525,600 minutes...

I decided that the one year anniversary of the day I moved to New York City was an occasion worth celebrating. But what to do...

I considered a variety of options from frisbee in Central Park to burgers at the Boat Basin Cafe, to some chi chi dinner at Staton Social, and eventually landed on the best idea ever:

Pizza and Cupcakes on the Roof!

And not just ANY cupcakes or ANY pizza... Tie-Dye and Red Velvet bite-sized cupcakes from "Baked by Melissa" in SoHo and Giovanni's New York Style Pepperoni Pizza.

Seriously, tie-dye flavor....


And nothing is more New York than Pizza...


Around noon that day the rain started pouring, and I nearly had to execute Plan B (which was good, but not as good as Plan A). Luckily, the clouds cleared at the last moment and the weather was literally perfect. Not to mention, the heart-breakingly-beautiful sunset...

The best part of any celebration, however, is obviously the people that come to celebrate with you. I was thrilled that so many of my favorite people were able to be there.

And to think that a year ago, I didn't know anyone...

And now I know a rooftop full of the coolest people on the planet...

Speaking of the coolest people alive, here are a few that deserve honorable mention. My 1st year in New York would not have been the same without them...

Melissa, Me and Sarah...

They call him Kevin, but we call him Kheaven...

The illustrious Miss Jane...

And last but not least, the one and only NJS...

Fun times had by all. Even Joey and Dustin.

Quite possibly it's been the best year of my life... So far.

If you can make it here...

... you can make it anywhere.

Or so the song says.

Today is June 2nd, which marks one year ago exactly that I moved to New York City. Such an occasion inevitably inspired me to reflect back on the last year, it's ups and downs, adventures and challenges, successes and failures... which led me to one overwhelming conclusion...

HOLY COW MY LIFE IS AMAZING.

I mean, it's really unbelievable how great my life is. Seriously.

I look at the cork board where I pin up tickets from all of the Broadway shows, museums, concerts, ballets, operas, and tours that I've been on this year. It's full.

I invite all of my closest friends to come over and eat pizza on my roof top. It's full.

I flip through the pages of my journal from the last year. It's full.

I skim through my hard drive looking at pictures. It's full.

In other words, my life here is so full and rich and dynamic and fascinating and challenging and interesting that its been one of the best years of my life. Clearly, my life has been blessed with fullness and joy beyond what I could reasonably take credit for. I am moved with gratitude to Heavenly Father for the blessings that pour out such that there is not room enough to receive them.

Thank you, my friends, for enriching my life. I am better because I came here, I'm better because I know you.

(The one year anniversary with celebrated with appropriate pomp and circumstances, pictures and details to follow...)