Four Oh Six E

HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY! One photo a day for a year. Day 365. You know what this means - Fortunately or unfortunately (Finally a sense of privacy/ What will I do with myself?!), the blog is ending. It’s been a good run, and I’m actually a little surprised that we made it all the way through. Of course this is because Anna and I are doing it together. Trust me, if I were left on my own to do this, I would not have made it!

Thoughts on the end of a long commitment? Hmm… I don’t have much to say compared to Anna, who I already know is writing a novel. We’re both sitting in the room trying to sum up the year while listening to Ke$ha, as usual. I guess a lot has changed since last year. Comparing now to last summer is a huge difference, let alone February. I look at the archive of pictures from this entire year, and I can still remember the story behind each picture.

Things that I love about this past year: Anna, Catherine, Christina, moving to Gramercy, living in New York, “real talk,” taxis while you’re wearing heels, J-walking, Alpacas, iPhone google maps, developing a slight sense of direction, going to clubs, The Albert Story, last summer, cheese plates, discovering tights, the things my little cousins say, getting “married” to Amber, having no drama after too much drama, taking naps at 7 PM, tokboxing with Ariel, meeting San Franciscans in New York, realizing that those who listen to trashy pop music are happier than those who don’t, making friends with co-workers, The Office on hulu, visiting Anna in Philly, KyoChon Korean fried chicken, coming back home and letting your parents baby you like you’re 10 years old, wishing on 11:11 so consistently that you know there better be a big, fat wish coming true, celebrating my birthday for real, getting SO lucky with my roommate, and being around positive people.

So thanks everyone for stalking our lives religiously (my mom) or just occasionally. This past year will forever live on the internet. It’s been fun, and I’m so glad that I have 365 photos to look back on that guarantee to make me nostalgic. Love you all.

And by the way, this is amazing. It’s 11:11.

THE END!      

It’s official—-after 730 photos and 365 days between two roommates with an abnormally large amount of love for each other, 406E is complete =) Looking back on the past year, it’s hard to fathom how much has changed and all that has happened since we first started this blog together. Moreover, having to take a photo everyday has made me realize how easy it is to let the little details slip by in the day to day grind. While Lauren and I have decided not to continue with another 365 photos (it’ll be nice to see some things without the frame of a 4x6), hopefully we’ll be able to take a moment, like we did this past year with the help of our cameras, out of each day to truly appreciate everything from the seemingly mundane to the extraordinary. Here’s to you, 2010…play it back:

February 2010:
- Spending way too much time in Charlotte’s room with Ashley and getting to know two lovely ladies that I am now lucky enough to call some of my best friends (and first friends!) at NYU. Sending you two lots of love from NYC to Ghana!
- Meeting Camille, one of the most inspirational people I know, and spending absurd amounts of time in the Hayden dining hall and in her room/tricked out closet talking about everything and nothing.
- Homey Smacks. (Holla Lauren)
- Getting over things

March 2010:
- the National Underground
- Ali coming to visit NYC for the second time
- Spring break where I finally made the switch from PC to Mac and spent some much needed R&R time at home with my parents
- Hanging out with the future roomies (Lauren, Christina, and Catherine) for the first time
- NYU TASS Nightmarket and Yuan10—-some of my favorite shows played due to the ungodly amount of Asian nomnoms available

April 2010:
- Apartment hunting for the summer with Camille and successfully sealing the deal on my beautiful room at 10 Hanover in FiDi
- Reunion dinner with the girls (Lizzy, Taylor, and Kate) from Gallatin orientation
- The weather getting warm (and me becoming increasingly happier as a result)
- Chrissy visiting NYU!
- Going home to see Mrs. Eaton’s last show, Crazy for You

May 2010:
- Finishing my first year at Gallatin!
- Moving out of Brittany 406E and into 10 Hanover with Vikas and Jean
- A fun last night out with Lauren, Chris and Mrs. Young in Meatpacking
- Starting my first internship at Cherry Lane Music Publishing, working their 50th Anniversary party and getting to see John Legend perform there!
- Saying goodbye to NYU friends for the summer
- Serendipitously running into Matthew Morrison (Will Schuster from Glee) outside of the Frying Pan
- Making awkward burritos with Emmett in my kitchen

