New York City, New York

"There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless." - Simone de Beauvoir

Broadway Downtown : Financial District and Civic Center, Manhattan

Broadway Avenue stretches over 21 kilometers of New York City holding some of the best and most famous musical performances in the world. During my visit, I was able to see an adaptation of the 1992 Disney movie, Aladdin, performed with the company of some of my St. Vincent's sisters. The setting changes worked smoothly into the play and were almost unnoticed with the characters grasping your attention every second through their voices and choreography. My favorite character was by far was the Genie with his booming voice and amusing personality. The Genie and a few of the other actors were able to add in a few New York City anecdotes, which gave the musical a whimsical and unexpected modern twist. We all walked out of the theater amazed, and I highly recommend whenever you take your visit to New York City, that you make sure you set aside the time and money to enjoy a show. For the Aladdin musical, ticket prices start at $49.50.


Ellis Island : Hudson River, Manhattan 

In 1890, New York was receiving a heavy flow of immigrants and to help traffic the new arrivals, the federal government built a temporary station meant for the registration and documentation of new citizens, famously known as Ellis Island. Ellis Island is located just north of Liberty Island, an ideal area where Lady Liberty resides, holding her torch as she lights the way to freedom, a right that many immigrants search for. Initially, the building that stood on the island was made of wood, but when the island was converted to an arrival station, a French-renaissance styled brick building replaced it. The architecture proceeded to earn a prize at the World Fair in Paris in 1900. At arrival, immigrants were put through a long hefty process, including a questionnaire of 29 questions regarding their economics and health. 2% of people were turned away for cases of criminal record, mental or psychical illness, or any other disqualifying infractions. This welcoming historic island processed approximately 5,000 people per day. Today Ellis Island does not process immigrants anymore but still stands as a museum to honor the rich history it holds. Within the museum, you can find a library that grants paying customers access to information regarding the immigrants processed through here. If you are related to someone who was documented here you are certain to find a record of them in the library. 

The ferry ride to Ellis Island costs only $9 and comes with marvelous views of the city and Hudson River. On my ferry back, I witnessed jets darting over the Statue of Liberty releasing fumes of red, white, and blue, representing the colors of our flag. At the time I had no idea that I was present for a significant historical event, it wasn't till later that day until I became aware that the day, March 25th, marked the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry in World War I. The jets flying that day were not U.S. jets, but rather the Patrouille Acrobatique de France jets. This symbolic act the French put on is remarkable, it is a reminder to all that we desire as a nation for world peace. 


Metropolitan Museum of Art : Central Park, Manhattan

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and more widely known as the MET, is home to over 2 million pieces of art, an amount that would have to be fully appreciated over multiple visits. For my visit, I was allowed access to the museum 1 hour before opening, along with my small traveling group of 25. So our lucky selves were able to zoom around through the exhibits without having to deal with the massive amount of tourists. Traveling through an agency was probably one of the best perks of my trip. It provided us with many exclusive offers that I couldn't have experienced if I were to have taken this trip self-guided.

Rockefeller Center : Midtown West, Manhattan

The Rockefeller Center began construction during the height of the great depression, by the graces of John D. Rockefeller Junior, the richest man in the world and Owen Young, the chairman of General Electric. John D. Rockefeller spent most of his money on social and cultural causes, including the building of the UN headquarters and MoMA. The Rockefeller Center became the home of the opera, GE, RCA and NBC, but today stands as the home of GE and NBC. This establishment has been the setting for many popular movies, including : Ghostbusters (1984), Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Spider-Man (1997), and Elf (2003). It is a popular place for tourists to go ice-skating right in front of the avant-garde style skyscraper. 




