A Small Pip in the Big Apple

In the Meantime: Connecticut

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Izzy

I was a perfectly timed baby. As I’ve already mentioned, my parents lived in Old Greenwich, Connecticut for two years and I was born about 6 months before we left to go back to the UK, giving me my US citizenship. I went to visit some family friends of ours who lived right around the corner from us and I fell in love with my birthplace. The beautiful time of year definitely had something to do with it and the train journey alone was a sight for sore eyes after being in the concrete jungle.

I’ve never seen an autumn/fall like it. We went for a walk along the beach and through the woods and were totally surrounded by brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows on the trees as well as walking on a carpet of golden leaves. In the evening we actually roasted chestnuts on an open fire and I couldn’t have been happier.

Vogue Fashion Fund Award Dinner

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Izzy

When I started at Vogue, I knew that they had the CFDA awards dinner in a few days time. What I never thought in a million years is that I would be able to go and help out. When they told me they’d need me to work at the event my first thought, naturally, was what the hell am I going to wear? Having only brought a couple of suitcases to New York, I hadn’t thought to bring a black tie dress and heels. More specifically, the dress code was ‘cocktail dresses’ and I was told that it shouldn’t be anything too tight, too sexy, and of course that Anna did not like it when girls wore all black. I was beyond excited when I received an email that announced a rack of dresses had been sent over to Vogue for us to peruse at our leisure and that we could borrow whatever we wanted for the evening. My excitement was slightly dampened however on browsing through the rack of stunning designer clothing and realising that not a single dress would fit me… However, this meant that I could justify to my mother that I just HAD to go to Bloomingdales and find a brand new dress and shoes. A long day spent dragging my friends around and trying on dress after dress, I of course went for the first one I tried on. An Alice and Olivia white and gold number paired with Pour la Victoire black mesh heel booties. (Both much more than I cared to admit but come on, this was a Vogue event we were talking about.) I spent the day feeling like Anne Hathaway at the beginning of the The Devil Wears Prada (although I was far from complaining). I jumped in countless cabs to and from the office and the venue and Staples to pick up emergency supplies. We changed the seating plan time and again and set a programme on everyone’s seats (plus one snuck into my handbag for a keepsake.) My job for the evening was standing at the entrance and greeting every person as they arrived. I had to personally greet Vogue’s elite guests! It took all my self-discipline to keep my composure. Actors, designers, models and singers all glided in one after one looking effortlessly glamorous, pausing at the door for a few paparazzi to take their pictures. Once everyone was seated we were able to watch the speeches. Seth Meyers, Stella McCartney, Diane von Furstenberg and of course Anna Wintour all spoke. Shoe designer Paul Andrew was announced as the Fashion Fund winner with Ryan Roche and Eva Zuckerman as runners up. The whole evening was a blur of glamorous, beautiful and talented people and I soaked it all in as much as I could. It was hard to believe that I was surround by all of the rich and famous in this incredible city. A real pinch yourself moment. Not bad at all for my third day on the job.

In the Meantime: The Rockefeller Center

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Izzy

The Rockefeller Center is one of those places I’d always heard about but had no idea what actually went on there, except that in the winter there was a skating rink. Having now visited the Rockefeller Center, I’m still not entirely sure, except that the skating rink was already in situ when I went. I hadn’t realised that as well as being a pretty amazing office building, its main tourist attraction is its shopping complex and impressive underground warren of restaurants and cafes. I also now know that the thing to do is go up to the Top of the Rock and enjoy the incredible views of the city – that activity was immediately added to my NYC bucket list which was already longer than I knew what to do with. Lucky I had so much spare time..

In the Meantime: The MoMA

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Izzy

Now for some real culture. I had been to the Museum of Modern Art before but with my mother who adores art and can spend hours admiring paintings. I appreciate art, and I do enjoy going to see different artists, but I’m more of a whistle-stop tour kind of gal when it comes to galleries. The MoMA is slightly different though. There’s something more light-hearted about modern art that allows you to stroll through the museum looking at whatever you feel like and without making you feel bad for skipping some bits. And there were some great exhibitions. For example, I spent a surprisingly long time (for me) enjoying the Toulouse Lautrec prints, which I loved.

Feeling very intellectual I realised I’d only wandered around for about an hour before the museum closed. With a head full of promises to make sure I came back soon to look around properly (which I have done by the way) I happily went on my way knowing that I’d be able to tell my mother that I was doing something proactive and cultivated with my days.

