(9/10) For Guffly: GREENyc

So for a good portion of the summer I have had an internship with Guffly doing online marketing. Guffly.com is a one product per day website that prides itself in "Good Stuff for Good Living"! It has been a lot of fun learning with Guffly seeing as I never gave the environment and green-living much thought until the internship... So when I decided to go to New York , I said I would still continue supporting them. Thus, I have compiled a list of COOL ECO-FRIENDLYNESS IN THE CITY that never sleeps. Here goes:

1. Greenhouse (in SoHo)

Manhattan's first eco-friendly club is a hit! Greenhouse is an amazing nightclub with amazing DJs, an ultra-chic atmosphere, and a trendy New York crowd to match. No one leaves this eco-bar/lounge/club unhappy!

2. Habana Outpost (in Brooklyn)

Habana Outpost is only open in the summer due to it being run on solar energy! They have amazing margaritas and their specialty, spicy corn on the cob will not disappoint! Oh! and if you blend your own margarita using a bike to power the blender, they give you a major discount!

3. Green Depot

(in both Brooklyn AND Manhattan)

This place is so cool! It's just how it sounds, a Home Depot for the environmentally conscious. You would be surprised how many affordable products we could switch to that do a service to both our environment and our wallets.

4. W!nk Eco Beauty Bar

(in Brooklyn)

W!nk is a green spa focused on bringing "eco-chic beauty that's good for you and the earth". Get beautified while helping the environment! This one's for the gurls! :)

5. EcoFriendly Condos

Green Real Estate is the new black apparently. Having an eco-home in Manhattan has become as trendy as wearing skinny jeans and gladiator sandals! In fact, Leonardo DiCaprio has purchased a ecofriendly condo at Riverhouse overlooking the Hudson. Tre eco-chic!

(7/10) Manhattan Moments 2

Here are more of my favorite pics from the second half of my NY trip o discovery!

Manhattan Moments 2 <3

This is a pic of MiCHi - The Collective.™ at Favela Cubana! One of my favorite spots in the city. I had a lot of fun the past few weeks with these folk (Ayo, Roberto, and Nikeisha). We decided over sushi and a few glasses of plum wine that we would join forces as 4 minorities from Michigan living in the city to support each other as we rise through the ranks in our respective creative industries. Get at us! ;p

Here we have Lisa, Chelso (The Paris to my Nicole) and myself at a rooftop art exhibit! My Godmother deserves the photo credit for this one. I had 3 visitors at once that weekend! It was wild, but I enjoyed their company!

Icecream with Imani- So Imani came to visit/see Little Dragon at Central Park. We didn't end up getting in to see them *pout*, but we managed. Who knew you had to be 2 hours early to see a Summer Stage Concert to get in?

So I'm the queen of double booking! For some reason it always happens to me! My roommates Wendy and Michelle (of the UN Crew) came for a weekend visit as well. And we all went out to eat. This whole table was full of Michigan students!

(6/10) Fashion's Night Out!

I won't be here when all this is happening but it sounds like a lotta fun! If you're still in NY yall better get you ass out to these department stores around 9pm on September 10th! There will be prizes, charity, celebs, sales, and clothes. All of this will be to celebrate American consumerism! LOL peep the vid:

(5/10) Celeb Run-ins... shambles

So... I'm really bad at meeting celebs, but I have seen a whole lot of people during my stay in NY! Here is my list of celeb sightings, run-ins, and encounters (in order of appearance of course). :)

1. Jeffrey Tambor aka the dad from The Hangover

Story: soooo I saw this guy just walking back from work near Broadway and did a double take! He's been in a lotta movies, but most recently, the Hangover.

2. Rachel Dratch from SNL

Story: I saw this SNL cast member walking down 10th street on my way back to my NYU dorm. She's actually not as frumpy in person LOL she looked kinda normal!