St. Patrick's Cathedral : 5th Avenue, Midtown East, Manhattan

St. Patrick's Cathedral, a gothic architectural church, was built in Manhattan for the Catholic minorities, many being Irish immigrants, and was completed in 1888. The two spires tower over 100 meters in the sky, making it one of the tallest and largest cathedrals in the world. The famous writers, Francis Scott and Zelda Sayre, were married here in 1920. The Cathedral has held the funeral of the Senator of NY, assassinated in 1968, Bobby Kennedy and the funeral of the American Pop Artist, Andy Warhol, in 1987. Today beautiful masses are still held continuously throughout the week. During my visit, I was blessed to attend the Sunday 8 AM mass, a time I spent spiritually with God and a time I was able to take in and appreciate all the art of the cathedral. 

Times Square : Theater District, Manhattan 

Time Square is known as the major commercial intersection of New York City, with giant billboards and skyscrapers towering the energized streets below. It is bright and filled with thousands of pedestrians daily. People are attracted to its' megastores, theaters, hotels and office towers, including The New York Times.



Tips : 

• Keep your belongs close to you at all times. Zip your purses.
• Keep your head on a swivel. Cars are everywhere. Don't get hit.
• If you see a bathroom, use it. You don't know when you'll see the next one.
• When in China Town and Little Italy, don't let the illegal streets vendors rip you off. 
• Don't throw away your water bottles, refill them. Bottles of water aren't cheap.
• Keep your MetroCard for the Subway in the same spot on your person and always have it out and ready to swipe through the scanner to allow you access to the subway stations. 

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, formally known as Charles-Town, is a charming port city. It is the oldest and second largest in South Carolina, founded in 1670 in honor of King Charles II. Charleston is known for its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, and antebellum architecture. This past Saturday, March 4th, my boyfriend, Austin, and I decided it was time to check one of his goals off from his bucket list: eating at Lewis Barbeque. 

Charleston City Marina : We arrived into town a little before opening time for Lewis Barbecue. To kill time before it opened Austin and I bought a 32 oz styrofoam cup filled with juicy hot boiled peanuts, and we took a pleasant, leisurely walk through Charleston City Marina, as we both have a love for everything sailing. We laughed at the multitude of different boat names, including "Fore Play" and "Isle Rider." One yacht's name was "Cecilia" so I, of course, sent a picture of it to my best friend, Cecilia. There was a range of different styled motor and sail yachts for sale through St. Barts Yachts, so if you're interested in buying a boat I would check out the marina or go to their website.

Lewis Barbeque : At Lewis Barbeque, an industrial-hip, Central Texas styled smokehouse, we ordered a pound of pulled pork and a pound of pork spare ribs. The pulled pork was very tender but rather tasteless; the pork spare ribs were also tender, and they fell off the bone effortlessly. Unlike the pulled pork, they were seasoned thoroughly and tasted superb. The contemporary atmosphere was neat, an unexpected vibe for a barbecue place, and there was plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Austin and I chose to sit outside at a long rectangular picnic table. There was also another charming section outside that had small square tables sitting amongst patio heaters. However, fair warning, the pound of pulled pork and pork spare ribs and our two drinks cost us $45... pricey, so make sure you come prepared. 

Waterfront Park : Waterfront Park was a perfect place for me and Austin to relax after shopping around in the hustle and bustle of downtown Charleston. This harbor side park is 12 acres with a pier extending into Cooper River consisting of the famous Pineapple Fountain, sheltered rocking benches, a floating dock, an open lawn landscape, and a dense canopy of oak trees with many benches. While me and Austin swung on the rocking benches located on the sheltered portion of the pier, we enjoyed the breathtaking views of the marvelous river, and listened to live music performed by a man raising money for children in Haiti. 

Belgian Gelato : Austin and I got a bit tired and we were both ready for a break, and so we decided to head into Belgian Gelato. It was a cute Belgian sweet shop serving gelato, waffles, coffee, and milkshakes. Austin ordered a coffee while I ordered a single scoop of coffee flavored gelato, together costing us an overpriced amount of approximately $11, but disregarding the price both purchases were very yummy. The gelato was so delicious I couldn't help but scoff it down.

