Roadtrip!

I miss driving. I miss driving soooooooo much.

I miss driving so much that a few weeks ago I woke up on a Saturday morning and decided to rent a car, just so I could drive it around for the day. 2 hours later, me and my little Focus were cruising down Broadway.

What does one do when one has a car for the day in NYC? I thought.

One calls up their best friend, takes a spontaneous roadtrip and leaves NYC of course!

I called Melissa.

"Hey, guess what I did?"

"I'm afraid to ask, but what?"

"I rented a car for the day."

"Ha, seriously?"

"Yep. Wanna go to Philadelphia?"

"Uh, now?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"See you in 20 mins."

"Awesome."

... And off we went.

While I waited for Melissa I took an accidental cruise over to Jersey via the Holland Tunnel...


I was soooooooo happy...


Ellis Island, from the Jersey side...


Then I picked up my navigator and off we went...


The open road. I periodically started giggling with joy every few minutes...


Philadelphia Skyline. Why Philly? Why not?


First stop, Liberty Bell...


While walking through old town, found the coolest building, with is surface covered in mosaics...

On my only other trip to Philadelphia, I had a client take me to this restaurant, which I loved. So we stopped there for dinner before heading back.

It was one of my best spontaneous adventures ever.

I heart roadtrips and friends who will take roadtrips with me on 20 mintues notice.

Oh, and did I mention I love driving?

NY Profiles: Melissa Bannister

Melissa and I became instant friends when she came to work as the business manager for our department. At first we bonded because, hey, there are only so many girls in the IT department, so we've got to stick together - but we soon discovered all of the things we have in common: a love of shoes and an appreciation of fashion and good shopping, a fascination with the city and all of the adventures it has to offer, a similar attitude towards dating and the search for the right guy, and a tendency to dream big and then go for it.

Melissa is a smart cookie with a subtle but sharp wit,a willingness to try new things and a sincere ability to see the best in people.




Name: Melissa Bannister
Age: 24
Occupation: Business Manager
Hometown: Charleston, SC
Years in NYC: 1 month

Why did you come to New York?
Why not?! I'm a city girl and having lived in Washington, DC for so ong, it was the only next next move that made sense.

What is your favorite thing about New York?
I absolutely love the variety and unlimited everything that this city has to offer.

What's the weirdest thing you've seen on the streets or the subway?
In this city, nothing is really weird.

Have you had any "classic" New York moments?
Many. My favorite: After the worst day ever, while trying to hail a taxi, I was drenched by one that flew through a puddle. And of course, I was wearing white.

What is your favorite place in the city?
Central Park, Madison Square Park, the East Village

Favorite thing about life here that is unique to New York City?
Circling back to my answer about my favorite aspect of the city --- the fact that there is so much to see and do at all times.

Do you have a favorite neighborhood?
Chelsea and the East Village, for sure. The Lower East Side is very quickly growing on me, too.

What is something that surprised you about New York?
Dating...

Favorite food or restaurant in the city?
Sweet potato french fries. I LOVE the fact that virtually every restaurant here serves them.

The best borough is:
Manhattan, of course.

Mets or Yankees?
This season, the Mets, hands down.

Advice for someone coming to visit:
Plan ahead and prioritize what you'd like to see and do. There's so much that even living here I feel as though I miss out on a lot.

Advice for someone moving here:
Rest well for the last couple months before your move or else keeping up with the pace here will be very difficult (Spoken from experience :)), save up a nice amount before moving (expenses will be MUCH higher than you could have ever imagined), and prepare to have the time of your life!