saturday in connecticut

          A couple of weeks ago, my mom wanted to visit me, but she didn’t want to drive from Newburyport to New York and back in one day. She had the great idea of meeting in Connecticut, so she only had to drive about half the distance, and I took the train from school. As much as I wanted to see my mom, I was almost equally thrilled to eat the Abe’s cinnamon sugar bagel she brought for me and to get coffee from Dunkin Donuts, something that has been seriously lacking in my life as of late. 

          We spent the day around Stamford and Cos Cob, and even though there wasn’t much going on, it was a nice (and cheap) break from the city, and I got to go shopping at Target for the first time in months. We had lunch at a seafood restaurant on the water, and found a walking trail with beautiful views. It was so nice to see the ocean, and made me miss my Plum Island beach that much more. 

          Since meeting up worked out so well, I’ll probably take the train to a different station in Connecticut in the next few weeks to explore another new place with my mom. I missed her a lot, and even though we talk on the phone a couple of times a week, it’s just not the same and it was so nice to see her.

loved the cork-filled window display

city friends

          A couple weeks ago, Klaudia spent the weekend of her fall break with me in New York before flying back to school in Virginia. I missed her so much, and it was amazing to be reunited with my best friend. I picked her up in Manhattan on Friday night, and we had dinner before heading back to the Bronx. I introduced Klaudia to some of my college friends, and unfortunately she got to sample some of Fordham's infamous cuisine. It was funny to see her reaction to life in the Bronx since she goes to a really small rural college, and by the end of the night we were both exhausted.
           As I mentioned before, my old friend Galaxie goes to Hofstra University, on Long Island. We've known each other since elementary school, and though we went to different high schools, she stayed one of my, my sister's, and Klaudia's closest friends. We excitedly made plans to meet up in the city on Saturday to shop, sight-see, and eat. We had gourmet ginger popcorn from a store in Manhattan, and enjoyed a delicious gourmet mac and cheese dinner at s'mac, a little kiosk in the middle of a public park. We spent a lot of time in lower Manhattan, which is nice because it's a little less touristy than midtown, and took the train to spend the night on Long Island.
          It was amazing to spend the weekend with two of my closest friends, and I cannot wait to see both of them for Thanksgiving next week.

times square

new england fall/columbus day weekend

          I was excited to go home for Columbus Day weekend several weeks ago, and managed to navigate my way to the bus terminal, though not without difficulty. I got out of class at 1:00, caught a train into the city, walked in the opposite direction of the bus station, hailed a cab, sprinted to my bus, and stood there until we were allowed to board, half an hour past schedule. We didn’t leave until 3:30 and got stuck in horrendous traffic, arriving in beautiful Boston 6 hours later. 

          My mom (and dinner) were waiting for me at South Station, and I was beyond excited to see her. It was fantastic to sleep in my own bed and shower without wearing flip flops, but I completely overcommitted myself for the following three days. Three of my friends that go to school in Boston were home for the weekend, so I wanted to spend time with them, as well as with my parents and Diana. On Saturday morning, I spent some quality time at the mall with my mom after brunching with my dad, and in the afternoon I picked up my friends and drove to Cider Hill Farm for an afternoon of apple picking and doughnut eating. Driving for the first time in 5 weeks was an incredible experience, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed my car and the freedom that comes with having a license and living in a rural area. 

Cider Hill was beautiful, though I was only there for the doughnuts, but we walked through the orchards hunting for apples. Later that day, my mom cooked my favorite dinner, and I went to the movies with my sister and some friends, staying out way too late. Our parents dragged Diana and I to church the next morning, but followed through with lunch at my favorite Thai restaurant and a trip to the Ansel Adams exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. It was a great exhibit and I loved spending the day with the people I love most. 

The trip home would not have been complete without a meal at my absolute favorite eatery, Las Olas Taqueria, so Diana and I went for dinner, almost causing me to burst into tears because of its deliciousness. College food is barely edible, and after a lifetime of my mom’s home cooking, I am less than thrilled with the meal selection at school. 

I had an afternoon bus on Monday, so I spent the morning with my dad, eating a late breakfast and going to Applecrest Farm for lunch and a hayride. It was great to have a weekend full of traditional New England Fall activities, since I feel so far removed from everything like that in the Bronx. I was sad to leave Newburyport because my weekend felt so rushed, but I can’t wait to go home for Thanksgiving. 

jackie, becca, and danielle

photo cred to jackie peszynski

with diana at the PEM

so much happiness in this picture

diana and dad visit

          The third weekend after classes started, my dad and Diana came to visit on Sunday--a much needed taste of home and family, and part of me wanted to return to Newburyport when they left later that night. It’s hard being in an unfamiliar place that is so urban and enormous without having loved ones nearby, though I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunities here in New York. 

While they were here, we had a great time wandering around Manhattan. We stopped into the Public Library (which currently has an excellent exhibit about the evolution of restaurants and fast food), had lunch and coffee, fit in a little bit of shopping, and returned to the Bronx for dinner on Arthur Avenue, the original Little Italy. 

Driving to New York and back in one day is exhausting, and I was really grateful to have my family visit. Seeing them made me feel a lot older and somehow very different; not seeing my sister everyday has been the strangest part of being away, and being able to function without my family and friends from home makes me really proud of myself. I love seeing my family and I make sure to phone home every few days, but I can’t deny that I’m enjoying having a life of my own.

sunday afternoon at the new york public library