Tips : 

• Bring plenty of money because most things aren't cheap downtown. Bring nickels, dimes, and quarters for meter parking. Have cash on hand just in case.
• Bring a small hairbrush with you. My hair was constantly blowing around and creating tangles.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

This past Saturday, February 25th, my friends, Cecilia and Ana, and I took a girls getaway to Hilton Head Island, SC. After all of us having a stressful week at school, we were relieved to be able to take some time together and have some fun. 

Our first destination: the beach. We spent hours laying out, listening to music and taking cute pictures. I know ya’ll probably think we’re slightly insane to be laying out on the beach in winter, but surprisingly enough it was really nice. The weather was in the lower 80s-comfortable enough to be in a bikini, yet not freezing. 

We were smart enough to bring towels, sunscreen, and snacks, but we were definitely disappointed in ourselves for not bringing one of our many Bluetooth speakers. How can you truly enjoy a day on the beach without some sort of entertainment? For some people, it’s reading or playing frisbee, but for us, it’s music. We ended up resorting to listening to our music straight off our phones, and I have to say, letting our batteries die down was definitely worth being able to jam out with my friends on a day off from all of our responsibilities.

Oh, and I must share this with you... We saw a Search and Rescue go down! So here we are packing up our things preparing to head to dinner when we realize everyone, now I mean EVERYONE, on the beach was staring out towards the ocean. We all spun around and saw a helicopter circling what everyone thought was a man swimming out to sea. All three of us immediately grabbed our phones to record footage of the scene. Thankfully after watching the Coast Guard circle the “body” a few times, we received a report from a fellow beach goer -- the one who contacted the Coast Guard -- that it was an unattached orange buoy floating out to sea.

Our next destination, dinner at Up the Creek Pub & Grill. This restaurant was beyond expectations. Most reviews online give them a 4 out of 5-star rating, but after enjoying their steamed shrimp and their beautiful waterfront view, I for sure would bump up their score to a 5. 

If you’re a seafood lover, then this restaurant is must try. For me, I normally can be pretty picky about shrimp. My father has mastered the art of preparing shrimp in every way imaginable so it can be rather difficult actually enjoying shrimp at a restaurant. There are only a few places in my hometown, Savannah, GA, that I will actually dare to order shrimp because I don’t want to be disappointed and have wasted money on mediocre shrimp. Now "Up the Creek" absolutely gave justice to their shrimp. The shells peeled off effortlessly; they were thoroughly seasoned and the serving portion was just right. 

The only downfall about the restaurant were the bugs. As I said before, it was a waterfront restaurant, which means sand gnats. The bugs were terrible, and I know it was our fault for choosing to sit outside without applying bug spray, but they were still aggravating nonetheless. I would highly recommend you purchase NO NATZ if you are ever going to be somewhere around the water. Every time I use this product, not one gnat bites me. It's  a little on the expensive side, but it’s worth not having bug bites up and down your legs.

Tips :

• Bug spray; specifically NO NATZ : You can purchase it at most places, including Walmart. 
• Bluetooth speakers; some sort of entertainment

Let's Be Adventurers

To you thrill-seeking adventurers, my name is Vivian Reisert. I am an 18-year-old student living in Savannah, GA, and though “I haven’t been everywhere… it’s on my list.”

Whenever you ask an older couple, “What is one thing you wish you did or did more of in your young life?,” the most common response is, “I wish I traveled more.” My boyfriend, Austin Williams, actually asked his parents this exact question at dinner last night, and do you know what they said? You guessed it! They wished they traveled more.

Now I am still a student and my travels are somewhat restricted, but as I get older I will broaden my horizon, as it is my plan to live on a sailboat for 3+ years traveling the world. Though I am clearly not in the position to just pick up my life and hop on a sailboat right now, for my first experience, I will share with you about my upcoming “girls’ weekend” to Hilton Head Island, SC. I will let you in on all the helpful tips you will want to know and all of the must-see sights of Hilton Head Island.