Seaside Heights.

The Beach. So nice. Tony invited us down to New Jersey for a day at the beach, and that's major because I legit miss the beach.

Cutest little town ever, actually reminded me a lot of Isle of Palm (Charleston) where SM's family has a house that we went to the past 2 summers.

Tony is the best host ever, and had a cooler of sandwiches, beer, and probably other stuff (I don't think I ever looked) packed for our day. His 2 younger brothers (19 and 22 years old, I think, so not really young...) who are absolute peaches, were there as well, and so all in all it was the perfect beach day.

There I am. Not helping them get the umbrella set up, I'm just eating chex mix. So helpful, haha.

Sneakin beers in little paper cups....

The water was nothing short of abusive, this is after getting slapped around by NJ beach, looking out for tar balls from the Gulf coast...(not really...that would have sucked)

Could Tony be any more of a little Daddy? Seriously, love this boy...

Leaving the beach... sandy knees and hungry. haha

And we ended the trip with some ice cream from a little local place, me and my boy Tony with waffle cones. All in all, a wonderful trip and like, who knew New Jersey wasn't all shit holes (Newark) and trash cans? Every where I've been so far (Tonys home town, Atlantic City, Seaside Heights) has been divine. I think my dislike for New Jersey stems from one of my ex-boyfriends and is crazy sister. I mean, thinking about him now makes me wanna dry heave. They were from New Jersey, obviously from the worst part ever, so it's nice to make new, better memories of places, with new and better people in them!

NC to NYC transplants.

The other week I went to a Chiddy Bang concert in Brooklyn. Excellent Show, freakin fun night, but that's not the point, What was so super awesome was when this girl rolls in.

Um. YAY. BKE finally made her way North and is taking up residence in Brooklyn. It was def. one of those funny moments because my memories of bke are all Raleigh, Pi Phi related, but it was bad ass to see her in New York and obviously we plan to rendezvous again, asap.

My Work. My Life. Conflict of Interest?

Forgive me, Tory Burch, for I have sinned. When the weather changed I had to turn in my jeans and Nikes for (conservative) dresses and flats. Not that much cuter, but I'm not sweating like a beast any longer. The thing is... I really like my job. So much. I love it. It was my 1st year internship originally, then they hired me for the summer. I work with Homeless individuals and, even though I have an office, I spend most of the day in the field.
I have a client who I have had a lot of trouble finding lately, he has an apartment in Manhattan, but spends a lot of his time with his clique in the North East Bronx at the end of the 6 train.

My poor flats....

My co-workers leading the way before the "path" ends.

Today I came out with my 2 Favorite outreach workers, Jose and David to find him. I had a couple tips about where they were and wanted to check it out. Back in the day my client and his clique had a huge tent encampment deep in the woods, but they got cleaned out a while back. I told them that I had heard through the vine that the encampment was back, and that I'd seen a couple of them walking into the woods the day before.

I think my co-workers were a little skeptical because the Tents were a major deal back in the day. And here's the conflict of interest. Like could I be a bigger oxymoron. Here I am in a black cotton dress, Tory Burch flats, and accessories (including over sized sunglasses) walking into the woods with my two male co workers who are In jeans and boots. We pulled off of I-95 and at the light change people start honking their horn. Why? Because the cars are too busy rubber necking and have missed the light turning. Die.

We get into the woods...and I mean... There's a "path" but it's still pretty Outward Bound. The path stops but I like, I am high stepping in grass up to my waist, prob. flashing my underwear to anyone if they happened to look. I told Jose I'd seen my clients shopping cart (shopping carts are like cars to clients, and if you know your client, you know their cart) with a bag of charcoal in it. So, after I spot my clients cart and charcoal near by, I'm pretty much positive they are set back up in there again.

I mean.... its 9:30 am. Seriously.

The Tent!

More of the Encampment.

My clients cart.

And we did. The entire encampment was back! Hahaha I know nobody understands how exciting this was/probably are still confused as to how/why I do this job (especially if you know me personally...) But it was effing dope. I'm literally covered in big raised mosquito bites, and am cut from thorny vines but whatever....

Anyways, I wanted to share that because this is what I spend a lot of my time doing (working, not wandering in the woods in sundresses), and I don't write about it much, but I have had some requests to talk more about work (and by "some requests", I just mean K.Beau and Bex) So, I obliged.

thoughts?

Frienemies.

Jello Shots and me are frienemies. Like, I freakin swear to god, every time I see her, I only remember the good times, and how awesome and fun she is, I forget how much of a little bitch Jello Shots is, until she stabs me in the back a few hours later. I shouldn't blame her, she can't help her nasty attitude, I should know better by now, but I'm a sucker. 

A couple weekends ago me, LA and K.beau decided to go out, it was last minute and one of those necessary outings, so whatever. We go to this place called Alibi. The first time we went the weekend before it was (literally) a hot tranny mess in there, so why we decided to try again, I don't know. In hindsight I think that whore of a friend, Jello Shots was luring me there, calling to my subconscious. Oh well, we'll never. know.