Shoutout to: Dudleys

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Izzy

My first New York brunch on a sunny Sunday and three of us walked straight into Dudleys in the Lower East Side with no queue. I was yet to realise this was highly unusual, with most of the popular brunch spots keeping people on a starving waiting list for up to two hours! A fried egg sandwich with roasted tomatoes, arugula, mayo and bbq sauce made the day even better.

In the Meantime: Pickle Day

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Izzy

Orchard Street – the heart of the Lower East Side – becomes pedestrianised every Sunday and turns into a street fair/market. Vendors set up their stalls all along the pavement (sidewalk – I’m trying to get into the lingo) and the streets can get pretty packed with people. Sometimes, there is a particular event happening. My first Sunday in New York, spent on Orchard Street, was Pickle Day. A genuine celebration of the humble pickle and you could hardly move the street was so crowded. At the time I write this, there are only 285:02:30:35 days, hours, minutes and seconds till Pickle Day 2015. Who could possibly wait that long?!

First Impressions

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Izzy

New York is enormous. And busy. And loud. And it’s true that it NEVER sleeps! But, despite being daunting and slightly overwhelming, it is so much fun. My first weekend I was thrown straight in at the deep end, not allowing me time to feel jet lagged. I got an american cell number and a US bank account. On my first day I was in a shop with a friend and Sam Smith and the entire entourage of his new music video for ‘Like I Can’ came in to use the bathroom. I went to a birthday party on my first evening and had proper, ludicrously expensive sushi for the first time (not convinced…), and lobster macaroni cheese (!) . We went to The Standard hotel’s panoramic rooftop bar which hosts incredible views over the Hudson river and New York’s Meatpacking District. Downstairs in the ‘Le Bain’ bar a huge hot tub takes pride of place on the dance floor. The next night I went to an apartment whose rooftop terrace had a perfect view of the Empire State building.

Needless to say I did not start as I meant to go on. My first few days in the city went by in a complete whirlwind of meeting new people and going to amazing new places. It was incredible fun but also very surreal. I rang my parents in a panic as to how on earth I was going to afford the lifestyle out here (it is still very expensive but much more low-key!). I am lucky enough to have their full support (both financially and figuratively) and they told me not to say no to any invitations while I was still new. It was the perfect introduction to the city and I made friends with people I now see every other day. Although I couldn’t say I’d found my feet just yet, first impressions were so far very good.

3 Hurdles in 3 Weeks

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Izzy

So, let’s backtrack to the end of September when I booked a one-way ticket to New York’s JFK. At this point I had no friends, no job and nowhere to live when I arrived. I was obviously excited but also fairly terrified. Not being the bravest of souls, I think some friends were surprised, and touchingly impressed, that I’d gone through with my airy plans to maybe move to New York some day when I’d left uni. Some day was now in three weeks time.

First things first was a place to stay. I was born in Connecticut, giving me an American passport and enabling this whole trip to happen at such short notice and thankfully without the added stress of visas etc. My American beginnings also gave me a wonderful and incredibly generous Godfather who lives with his family in Brooklyn Heights. He offered me his guest room for as long as I wanted it. Living arrangements done.

Second of all and pretty important – friends. I’ve almost never had to go to a new place totally by myself, as several of my best friends ended up at the same university as me. The powers of Facebook soon revealed that a few friends of friends were going to be in New York when I was, a couple of which I’d even met before. Of course I was planning to meet lots of new people, otherwise what was the point of going, but this was a welcome reassurance. Friends (hopefully!) done.

Last and by no means least – job. One of the main reasons behind this blog. I’d like to say three months down the line that it’s job done. But not quite yet!

New Year, New York

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Izzy

New Year’s Day. A day when countless resolutions are made and no doubt countless blogs are created. The two go hand in hand if you think about it. Albeit a few days late, here I am along with the rest, finally starting the blog that I’ve been meaning to start for ages.

In October I moved to New York in order to get my first job in publishing, and my first proper job full stop. I’m not entirely sure of the exact focus and direction of this blog (probably not something I should say but I figured I’d be honest) but I’d like it to give a little insight into what it’s like to be starting out in a new and overwhelming but exhilarating city, whilst also trying to get started in an industry that, aside from the obvious things, you don’t really know much about apart from the fact that you really want to get that foot in the door… A Small Pip (that’s me) in the Big Apple.