June 2010:
- Getting to know Vikas, Giselle, Salma, & Co. and being lucky enough to be able to tag along with them on their adventures around FiDi
- Mom and Dad visiting NYC for the first time and being able to show them around some of my favorite places
- Doing lots of outdoor exploring around Battery Park City, the random church near Cherry Lane, etc.
- All you can eat hot pot at La Mei Shabu Shabu with Chris, April and Nixon after a day at the beach

July 2010:
- Going home for Fourth of July weekend and spending some quality time with the besties in Philly!
- Charlotte and Julia visiting, then Chrissy, Ali, and Alina, and then last but not least Amelia! <3
- Visiting Jersey City for the first time with Tori and the girls and seeing her new apartment there
- Summit Sundays
- Sunday brunch with Salma at Meade’s
- Last day at Cherry Lane and a fantastic last night in NYC with Vikas talking until 4 or 5am on the step outside Hanover

August 2010:
- Sleeping in my own bed in my own room at home
- Spending too much time in the candy aisle at the new Wegman’s in town with the girls
- Visiting Emmett and Jesse in Maine with Charlotte!
- Lauren visiting Philly!
- Build-A-Bear for Charlotte’s 20th birthday
- Moving back to the city for the start of school

September 2010:
- Reuniting with friends that I didn’t see all summer
- Fashion’s Night Out where I saw Gwen Stefani in a tricked out ice cream truck
- Hanging out with Giselle, Salma and the girls for Gigi’s birthday
- Veselka dinner date with Kenny and Lauren—-noshing and bonding as usual

October 2010:
- Turning 20 years old and an epic birthday weekend (lots of food, cake, merriment and creepy Asian guys at Circle)
- Mrs. Young visiting the city, dinner at Tao, and getting to see Monique Lhuillier’s bridal fashion show in SoHo
- Romantic dinner dates with the best galpals, Camille, Charlotte and Ashley
- A fun Halloween weekend traipsing around the city with the roomies

November 2010:
- Michelle. ‘Nuff said
- Katy Perry concert with Chrissy!
- Meeting our newest roommate, Wolfgang the Chinese dwarf hamster!
- Delicious Thanksgiving hotpot dinner at home with the ‘rents
- Catching up with friends from home during the all-too-short break

December 2010:
- Lots of interviewing for spring internships
- Securing an internship at Vera Wang!
- Some highly successful parties thrown at 1514
- Receiving my uber-pink Diane von Furstenberg luggage
- Reconnecting with some old friends and one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had at Cafe Mogador
- Taylor visiting the city!
- Lauren’s cray cray birthday weekend and Christmas festivities
- The annual reunion with Great Valley loves back at home
- A wonderful New Year’s Eve at the Zhou’s with the Jin’s

January 2011:
- Joining my first gym, Planet Fitness, and religiously going there for the rest of my time at home
- Fun times with Isha and Espe at his house
- Saying goodbye to Charlotte
- Boris and Nico visiting Philadelphia!
- Catching up with Emily and Amelia
- A crazy fun weekend with Alina and the gang at Pitt
- Back to NYU for the start of second semester!
- Starting studio and my Vera Wang internship
- Saying goodbye to Michelle =(
- Hanging out with Jackson one last time before he leaves for Shanghai

If I had the time, energy, space, and complete lack of regard for personal privacy, I’d list all of the things I’ve learned from this past year and blogging about every little bit of it. But, given that this post is already heinously long, I’ll leave it at this: I’m thankful for a wonderful year and being able to share this blog with my roommate, my best friend, my soul sister, my wifey, whatever you want to call her. I’m thankful for all the things that have transpired because even with the darker moments, life was never boring. Even though 406E is most certainly coming to an end, life is inevitably continuing…may the next 365 be even more amazing than the last.

“Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be, the future’s not ours to see, que sera, sera.”

