Monday, January 11th

It's hard to believe that I've been here for eleven days. It feels much longer. I've already forgotten what it's like to get around in anything but public transportation, gloves and beanies have become a daily fashion, and Dunkin Donuts coffee has completely fulfilled my longing for Coffee Bean. Safe to say I have comfortably adjusted to the so-called New York lifestyle.

The weekend flew by with Trent being here and we actually found an apartment that we envisioned as our future home. A two bedroom on the upper east side of Manhattan that had our names stapled on the mailbox the second we saw it. The rooms were equal size, wood floors, one long dark brick wall adding immense character, and a breathtaking view of the city. This place seemed too good to be true because on top of all that, we could actually afford to live there. Adrian, a Jamaican born real estate broker showed it to us. He was really interesting, in a good way, and had the best places to show us apart from anyone we'd seen so far. Because we saw it on a weekend though, we weren't able to apply for it until the Landlord office was open on Monday. Trent flew home Sunday afternoon and left with the highest hopes while I shared the same feelings waiting in my Brooklyn apartment.

Sunday night I could think of nothing better than to relax and enjoy dinner and drinks with my little Nicho. Nichole is one of maybe five people that I know out here, and how lucky I am to have her. I took the train to her apartment in an area of BK that I hadn't experienced yet. She's lived in New York for almost three years, but just moved into this place recently so I was excited to see the new pad. Upon arrival, I admired her truely fantastic wardrobe as she changed into her fur coat ensamble. Sidenote: Fur (real or fake) is a completely acceptable fashion choice here. In fact, anything anyone decides to wear is a complete reflection of their own image and is rarely criticized. Anyway, once she was dressed we headed out to one of her favorite spots, Roberta's. Famous for their amazing pizza and other secrets that are not blog approved. With a thirty minute wait, we decided to grab a drink at a bar a few blocks over. The bar she took me to was totally unmarked. I would have never even noticed it if I had been walking alone. There seem to be countless places like that, as if you need to know someone to know about their business. Over our first round, I was instantly reminded of how much I have missed this girl. She gave me great insight to many things about New York; things about men, knowledge for locals and even a thing or two about the fashion biz. By the time my infatuation with our conversation grew as big as my appetite, it was time to head back to Roberta's. We ordered her "usual" to share which coincidentally was exactly what I would've ordered anyway so it worked out quite nicely. One large pizza and a bottle of wine later, we departed and I headed back to my side of town. That place is definitely going into the bar/restaurant database. Notes: great service, uncomparable pizza, cash only.

This morning was another early day for me as I headed out of the house by 7:30 am. I got a message from Adrian with the news I was afraid of. Our dream apartment had been rented the previous Friday and he wasn't notified until this morning that it was no longer vacant. To be honest, I was really bummed to know that I was right - it was too good to be true. It was an even worse feeling to have to be the one to break the news to Trent. He carried the same tone that I did when I found out. But you know? I am a big believer in that everything happens for a reason. I feel comfort in the fact that we might've lost a great apartment for a potentially even greater one. Also, Adrian is already on the hunt for our next amazing find.

After a somewhat rough start to my day, I noticed I had another voicemail on my phone that was unchecked. I dialed in and listened to the voice of a woman named Carson Case. She is a Couture designer that is Miami based and I had applied directly through her company website about a week prior in hopes of a job, any job really, with her company Carson Couture. We have been e-mailing back and forth over the last few days and I had a phone interview with her (mentioned in a previous blog) in our initial conversation. The voicemail I received today was a simple Hello and please call me back. So of course I called as fast as my fingers could dial. After thirty seconds or so into our conversation she told me that although (lets be honest) I'm underqualified as far as experience goes, she loved me and wants me as her personal assistant! She told me that she loved my personality and that was the deciding factor of who she wants working for her. I cannot even begin to tell you the excitement I felt in that exact moment. It was unreal. For the first time in my life I feel a real sense of accomplishment. My goal was to have a job by the 15th of January and I landed a better position than I could've imagined in eleven days. It shows me that hard work does pay off and big risks can equal big rewards.

Starting as soon as our phone conversation ended, I am already lined up with work to do. Tomorrow is a big day as I will be contacting her sponsors in major US cities as well as internationally. Now is the time where I not only have the opportunity to show my new boss that she made a great decision, but its the time where I get to prove to myself that I am capable of everything I have ever dreamed of. I feel grateful, excited, and blessed. After all that I have experienced in working my hardest in school and risking everything in coming to New York, I can honestly say that the juice is worth the squeeze.

Until we meet again,
Megan