3. Alex Wolff of the Naked Brothers Band on Nickelodeon

Story: I saw this young Nickelodeon actor/musician at the same place as Rachel Dratch (close to 10th and 5th) walking with an old man. I was walkin with the homie J Regalado and kept sayin "is that the kid from the Naked Brothers Band?" ha! He was talkin about his career believe it or not and on our way back from eating we saw him and the old man again!

4. Theophilus London

Story: So anyone who I know, who loves music has probably heard me utter the words 'You know Theophilus London? You should def check him out!' I've seen this guy twice in Manhattan and once in BK. Love his music! (This is a pic from the Diesel: U Music Tour)

5. Russell Simmons

Story: I saw this hip hop mogul on my way back from snaggin my Diesel Music tour tickets where I would ultimately see Kanye West and take a terrible pic of him lol. I literally said "Oh wow. Russel... Hi!" and he gave me the nod with a look in his eye like 'please litlle negress... don't cause a scene i got bizness to take care of' ha! He was on his phone steppin out of a nice ass car!

6. Kanye West

Story: soooo I was soooo excited that the special guest at the Diesel Tour was Kanye West! Ye is one of my favorites so I started to back up out of fear when he came off stage and then when I realized how close we were I started running towards him and his bodyguard says "NO!" and points to me. So I try and take a picture... ugh. So a camera on zoom and an open bar are a bad mix for celeb sightings I guess.

7. Kelis and her baby

Story: On my way to pick up promo checks for work, I saw a newly-divorced Kelis and her newborn! Good luck on the settlement with Nas! Get that mon(t)ey gurl!!

8. T-Weed from "I love New York"

Story: So we're havin a nice ass time at Hotel on Rivington and I turn around to see this negro T-Weed! Then I tell my friend Roberto and he goes "Yo T-Weed" so we proceeded to take pics with him! ha!

(4/10) Beauty

Damn! I've been seriously slackin on my 10 post-game. But this weekend has been full of discoveries. This week I learned: There's something beautiful about beauty (LOL). But really.... it's something about the way a vendor lines up their handmade beads, displays their flowers. There's something beautiful about how much time a person will take to create a piece of artwork for no pay. The world is a beautiful place. Don't just look to a person's face for beauty, look at what their hands create.

Gladiators and Native Americans - A History Lesson

Walking on the streets of the very-trendy greenwich village, it is impossible to notice some common trends in "foot fashion" (shoes lol).

Gladiators and Native Americans - A History Lesson

Any FLY-GIRL knows history tends to repeat itself in fashion. We have re-done the 60s hippie/bohemian look as well as the 80's new wave looks and the 40s/50s skinny pants. Therefore the only times left to borrow from are Ancient Rome and the Pre-Conquered Americas???!???

While you ponder how the fashion world thought to swagger-jack from Spartans and early Native Americans, take a look at these designs. Also, click on the links for more information about the origins of each trend.

264 BCE ???!???

1615 ???!???

264 BCE + 1615 = ±1879 ???!???

As ridiculous as the inspiration seems... you know you want at lease one of these items to add to the FLYness! I know I already got one from each set haha!

How I Spent $250 in Less Than Two Weeks

So.... as I mentioned two posts ago THIS CITY WILL STEAL ALL YO DAMN MONEY!!!! ARG! So I am now: broke-major and rich-minor. Shambles! And when I complained about it to my fellow NYInterns, they said "Wow that's it? nice work Jackson!" Outrageous. All I did was take a weekend trip to visit the UConn homies and grabbed a few lil extras (;D) Here is my Statement:

			ATM VARICK STREET		$-42.00
			JTL MANAGEMENT INC LONG ISLAND		$-8.30
			APL*ITUNES		$-1.00
			JAMBA JUICE		$-4.71
			METRO-NORTH		$-14.00
			RITAS ITALIAN ICE		$-4.98
			HIGASHI RESTAURANT		$-16.53
			NYC-TAXI		$-9.10
			BROADWAY NAIL SPA		$-40.40
			AMTRAK WASHINGTON		$-34.00
			ONSTAR SUBSCRIPTION		$-24.90
			ATM		$-41.50
			APL*ITUNES		$-.99
			DEPOSIT		$250.00 See this ish!? I didn't even do anything! *sigh*

Manhattan Moments

Continuing to play catch-up with my summer in NYC... I would like to share a few of my favorite moments thus far. This is not just for bragging purposes (hi haters!!), but it is also to suggest places that you should def hit up if/when you visit the city.

