Hello Strangers!!

Hello! I sincerely apologize for not writing lately! It has been a very, very busy past few months for me and I just haven't had the time to sit down and collect my thoughts. I just finished up one of my last semesters of school before I graduate, went to NYC in the late summer/ early fall (will be posting pictures and details soon) and....I got a new puppy! We decided to name him Duke, well he's a little Duke right now. He's a purebred German Shepherd 9 week old puppy we rescued from a shelter. When we picked him up I cried all the way home. He's precious and has already stolen my heart. He is a little menace at the same time and a biter! I hope to have him signed up for puppy training classes soon. Here's a picture of the new addition to the family :)

"The List"

I have decided that it is best to get the list of things I want to do in New York in writing not just scribbles on random pieces of paper or napkins. Here is what I have decided to do with my 5 days in NYC:
Statue of Liberty
SoHo
Ellis Island
Metropolitan Museum of Art
MoMA
Museum of Nat. History
Rockefeller Center
Times Square
Little Italy
Chinatown
Greenwich Village
WTC
Fifth Avenue
Shopping
Serendipity 3
Central Park

Anything I left out? I think I'm missing pieces of paper....

A New York State of Mind

So great news! I decided randomly one day that I needed to go on vacation. Well, I think that most days, but I was really feeling the itch that particular day. Three days later I have officially booked my flight and hotel to New York City! I am so excited because I have never been there before yet have always wanted to ever since I was a little girl. Ten years ago I bought the New York For Dummies book and read it cover to cover, memorizing the map of Manhattan and information about all of the neighborhoods and boroughs. (Crazy and extremely nerdy, I know but...like I said.. I obsess!) Now I can barely stand my excitement, I still cannot believe that in two weeks I will be boarding a plane heading to NYC. There's so many things to see and do I doubt I will be able to fit it all in. My friend and I are staying there for five days, a decent amount, but not a lot of time. I have already wrote down the list of things that I know for a fact I have to see, most of these things include all of the extremely touristy attractions, but nevertheless must sees. I would also like to explore NYC and gain an experience more like that of what the locals experience on a daily basis. I want to gain an understanding of why over 6 million people have flocked to this small area. I know it can't be because of the Statue of Liberty and Times Square. I've been Googling for the last few days trying to gain an insight, but I have a sinking feeling that this will only come to me once I get there. I only wish I knew somebody that lived there, so I could get some advice.....help?