Life Lately | Birthday Staycation

I took a week-long birthday staycation and it was exactly what I needed! I was definitely out a lot more than I expected to be but I'm so happy that I got to spend almost every single day with family and friends. 

American Dream Mall

I kicked things off on Monday by going to American Dream Mall with my cousin, aunt, and uncle. We had never been before and wow, that mall is HUGE. I thought we'd only be there for a couple hours tops but we ended up staying for an entire afternoon and still didn't see everything it had to offer. We walked a lot (partially because we got lost a few times!), shopped (they have Primark and I love it!), and ate (so many options). There's even an amusement park, aquarium, and mini golf which we didn't check out but I totally want to go back, especially since it's about 15 minutes from my apartment. 

My birthday

Celebrating my birthday felt extra special this year because it was the first time the entire family had gotten together since the pandemic. I hadn't seen some of my aunts and uncles in over a year! So getting to be inside my parents' house with everyone felt like such a gift. I know that sounds cheesy but being able to gather indoors without masks since we're all vaccinated and filling the house with noise, laughter, and good food, seriously meant so much. And I could see that everyone felt the same way too. It was so much fun! 

NYC Day with Alexa

I'm not going to lie, a part of me thought Alexa and I were crazy for following through with our plans but we decided to not let the 97 degree weather stop us! We wore hats, SPF 100, carried around water bottles, and had the best time. We got breakfast at Bus Stop Cafe, which was an adorable little spot near the water. Then we walked over to Little Island around 9AM (if you go before 12PM, you don't need a ticket) and even though it was smaller than I expected, I really enjoyed it. We took a ton of photos and admired the different views. Afterwards, we took an Uber to Paintbox to get our nails done, stopped by Shakespeare & Co and the Apple Store, got ice cream at Emack & Bolio's, and ended our day at Kinokuniya Books. 

Storm King Art Center

Not pictured: On Thursday night, one of my best friends Mary Ann treated me to a birthday dinner at Fresco da Franco. Then on Friday, Carina and I kicked off our day with Woodbury Commons! And I definitely indulged myself, lol. 

After shopping, we drove to Storm King Art Center. I only found out about this place about a month ago because a coworker told me about it but apparently, it's been around for a while! It's an outdoor museum which covers a ton of ground with lots of interesting and colorful installations. We were only there for a couple hours so we barely scratched the surface of what's there to see. But I really, really enjoyed it. We just walked around aimlessly while talking and taking photos of the sculptures. Even though, Carina and I made the effort to hang out all throughout the pandemic, this was actually the first time in forever where we got to spend a whole day together. Which to me was the best part. Although.. I was very happy to shop and be outdoors looking at art too! 

July 4th

The weather on Sunday was perfect! I just spent the whole day at the house with family. The first half of the day was spent mostly babysitting Ian while watching Marvel movies. Then once we got the BBQ going, we all moved outside to hang out. It was a small gathering with just the usual Sunday crew and close family friends so it was really nice and low-key, which is exactly what I needed after such a busy week!

***

What have you been up to lately?