy Astley doesn't work out, being the next Jenna Lyons sounds pretty fantastic.

I Did It!

After a whirlwind four years, I'm a college grad! Cheers to adulthood.