Welcome to New York

This past weekend (July 25th and 26th) I went on an adventure around New York City with a wonderful friend. There was loads of walking, tons of money spent, but a greater amount of memories made. 

Before you head out on any adventure in a new place you need to pack some key things:
1. A light weight bag such as a duffle bag and/or a backpack.
2. Ticket for your destination
3. Pillow for your travels
4. Everything you use daily in the bathroom (travel sized)
5. Clothes to accommodate the weather
6. An umbrella for the rain or sunglasses for the sun
7. Wallet and a backpack or purse to carry said wallet
8. Cash
9. Phone and phone charger
10. A water bottle; stay hydrated
11. A book to keep entertained when traveling to said destination.

Now that everything is packed and you are ready to go, make sure you have a game plan of all sights and places you want to see. Below is all that we did in two days:

Saturday, July 25, 2015

• Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
• Lunch at McHales
• Free Ferry Ride to Staten Island to get good pictures of the Statue of Liberty, New York City skyline and to find ice cream 
• Found great gelato at Fresco Gelateria
• Went out to dinner at Da Gennaro in Little Italy 
• Times Square including a trip to M&M World

Sunday, July 26, 2015

• Friend birthday brunch at Jane
• Walk along the Brooklyn Bridge
• Visit 9/11 Memorial
• Have the best cookies at Levain Bakery
• Enjoy cookies at Central Park
• Try to get into Gramercy Park (unsuccessful)
• Have a final meal at Young Chow III

And of course take pictures of different, interesting buildings along the way.

MOMA

McHales

Staten Island

Fresco

Little Italy

Time Square

Jane

Brooklyn Bridge

9/11 Memorial

Central Park

Gramercy Park

Young Chow III

Lonely Nights

Have your parents ever left you home alone or have you spent a night in alone? Lonely nights in do not have to be boring. In fact here are some tips to having a fun night in by yourself.

1. Lay out or go swimming. If you have a pool or live close to a pool what is better than spending those nice days outside? Answer: Nothing. Get some Vitamin D from the sun and enjoy your time outside.

2. Super clean your room. Get rid of all the junk you thought you would need in the future but do not actually need. Clean out your closet and give some clothes away. Get rid of all the notes and stuff that you kept from high school. Here is a link for all you Ohio residents to the National Kidney Foundation which will come to your house to pick up any items you want to give away. --> http://www.nkfpickup.com/donation_pick_up_ohio.html

3. Bake. I put baking in a lot of post because it is a fun way to relieve stress. Bake your favorite treat and eat all of it to yourself!

4. Order take out. Get a pizza. Get Asian food. Order a dessert. Don't want to leave your house? Order food to get delivered to you. Domino's doesn't just sale pizza. They now have pasta, chicken, sandwiches, breadsticks and of course desserts.

5. Make an ice cream sundae. Pick your favorite ice cream flavor, add your favorite toppings and pile it all into a big bowl.

6. Watch a movie. A go to lonely night in is to just relax and watch your favorite film. Examples of some great films to watch: I Am Legend, Frozen, Bridesmaids, Beauty and the Beast, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Happy Feet and Garden State.

7. Online shop. Indulge yourself with some new purchases. Or just browse and add selections to your wish list like I do.

8. Read. Get lost in a good book. Examples of books to read: The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Looking for Alaska by John Green, Push by Sapphire, Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen and The Success Principles by Jack Canfield.

9. Dance Party. Have a dance party with yourself. Turn the music up and dance around in your underwear. Play the music so loud the neighbors have to ask you to turn it down.

10. The last thing you can do is just sleep the day away. Get that sleep that you have been deprived of for sooo long.

Lonely nights in will never have to be boring again.

Teatox

I have spent this past month detoxing my body by drinking two cups of tea a day for 30 days. I did my research on great teas to drink and found the company YourTea. At first the tea was hard for me to drink seeing as I don't like most teas, but as time grew on I began to enjoy drinking it. I even looked forward to 'Tea Time'.

For the last 30 days I have felt cleaner on the inside and outside of my body. I have felt happier with myself. I even lost a little bit of weight and for the most part had clearer skin. I did not change what I ate but I did workout a little more which probably helped in the process. If you are looking to detoxing your body I would definitely recommend YourTea.

Another good thing about this company is that they have tea to help combat anything from skin to digestive health to weight loss.

Check out the website ---> yourtea.com

Enjoy your detoxing journey!

Positivity

With all the negativity going on in the world around us, some may find it difficult to stay positive. Here are a few things that I like to do that remind me to stay positive.

1. Watch a movie. One of my all time favorite movies to watch that reminds me to stay positive is Happy Feet or Happy Feet 2

2. Play your favorite game. I love Just Dance for Wii and physical activity is proven to relieve stress leaving you feeling happier.

3. Eat a sweet treat. MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM IS LIFE!!! I love ice cream and just in case you didn't know, July is National Ice Cream Month.

4. Online shop or go out shopping. Even if you do not have the money, making wishlist on different sites is so similar.

5. Read a book. Get lost in another persons story.

6. Bake. Chocolate chips are golden! Take your frustration out on some baked goods.

7. Lastly, do a random act of kindness. Show someone else the joys in life which in turn should make you also see the joys in life.

All in all, do the things and surround yourself with people who make you the happiest!

Kristine's Bucketlist

In no particular order, just a few things I would like to achieve before I die:
1.Go backpacking around Europe
2.Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
3.Open a bakery
4.Open a little library
5.Go to Berlin, Germany
6.Attend fashion week
7.Participate in a Color Run
8.Go to Budapest, Hungary
9.Go to Italy
10.Hike the Inca trail
11.Go to Greece
12.Treat a homeless person to a full meal
13.Go to Tallinn, Estonia
14.Go to Thailand
15.Adopt a dog
16.Go to Bali
17.Celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans
18.Visit the Taj Mahal
19.Visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia
20.Go to the Maldives
21.Visit every state in USA in One Year
22.Visit the 7 Wonders of the World
23.Have Nandos
24.Go Skinny Dipping
25.Go Paint Balling
26.Learn to Ice Skate
27.Start My Own Business
28.Live abroad for at least a year
29.Travel Abroad with my family
30.Go on an African Safari
31.Get married in a foreign country
32.Go to Peacock Pavilion
33.Stay the night in a Presidential Suite
34.Stay at the Burj Al Arab
35.Go to Harbour Island, Bahamas (Pink Sand Beach)
36.Go to Punalu'u Beach, Hawaii (Black Sand Beach)
37.Visit Cuba
38.Swim with dolphins
39.Ride an elephant
40.Write a book
41.Get on the first available flight at random
42.Nude beach (Go Nude)
43.Attend the World Cup
44.Become a citizen of another country/have two passports
45.Be able to speak Spanish and French fluently
46.Ride a jetski
47.Spend New Years Eve in Times Square
48.Adopt a child
49.Try IN n OUT
50. Complete 365 photo a day challenge
51. Go on a cruise
52. Name an Island
53.Go to Fiji
54. Go to Slide the City
55.Go to Electric Daisy Carnival
56.Go to Bora Bora
57. Go on an Alaskan cruise
58. Go to Haiti
59. Go to Greece

60. Go to the Glass Beach in California

61. Swim in the Dead Sea

62.