For the first time in almost 3 years, I'm actually in New York City for Fashion Week. I have been very blessed to have been invited to two very different types of fashion previews - the first was an intimate gathering for the newly launched Á Moi Atelier's Ready to Wear Autumn/Winter 2014 Preview at designer Alejandra Alonso's Soho apartment and the second, detailed later in this post, was an invitation by The Mobile Media Lab + Tommy Hilfiger to a New York Fashion Week Instameet.
Riding a Pedicab During Rush Hour in New York City
4.30pm is the worst time to hail a cab in New York City. My advice: take a pedicab instead. A pedicab, one of those bicycle powered rickshaws is a summer staple of Manhattan. Not only are they eco-friendly and fun to ride in, they can also be your knight in shining armor.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/VeBZquV5kPg]
Here's my pedicab to the rescue story...
Flashback to the summer of 2012: It's 4:45pm. It’s raining and it’s 15 minutes until my bus leaves for DC. I’ve been standing outside trying to hail a cab for 25 mins. Everyone’s off duty and I’m infuriated. I’m having a heart attack because I’m going to miss the last Tripper bus of the day going to Arlington, VA where I’m supposed to meet my friend Anna. And I already missed the earlier bus that I was supposed to catch. Argh. Off-duty cab after off-duty cab and another 5 minutes pass me by. 10 mins left until my bus leaves! I’m not sure what to do anymore. My clothes are soaked and I’m screaming inside. Suddenly, the solution appears. Low and behold, a pedicab pulls up before me.
I only need to go 3 avenues away, I tell him. 30 bucks, he says. I only have 20. He says 25. I only have 20 in cash and I need to catch my bus pronto.
Although a cab is much cheaper, I’d pay extra for the human powered vehicle as long as I don’t miss my bus!!!
He helps me put my two suitcases for my month long Best of the Road trip on his little vehicle and pedals his mighty legs through the sheets of rain and zig zagging through congested traffic and even through a red light. Go Mr. Pedicab Man!
We get to my bus 2 mins shy of it’s departure. Whew! A BIG thank you to Mr. Pedicab Man. I am eternally grateful.
It's Official! I'm A Panelist at the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)'s 42nd Annual Conference at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City!
"Me?" Holy beejeezus ohmigoodness! was the first thought that raced through my head when I came upon an email from Traci Suppa of Go BIG or Go Home Travel Blog inviting me to share my experience as a travel video blogger at a panel called
So You Want to ... Build Your Business Through Travel Blogging at the American Society of Journalists and Authors's 42nd Annual Writers' Conference (ASJA)
Holy crikey batmobile! was the next set of words that tumbled out of my mouth when I saw that the panel would feature other bloggers I admired such as Maria and Anthony Russo of Cultureist.com and Charu Suri of ButterflyDiary.com
Then, there was an entire hour of woah, is this for real? Really for real? For real, for realz?
After a couple more email exchanges between Traci and I, it finally dawned on me that is was.
After having the pleasure of attending so many panels on travel, writing and blogging and learning so much from all the amazing panelists I met, I am honored and more than happy to share what I learned during this DIY travel blogging journey.
So if you're planning on being at the conference that day, give me a hoot and holler. I'd love to see you!
And oh, here's the tagline for the conference: (lifted from their website)
"Whether you're a seasoned veteran, an enthusiastic rookie or somewhere in between, the 60-plus panels, workshops and special events at ASJA 2013 will supercharge your career."
Woo hoo! I'm going to help you supercharge your career!
We're gathering at 9am on Friday April 26th, 2013 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City (mid-town Manhattan to be exact)
Again, here are the deets - succinctly now (copy & paste-able):
ASJA 2013 Annual Writers Conference
9am Friday April 26th, 2013
45 EAST 45TH ST. AT MADISON AVENUE,
NEW YORK, NY 10017
Hope to see you there! Safe (and fresh) travels!