P.S. As if it wasn’t clear enough—-Dear Lauren, “ABLAKCHSDKFJELABLBLABLA ELMO!!! Black Swan.” That means, “I love you” in Lauren/Anna speak.
P.P.S. The continuation of 406E on my part: Anna-isms

Normal day, went to Sesame Street, ran errands, etc. Got Uno’s deep-dish pizza for the first time, and got some intern rivalry going in Words With Friends. Here’s my supervisor’s favorite post-it notes. Douchebag alert!

Happy Chinese New Year! Worked at Vera Wang all day…broke down the showroom, searched through promo CD’s, worked with photoshop, etc., etc. Found out that Alex, Mario’s assistant is from a town not too far from Malvern, PA. Small world. Quick break at home, made dinner, pit stop at M2M for some red bean mochi to celebrate the year of the rabbit (really, just my excuse to gnosh on my fave Asian dessert), and a quick stop at West Side Highway before babysitting Judd. Even in this freezing weather, the view of Jersey City from the the west side is still gorgeous and perhaps one of my favorite things about the city. Stumbled across Jessie J’s new album and currently listening to “Do It Like A Dude” on repeat. Reminds me of something me and Michelle would get down to—-sending you good vibes from NYC lovah.

Studio all day where we had voice with Karen, movement with Julia (and grooved to some awesome music—-Lykke Li and Hall & Oates!), and then film in the afternoon with Chris. Watched some cool scenes from various movies that people brought in, need to make sure to watch Rachel Getting Married and the Godfather now. Dinner in Chinatown for an early Chinese New Year celebration with Kenny! Got red bean buns at Hon Bakery, soup dumplings at Joe’s Shanghai, and then bubble tea at Quickly NY. Top it all off with wonderful conversation with Kenny, who always reminds me of how fantastic life is, even in this dreary New York winter. Came back and talked about Shanghai with Lauren and did retarded things and laughed as we usually do.

Look what I found in the Tisch lounge - Tangrams. ‘Cause they’re tan! <3 Class all day, dinner with Dennis at Sea King, then did some study abroad contemplation and film brainstorming. If anyone has been to Shanghai or Madrid (or knows someone who has), pleeeeease tell meeeeeeee.

Matching 406E pictures! Anna wearing my hello kitty hair band. Love. Pretty unexciting day, just class. I was talking to Anna about how it was actually a good thing that 406E’s ending, as my life is getting less and less interesting. Currently brainstorming ideas for my first S&S film and dreading filming out in this cold weather. 

Happy February! (AKA blog ending in three days!) Vera Wang all day where I helped set up the showroom with Tyler and ogled the heinous amount of clothes, shoes, accessories, bedding, housewares, etc. that she has designed. Ran errands for PR to Staples and Office Depot. Went to the Epiphany Library after work to rent DVDs for studio tomorrow. Went to H&M, came back and Skyped with Ali and coo-ed over Lauren in this adorable headband thingy her aunt gave her in Taiwan. It’s supposed to hold up your hair while you’re washing your face. With Hello Kitty on it.

First test shoot of Sight & Sound film! Fingers froze off, must remember to bring gloves next time. Lunch at Udon West with the crew, then Spot Dessert Bar for bubble tea and a vanilla almond cupcake! I love how they put sparkles on all their cupcakes now. Related by my love for food, I also discovered the Chipotle tacos today. Sounds pretty basic, but I’ve been getting the burrito bowl ever since the beginning. Their tacos may be my new favorite. Came back late at night after class and started answering a questionaire for Megan’s paper that she’s writing. Twenty pages?! I can’t believe these Steinhardt kids.

Long day of studio: Clown with Gregor in the morning where I got to be “King Anna,” improv with Judy, and then scene study in the afternoon with Angela. Aggravation at the NYU bus that didn’t show up, making me late for my 6:20pm class with Raiken. Long three hour class, took care of some chores when I got home, and now sleep. Thank god Monday is over.
P.S. Didn’t have anything to take a photo of today so here a photo of the cute drawing Lauren drew Michelle that we are going to mail to her with Boris George the Alpaca bear. Thinking of you Mich <3