it's been waiting for you

MONDAY july 28

rachy had to work Monday, so i had to be ALONE IN NYC.

secretly I was freaking out, because.

hi.

but i woke up and went running up & down & around 72nd street (which was probably one of my favorite parts of NYC)

afterwards, I got ready & headed on the subway + the one train.

I got off at 86th street & right infront of me was 

 for those of you who don't know,

i am the assistant manager at the francesca's at the University Mall.

come visit me!!!

but anyway, if you haven't come to a fran's before,

basically every single boutique is different,

so i had to go see this one!!!

it was incredible!

& I even got a secret tour of their back "rooom" which was a straight basement full of merchandise!!!

I got off at 86th to make my trek through central park:

i loved all of the performers!!

I was sweating & dying because it was so hot & I walked like almost 2 miles,

but it was so worth it because i got to go to the guggenheim museum!!

for those of you who don't know me very well.

I AM THE BIGGEST ART HISTORY/HUMANITIES NERD.

like my 2 favorite classes at BYU have been my humanities classes.

I had just finished a class in April that was Renassiance through Modern Humanities..

We talked about the Guggenheim so I HAD TO GO TO IT and it was such a cool museum.

i loved it.

After i walked through the incredible structure,

there was the cutest gelato stand,

so i obviously had to sample (& buy one)

rachy met up with me about then, and we walked around 5th avenue! 

we went into Saks, and drooled and envied.

then we went to fossil & i bought a beauty of a watch!

(that was my unnecessary & ridiculous purchase)

we went to magnolia's & i bought a little cheesecake that quite literally melted in my mouth.

we hung out at the library, but we were too late to go inside :(

then rachy & i walked down and ate dinner on restaurant row

at the cutest place bourbon street bar/grille. we sat on the balcony & it was such a fun monday!

:) 

(to be continued)

welcome to new york

(continuation of this post)

because rach & I had the biggest, longest day ever on Saturday, we slept in until literally 11:30. Her apartment has a full size bed, so we fit together nicely. But neither of us even shifted until about 11:25 am, that's how tired we were.

but anyway, we woke up & decided to go to brunch, because brunch. I am a How I Met Your Mother addict and Lily & Marshall always talk about going to brunch in NYC, so it HAD to happen.

are you drooling yet? BEST BREAKFAST I'VE EVER HAD.

if you ever make your way to NYC (which i highly suggest) Sarabeth's is a must!!

i got plum herbal tea which was absolutely to die for, & the Goldie Lox. It was Salmon and scrambled eggs with cream cheese & a scone & delicious jam and wow. melted in my mouth and I almost died and went to good food heaven.

After breakfast we decided to walk around and go to canal street. on our way to the subway, we passed this! & i am sorry. MY NAME (minus the i + an e) AND THE YEAR I WAS BORN. i was meant to live in NYC.

walking around & shopping, i was determined to find cool graffiti. 

so this was kinda cool.

Sunday was fun cause we just shopped all day,

my feet got the WORST blisters. woof

i bought those cute sandals at DSW the day before,

and yikes. my poor feet.

Anyway,

rach & i walked & then decided to go to AMC, a movie theater that has freaking recliners.

yup.

recliners.

we went to Sex Tape with Cameron Diaz & rach & i laughed our freaking heads off.

it was so good!

then we made our way home.

i love this person, 

way too much.

also, i realized that the subway is BRILLIANT and even though at times creepy,

i fell in love with it.

big lights will inspire you

(cue New York by Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys-because that song was on replay in my mind THE ENTIRE TRIP- so you are welcome)

GUYS HAVE YOU MISSED ME???

I literally haven't blogged in months, and I wish I felt bad.

But i start every single post with how i suck at blogging.

so maybe i should just ignore that i suck & bore you with too many details and pictures of the TRIP OF A LIFETIME I TOOK THIS SUMMER.

i have gotten a lot of questions about my trip.

so naturally i am making up a faq right now.

josee! who did you go to NYC with??

one of my dearest friends of my entire life decided that she was going to chase her dreams and move to new york to dance. (shout out to rachel perry)

she's just the sweetest/sassiest thing with the most flawless porcelain skin and gorgeous deep red hair. like who can pull that combo off? 

rachel perry and nicole kidman. & that's it. 

no lie

anywayyyy--rach moved in feb, and before she left i promised her i would come visit her.

i mean. she didn't really tell me i haddd to. but come on. 

i'm a true friend. :)

my roommate ashley also came for most of the trip. & we had a real fine time. but i'll get to that.

jos: how did you afford this trip??

so i work a lot. 

like i have 3 jobs.

holler at me.

so i got this super awesome deal on a plane ticket, & rachel told me i could stay with her.

so i went with it & ran & never turned back.

what did you do?!

EVERYTHING!!!

(cue way too many details) 

hey. you asked for it. kindof

FRIDAY JULY 25TH

i worked in the morning, got off at 5. went to my cousin's birthday bbq bash (shout out lauren. #12)

and met rachel at her house at 9:45.

her brothers drove us up to SLC airport and we went through security & did all that boring stuff.

oh. PS rachel obviously lives in new york. but she came out to utah the week before! originally it was for a surprise, but unexpectadely her uncle passed away and the funeral was being held in California exactly the time she was coming to utah. what a blessing, right?

anyways. we did everything exciting in the airport. 

another side note. that was my first time being in an airport going somewhere since July 2010. i was feeling wanderlust like nobody's business.

we get into our plane & i put on my very unattractive neck pillow and conked out.

SATURDAY JULY 26TH
so we had a layover in Charlotte. guys it was my first time there & all i did was chill in the airport for an hour but i was giddy as a gumdrop

so we took a quick flight.

AND THEN I WAS IN NEW YORK.

i could hardly handle myself i was so excited.
anyway,
we hopped onto a train, and then the subway & i was carrying my suitcase that was the size of a small large child & I WAS IN NEW YORK CITY.

we got to rach's apartment in Harlem. got ready & off we went.

we were both STARVED so we went & got REAL new york hot dogs. everyone says that the ones from the carts are the real ones. but. i am here to tell you that what i experienced was real life new york hot dogs. like i don't even like hot dogs & i loved these.

grey's papaya.

2 hot dogs & a drink for $5. 

that's what's up.

after we ate I WENT TO TIMES SQUARE.

okay. way too many people in wayy too small of a place. but i loved it!!! the energy was just the happiest ever, & i mean. come on. it's time square!

we went into lots of stores.

like toys-r-us & i was the annoying tourist who took pictures of everything.

then we went to the disney store & i melted & wanted everything.
i have never felt the desire to go to disneyland more in my life.
even when i was in disneyland.

sooo many people. & way too much fun :)

AHH then we went to M&M world. 

& then we continued to shop.

literally until both of us wanted to drop

we went to the all meca macy's & i was overwhelmed & i loved it.

we ate dinner at this cutest american bistro called The Harold & we were both exhausted and the burger i ate was fantastic.

rach was seriously the best host.

she had 2 free tickets to the top of the empire state building!

yeah. usually $30 my eye. 

the line was SO long & I don't know if i will do it again. but i am so happy i got to do it this first time!!

and at night?! yeah HI SO COOL.

we only had to fight a million point seven people for these pictures. & the quality is not good.

but such a good/cool experience!

by that time rach & i were literally going loopy with exhaustion & started our journey to her apartment.

(to be continued because this post is already too long)