• I call this: Me and one of the UN Crew members (UN Crew = my very diverse group of roommates), Jas enjoy CLOISTER CAFÉ. This place is a nice spot to chill, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the weather with hookah and a full bar - all of my favorite things ha! I truly heart this place for NYU students and Greenwich locals!

• 230 Fifth Avenue with Jas, Carmen, and J Reg.: This is a classy rooftop bar with beautiful views of the city. You MUST take a visit to this place or another rooftop bar upon visiting. You get to feelin all socialite-y and ish!

• This is a shot has more of the UN Crew (Michelle and Wendy) as well as our friends Mengyao and Imani. This cuteous maximus (yup... just made that up) picture was taken at Webster Hall a few blocks from where I stay. WH is a club's favorite club complete with multiple dance floors, plenty of tables to dance on, and a stage for go-go dancers. Dance Dance Danceness!

• This is a shot from Kiss & Fly's Super Fly Wednesday! We had an office outing with ?uestlove of the Roots as the DJ! That night I reaffirmed two things (1) The bloc Group and Hi-Fi Cartel know how to throw a party and (2) I love my internship!

.....more NEW YORK MOMENTS to come ;D

In Tha City

So... i have a lot of catching up to do with this blog lateness. First, I would like to put yall up on:

BE'S SEVEN M'EFFIN GOOD THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NYC - FROM A LONG TERM VISITOR'S PERSPECTIVE

(Catchy title right?!)

7. You WILL Lose All Yo Damn Money

If you've ever visited, you will know how expensive it is to live here. You think it's because of all the tourist attractions... HELL NO! A meal here is at least $10 unless you come across some miracle restaurant. Sheesh!

6. Time Square Sucks

Speaking of tourist attractions... they all SUCK. If you are trying to get anywhere serious (ie. work, subway, internship, meeting, appointment, etc.), you will get no where fast if you are anywhere near a tourist attraction. If accidentally cross over to broadway and 7th, I immediately duck into a side street.

5. You Don't Have to Look Both Ways

I love this! All through our formative years our parents (and legal guardians) make it a point to tell us "look both ways before you cross the street!!) Here in NYC we can say "PISS OFF" because most streets are One-Way and therefore, one would only have to look that one way to see if they can cross the street... just try breaking the habit though...

4. People are Crazy

From the excessive amounts of people with mental disabilities set loose on the harsh streets of the city to the construction workers that feel an uncontrollable urge to comment on how well they thing you look, you will be sure to shake your head in disappointment at least once per day.

3. You NEED an ID. Period

So... I know it's illegal for youngsters under 21, but an I.D. is an absolute necessity for the "city that never sleeps". Nightclubs, Bars, Concert Venues, and even some Restaurants require that piece of magic plastic that tells the doorman "Let me in you judgmental prick!" Don't let em take it away either, because where a fake fails in one place, it will succeed in another. Just last week, an actual giant tried to take my ID. I promptly snatched it back and therefore got into the Questlove DJ set at Kiss & Fly that changed my life!

2. Go'n Getcha Some

This title is in honor of Big Sean's recently-released music video! ...but for all of you fly folk out there, New York will make you want to step your game up. Everyone here has mad style and come with it every day. No slackin! This trendy city will get ya; so be on your best wardrobe behavior... I admit I decided to go on a shopping spree after being here 2 days.

1. You Won't Want to Leave

New York is a simply intoxicating city. Period. If you like people, beautiful architecture, a diverse array of cultures, places to play, places to chill, amazing food, and raw american capitalism - you won't want to stray too far from one of the 5 boroughs. I seriously considered nixing my final year at the wonderful University of Michigan to stay and sham... Too bad my parents would come get me Taken-style and bring me back to class personally... shambles.