Spring Break: NYC

And just like that, it's over. A couple of my roommates and I just got back from a few days in the Big Apple for Spring Break and I already want to go back. There are still a few more days to be lazy and wander around Pittsburgh, though, so I will try not to waste the time wishing I was back window shopping down in Soho. Here are just a few of my favorite snaps from the little four-day vacation:

 

The moment I traveled to NYC to have...a cupcake from the Sprinkles ATM <3 Salty Caramel is a wonderful flavor.

 

Not pictured: The older gentleman who had some SERIOUS ice skating skills (sassy facial expressions included!)

 

The best kind of free entertainment. Seriously hilarious!

 

There could have been a better picture...if there had not been kids climbing all over.

 

Our hotel was in Midtown, not far from Times Square.

Also not pictured is our trip to Greenwich Village to see Carrie Bradshaw's apartment, the apartment building from Friends, followed by a short drive to sample a couple boozy cupcakes at Prohibition Bakery. I tried the Pretzels + Beer and Car Bomb flavors which were great–Pretzels + Beer was my favorite, though!

<3 Ashley

What are some of your favorite spots in NYC? What about for Spring Break?

A Much Needed Break

Image: here

Aaaaaaand BREATHE! Hello, weekend. I've been waiting for you. This week has to have been the hardest and most stressful week that I have had in a long while. This was our last week before Spring Break, and every professor on this campus made it their priority to have ever test, paper, project, and presentation due before the student body scrambled over each other to leave Pittsburgh.

I have night classes Monday-Wednesday and you better believe that I had something big due all three nights. One position paper, case study, presentation, and edited technical paper later and I am ready to hop in the car and escape for a week of no work and no worries. My break will be spent with my roommates in the Big Apple and we have big plans for ourselves.

On the schedule includes tickets to a taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a bottomless brunch, lots of cupcakes, lots of (window) shopping, and lots of walking. On the other side of this break stands another month and a half until graduation, and honestly I am excited. I don't know if anyone could be more over their school work. But I'm not going to think about that right now–I have a week of fun to look forward to and the weather isn't supposed to be horrible.

Note: I welcome all NYC suggestions. This is the first time I will be staying for more than a day!

<3 Ashley

Where are other spring breakers headed to? Any places I should definitely check out in NYC?

Sunday Brunch: Baked Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal

This week home from school has been so beyond relaxing. I'm happy that the break came when it did. However, I did manage to not touch any of my assignments so I have created a kind of hell week for myself when I get back. Oh well, what's a little extra work, right? I can just do it on the bus on the way back.

What I am going to miss during this next month and a half before the end of the semester (which I miss after every break) is waking up when I please and having a slow, relaxing morning with a breakfast into which I have actually put an effort. One breakfast that I made this week--as always inspired by what I find on Pinterest--was a baked blueberry muffin oatmeal. Yummy, right?! The original recipe from Mother Thyme below makes four ramekins full of oatmeal; I used a bit of math and guesswork to get it down to one serving.

What you need:

- 1 3/4 c. milk

- 1/4 c. sugar

- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

- 1/4 tsp. salt

- 1 1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats

- 1/2 c. fresh blueberries

For the topping:

- 1/4 c. sugar

- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

- 3 tbsp. butter

What to do:

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees

- Mix milk, sugar, vanilla and salt in saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil.

- Stir in oats and continue to cook 3-5 minutes until oatmeal has thickened

- Gently stir in blueberries and remove from heat; let sit for about 3 minutes

- In a medium bowl combine sugar, flour and butter. Mix with pastry blender or fork until butter resembles crumbs

- Spoon oatmeal into ramekins and distribute the topping over them

- Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in the oven 10-15 minutes

- Remove and allow to cool a little. Enjoy!

Et voila! It was as delicious as it looked!

<3 Ashley

Are you going to try this yummy baked oatmeal?

Travel Tips

While I am sad that spring break is winding down--and I have not looked at my school work at all--I am also thrilled to get my last boring bus ride back to Pittsburgh out of the way. Next year we will have three parking spots at our house so I will be able to keep my car with me. This means that I can go get groceries without straining to carry them from the bus stop to my apartment, find an internship outside of the bus route and drive myself home for the holidays. I can honestly say that I will not miss riding the bus one bit (I get to save $95 from each break!) After taking so many trips, however, I find myself a little qualified to offer some tips about taking bus trips:

1 || Make sure you show up a bit early. The departure time on buses is pretty fixed. My bus has never left more than 10 minutes late for a trip. I make it a point to show up half an hour beforehand. That way I am on time and usually get myself I window seat!

2 || Get comfortable. Typically, when I am riding to or from home I like to wear a pair of leggings, boots or flats and a hoodie (being a college student has provided me with several!) Keeping clothing relatively loose will make the long hours of travel a bit more bearable.

3 || Have hand sanitizer on hand. Coach buses usually have a small bathroom on board. If you can't wait for the rest stop that usually comes every two hours you will need the sanitizer. Not one bus I have been on has had soap or sanitizer of any kind. Gross!

4 || Stay entertained, my friends. Always take something to do, otherwise you will be stuck staring out at the landscape for hours and hours while your seat partner ignores you. Unless your intent is napping make sure your iPod is loaded up or you have got a brand new book to keep your interest. Some buses will offer free WiFi as well but sometimes certain websites will be blocked. Imagine my annoyance at not being able to access Netflix. -_-

Hope this helps prepare for your next bus trip! Talking to you, fellow collegiates!

<3 Ashley

Do you travel by bus? What are your own travel tips?

Spring Break

To be honest, my dream break would include a road trip somewhere. Perhaps next year!

The day has finally come! The great exodus of Pitt students out of the city back to their hometowns or to warmer destinations: spring break! After my whopping two hour work day today I will be getting ready to make the three hour journey home. No big trips this year (but planning on living it up next year!) While I will have friends journeying down to places like New Orleans, North Carolina and Florida beaches I will be wrapped in my own bed sheets and playing the role of couch potato for the next week. I couldn't be more excited.

After the hectic schedule of this semester laziness is all that I really want. I'm sure I will grow restless to do something three days in anyway; don't worry about me. I just need a week where I do nothing. As I mentioned though, next year we are planning on actually doing something. My one roommate and I discussed Harry Potter World, but realistically that probably will not happen. We also just discovered that Niagara Falls is a nice four hour drive from us and got very excited about the possibility of spending a week in Canada. While going somewhere warm is the typical desire of spring breakers there is something about trekking up to Canada that excites us. Oh well. What can you do?

<3 Ashley

What spring breaks have you taken? Any suggestions?