Things start off relatively good! like yay, we're out, we look cute, we're having fun, and like, the DJ is kind of good all is well. And honestly, as far as I know, it was a great night.... I later (the next day) am kindly sent pictures from K.beau. And like... 

Dead. Obligatory SubwayEatFresh stop, clearly I was feeling the whole healthy lifestyle because I got them apples.... and passed out in the 24 hour Subway. 

Top Night.

Baltimore or Bust.

2 weeks after my birthday my Mom invited me to meet her down in Baltimore, MD. She and 3 of her sisters had decided to take a girls weekend to do something different and fun. So, of course I decided to go on and make the trip. I took a 5:45am train down there, die. Arriving at 8:30am, I literally had like 36 hours to spend down there so.... we were going to make the most of it? 

This is me after arriving at the train place and literally I have no idea what the H I'm supposed to do... so I just stand there like a jack ass, watching people, taking pictures of myself, and texting.... until I decide to be a grown up and find the shuttle to the airport, haha. 

My mom and I get shit crackin right away, drop the bags at the hotel and go to the harbor to shop (and drink) and I think we literally drank the entire day. I forgot how much of a G my mom is, and like.... Who else is gonna get my slingin cocktails at 11:30am in 95 degree weather like it's water? Cynthia. Eventually my Aunts join us (and my great Aunt, Frankie who is truly an OG) We end up taking a boat cruise around the Harbor. Cute right? Right.

Here we are waiting for the boat. The picture doesn't do a great job of portraying the severity of the heat, the inappropriateness of our drunkenness, or how sweaty we were, but I suppose it for the best. Why isn't Cynthia smiling in the picture? She's busy looking at the wedding party that's passing by. Women are in long satin dresses and pantyhose. All with weigh issues that are not in agreement the clothing material nor dress designs. It was a side show. I was in people watching heaven.

The Spirit Cruise Line experience is difficult to explain. It's so cheesy. It's perfect. Again, we're twisted. My mom ordered a drink and when the waitress brought it she (mom) promptly spills is all over the table. Typical. The girl brings her a new one, and some how only 1/2 of the drink spilled so actually, Cynthia FTW, way to score a "buy-one-get-one-1/2-off" on your cocktail. That's our girl C, cheers-ing the spilled drink.

As the cruise continues I get more anti and judgmental. This cruise has all this entertainment where like the waiters and waitresses were also performing songs and had costume changes and everything. No. Bueno. If you can imagine, our table was right at the front (the "stage") and the buffet and bar was behind it. I stumble over there to order another bud light, just as my waitress begins singing her version of Miley Cyrus "The Climb" to a table of 7th grade girl scouts. The bartender passes me my beer and, naturally, as I am my Mothers' daughter, I drop it. To make matters worse, I look the bartender dead in the face, and break the silence of everyone else politely listening to the waitress sing by shouting "FUCK." 

There is beer all over me, so yea, that's trashy, and I'm like laughing and shamed to death, but not really.... and the waitress is in a shiny vest, and she's singing the hell out of "The Climb".... The bartender is a doll and gets me a new Bud light. But wait--- The one that hit the floor is still mostly full. Since I'm as close to trailer park Tanya as I have probably ever been in my life, I pick the beer up off the floor, take my new beer, cheers the bartender with my double fists, and peace the eff out. 

Met my family on the top of the boat to "look at the view" which meant we all sat there and passed out til the cruise was over.

The rest of the trip, blah blah blah, ending in a bullshit ass train ride back to New York, which has me swearing of Amtrak just like I did in 2007. Swearing it off until I decide to book another, that is.

Dave Matthews Band at Citi Field.

K.beau and I made a last minute decision (after a particularly epic sing along on the way back from the Chiddy Band Show in Brooklyn) that we had to go to Dave Matthews this year. Then, after an interesting exchange at work, it pretty much sealed it, we had to go. After major Craigslist stalking and a few pep talks about money, haha we got the tickets, general admission at Citi Field, where the Mets play.

The show was Saturday night, and absolutely amazing, being that close to the stage and I seriously forgot how much I like big concerts. It made me miss the whole Walnut Creek scene, and I kept having that out of body experience of doing something in NYC that was very NC.

The whole story of the show, I can't exactly tell...haha but it was memorable, and work should be real interesting today...

Shotgun Friday.

 

Ladies & Gentlemen, they don't get much classier than this. Bud Light (so right) and a bathtub. The only person I knew who could take a shot gun to the face with all guts was RSJ... until Tommy and K.Beau, on probably the most boring Friday Night ever, decide to go in. I'm a huge 'gine and can't shoot for shit, but I was proud of these two! (And secretly hope to master it before the summer is over....) Can someone please remind me that I'm not in undergrad anymore?