Student Blog: When in NYC

I love the chaos of NYC and that its liveliness is brought by the prominence of the arts. Every time I visit, I am always reminded of what I am working for and find a new sense of purpose when I return back to school. Over fall break, I had the opportunity to visit NYC with my parents and twin sister in order to celebrate our birthday coming up on October 30 (and it's Wicked Day!). Here were my favorite moments from the weekend!

The first thing my parents and I did was head past Times Square to Central Park. Fall is my most favorite time of year (not because of my birthday but because of the weather). Los Angeles does not fulfill this love whatsoever, so I asked if we could just walk through Central Park so I could satisfy my love for the season. We ended up spending the entire day there. We began with walking but eventually my dad proposed taking a boat out onto the lake. This was by far the best part. It was turning to late afternoon, the wind had settled and the sun was just beginning to set. From the boat, I observed skyscrapers in the distance and beautifully designed buildings. They almost looked like something out of Phantom. Being in the middle of the lake was a perfect calm away from the hustle of the city and I absolutely loved it.

One of the days we were there we chose to stick around Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Plaza. However, Fifth Avenue had been taken over by a parade honoring Latin heritage. It was an incredibly festive display with a variety of floats ranging from local community groups to Miss America pageant representatives. I loved getting to witness the vibrancy of the various communities present so it was a fun addition to the weekend!

With the intention of wanting to try something new, my sister and I tried a dance class at Steps. It was an advanced/intermediate musical theatre dance class, and wow, did it push me! I absolutely loved being challenged with an intricate, 90-second combo. It also showed me what areas I need to improve in (such as choreography retention) which is always helpful to know! My sister and I had not danced together for three years, so just being back with her was so special!

The rest of the week was spent doing the "musts" such as Liberty Bagels, Magnolia Bakery (specifically for the pumpkin pudding), and Bryant Park. I love New York City and cannot wait for the day I can finally move there. Though, I know that day will come very quickly, so I am trying to live in the moment for now:)