New York is bracing itself for a Blizzard from the Deep South to the North East. Today will be mostly sunny and windy with the anticipation of the looming snow storm. With lots of the fun fluffy white stuff on its way to New York City on Saturday 23rd January 2016, it is all the talk over here at the moment. The question from all the men on Tinder and Bumble (new dating app I found), people in the shops, friends and family is – Are you ready for the snow?! Unlike most New York folk who are all rushing around frantic trying to get ready for it, my answer is YES, I CAN’T WAIT! Jumping up and down, clapping my hands like a little girl.

Friday morning glory and I have just been out for a very quick and brisk walk/jog along the East River and oh my god it is cold, fresh and crisp. Ehh Yeah! Minus 4 degrees and continuing to plummet. As I walked past the United Nation Headquarters on the East Side of the City the security guards stood in force with guns and body armor protected from the winter elements that today brings. It seemed everyone was rushing and scrambling to get to work and get out of the cold. I watched as the guards screened employees going into their workplace, similar to going through security at the airport, cars also being scanned as the armed forces used long mirrored devices to view under and around the vehicles. This brought an air of excitement to my mini walking adventure to the East Side. I could feel the energy that this city has to offer and once again felt like the cat that got the cream. Wherever I seem to go in New York it is just alive and kicking and I am still totally in love with it. Wrapped up in my walking/hiking gear, my new North Face Jacket and ear muffs at the ready I bravely headed on down to the waters edge to take in the sight of the blue sky, blue water, sun shining down on the city behind me and took that moment to thank the Universe for how lucky I am to actually be here, safe and very happy.

This week has been just brilliant and dare I say just lovely. It has been a week where I wound down a little, got time to breathe, take it all in, reevaluate all that I have achieved so far here in such a short space of time and get some clarity on where I want to go now, going forward. It is my third week living in New York and so it most definitely feels that I have set myself up pretty nicely in the time that I have been here, enjoying and lapping it all up. With all that said and worked on this week, one thing needed to be done – time I joined the gym! There is only so much walking the streets of Manhattan you can do before the snow comes in, the weather gets bad and then you have a great excuse not to get in shape!! Not me! This time out, living my dream, this journey, is also about reinventing myself and getting strong inside and out and so without further delay my new gym is the New York Sports Club – YAY! It is only 2 blocks from my lovely cosy apartment in the middle of this amazing City and less than a 2 minute walk away, so No Excuses Required! Time to get fit now wahooo.. I was introduced and shown around the gym by a great instructor who actually asked me out for drinks, which is sweet and will happen! The following morning at 9am I had a Personal Training session with one of the gym’s super fit bubbly girls, she kicked my behind into gear pretty fast and I look forward to working with her closely in the future to “Sculpt me the Hell Up” haha!! There is a great buzz around the gym and I am fast becoming addicted. The classes have been amazing and difficult – “Bodypump” and “Burn” have also been kicking my butt every morning this week but would you believe I am already seeing some results and feeling great. Walking a little bit like John Wayne today due to Squats but “Hey! Baby Abs I’m coming to get you…. ohh yeah!”

So much for me trying to stay away!! The Irish people are abundant in New York and so are the Irish pubs haha! We are everywhere. When I am in Starbucks, near Central Park on a Wednesday morning, in the line waiting to put in my order for coffee I meet Sean from Mayo. Sean is lovely and works in Central Park bringing the lovely tourists around on the 3 wheel bicycles. We sat, had our coffee together and chatted for an hour about how wonderful the city is. When I am in for lunch in a cafe on the Upper East side, Sarah from Cork is putting in her order for Soup and a Sambo. Sarah is a doctor and lives over here with her husband and little one year old daughter. We sat, had our lunch together and chatted about how wonderful the city is. While out on my morning jog, down by Union Square and the Flat Iron Building (F.R.I.E.N.D.S) I spot the Tiger Shop. We all love this nicnac shop, right! So in I go, pottering around and I meet Lorna from Mayo. Lorna works in Fashion and Journalism over here and is just lovely. We clicked straight away, chatted about how wonderful the city is and will be meeting up shortly for Dinner. The conversation went a little something like this:

“My name is Lorna”

Me: “Ohh my sisters name is Lorna, I’m Jennifer.”

