Autumn in New York

Now that I'm home for winter break, before all the craziness of pre-study abroad sets in, I have, dare I say it, too much free time. It seems like I have all day to blog and not much to blog about!

So, I'm dipping into some of my adventures from this semester. Early in November Zac and I took a full day to explore the city, running all over the Upper East Side. Zac had been dying to take me to the Frick Collection all semester, and we couldn't help but window shop up and down 5th Avenue, popping into Barneys, Bergdorfs, Bendels, Tiffany's...you know, the usual (I wish).

Our first stop was The Frick, a museum I knew nothing about. It's housed in Henry Clay Frick's Gilded-Age-era mansion, one of the few remaining in New York, and the house itself is a museum. 

It's very different from walking through the Met or the MoMA, as the old furniture and decorations remain, with most of the art hung on the wall as casually as a family portrait. You almost feel like a guest in Mr. Frick's home, admiring his impressive collection while wandering through one of his sitting rooms. 

The front entry is the only place where you could take pictures, so we took full advantage!

After the Frick we strolled (literally) across the street to Central Park, where the Sunday crowds hadn't quite filled the park yet, making it movie-set-perfect.

Funny story: I was admiring a woman's hat while we were walking, and happened to look at her companion and realized it was Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser! I made Zac double back so we could get a better look. You never know who you're going to see in New York!

The weather started to warm up mid-morning and I was able to shed my coat. The fall weather stuck around- we were lucky and managed to avoid snow all semester!

After a little window (and a little actual) shopping we were in need of a brunch break. Serendipity was packed as usual so we opted for a little Greek place on the corner. I cannot remember the name of this place but it was adorable, and sooo delicious!

After a little more shopping, a hankering for hot apple cider drew us to Bryant Park, where the Christmas market had just been set up and the ice rink was in full swing. 

I love New York in the fall, when all the leaves are changing, everyone is layered up in sweaters, and the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center is still being strung with lights. We had a packed day in the city but it was picture-perfect (so perfect I forgot to take pictures of half of it!). Commuting to the city twice a week made it hard to appreciate the city anymore- I saw it as the place where I worked, and riding in on the train became a chore rather than something exciting. But somethings (or some people) make you fall in love with a city all over again, and New York changed seasons at just the right time.

It's crazy to think that I won't be back in New York until probably August for my (eek!) last semester of school!! But I'm looking forward to my semester abroad and one more summer of freedom!

Outfit details: Button-up, J. Crew (similar). Sweater, Gap. Skirt, Gianni Bini. Fleece tights (similar). Trench coat, H&M (similar). Bag, vintage Coach. Bracelet, KJP 'JFK' bracelet.