Pause – “My sisters name is Jennifer!”

Haha so we had a good laugh about this and our mothers have something in common, name choices! I have said it before and I will say it again there are no mistakes. It is great meeting your own kind all the same and it is great to see the Irish People out and about living their lives in such an amazing City.. Pinch! I am one of them!

People have reached out to me far and wide about my blog and I am very excited about some of the things and ideas I have that will be coming down the line. I can’t see who exactly reads the blog but I can see the amount of people and countries, it’s amazing! I just want to say a massive thanks to everyone for the continued support in messages, tweets, emails etc. It is slightly overwhelming, I love reading them and can always feel the love! One girl I want to give a quick shout out to is Alanna in Vermont. She has a love affair with Ireland the way I have a love affair with NYC. She has very kindly offered me to go to her house in Vermont to fulfill my Skiing trip wants and needs. Her lovely town called Burlington sits on a fabulous lake, minutes from the slopes and has a feel, as she said, “kind of like Galway ha!” We are currently in the process of making this happen so that will be an exciting trip. Other trips I will be taking while I am stateside are Washington DC and Canada, Niagara Falls! Who knows what else!

Valentines Day is fast approaching, becoming more and more evident each day as it is comes closer. The shops and restaurants boasting their themed red and pink love heart displays, balloons galore, the teddies and cards at the ready and I can safely tell you they are succeeding in sending out the message of L O V E, EVERYWHERE! America doesn’t do holidays by halves and this one is no exception! Valentines day this year for me has a different significance. On Valentines Day last year I gave up drinking alcohol. Not because I was an alcoholic although I did love my Coors Light and Red Wine and probably partied too much at times but because it was getting in the way of My Life. I wanted to live in reality, I wanted to be fit and healthy, I wanted to be real and I wanted to live in the NOW. This one decision changed My Life forever. I am so grateful that I was able to do it, stick with it and get to enjoy my life properly now. I made this decision because I love myself and want to be the best person I can be for me and for my partner (Mr. Big) and children down the line. #selfishforme #loveyourself  If you are reading this and have been thinking about doing it, don’t think about it any longer, go for it, you wont look back! This was my decision for me though, just to make it clear I don’t judge people that drink in anyway. I am still no saint or little miss perfect by any means haha! It was just My Life choice that I am sharing with you x

And so, the fresh powered snow is on its way, New York, New York is getting ready and I am living for it. I will most definitely be in Central Park when the blizzard arrives and I am dragging Haylea with me, if she likes it or not! I will be all wrapped up and ready to throw some snow balls at passerby’s heehee.. Coffee in the Boathouse and making some sweet memories! I arranged a meetup group and invited girls to come to Brunch with me. There are now 12 lovely girls meeting me for some lovely food, drinks, chats and laughs on Sunday which is exciting. I am looking forward to getting back out there now again, making more friends and widening my circle as I become The Network Queen haha!

Am I forgetting anything…??? Ohhhh yeah my date! So he was lovely, a real New Jersey boy. Very polite, funny and charming. The company was easy, we chatted for ages, he picked up the tab, proper gentleman, we gave each other a hug goodbye and left. It was just perfect for my first date in New York City and getting me out there on the dating scene. I have a feeling we will be good friends.

Should I continue to Tinder Date? haha! I am in no rush to meet this man of mine. I know it is going to happen, it could be this year it could be next, I am by no means desperate or panicked, again, quite the opposite and really enjoying being. With this in mind, next week is a busy week for me with lots organised to see and do. You and I never know who I am going to meet in this fabulous New York State of Mind! So I guess that is my answer for now, but I will continue to enjoy window shopping… (wink!) It is New York after all…

…and Valentines Day is only around the corner!

Love&Happiness…

Jennypennyxx💘