By: Naomi
The Weekend Edition, Travel

The Weekend Edition: Mehreen

Every Monday, you will get to read a post by a twenty-something answering some questions about their weekend, how they balance financial needs and brunch needs, their favorite spots around town and whether everyone really experiences FOMO. If you want to be featured, email edition@anotherlongweekend.com

NAME, AGE, HOMETOWN, OCCUPATION?

Hello readers! My name is Mehreen. I was born and raised in the city of gardens called Lahore in a beautiful and often misrepresented country called Pakistan. I moved to the U.S. a few years ago and my family and I settled in Washington D.C. So I guess I have two hometowns now! I did my undergrad from George Washington University in D.C., where I majored in Biology and English and found amazing friends like Ms. Naomi. Currently I am a graduate student at the New York University pursuing a Master’s in Global Public Health.

Source: Ferrara NYC

WHAT WERE YOUR ORIGINAL PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND AS OF FRIDAY AFTERNOON? DID ANY FALL THROUGH?

As of Friday afternoon, my plan was to cozy up in my room at night, eat a tub of ice-cream and binge watch Criminal Minds. That plan did fall through and I almost finished 20 episodes in one sitting. (Don’t judge me – we have all done that at least once).
But Saturday was very exciting and eventful. The lovely city of New York is currently hosting the 11-day San Gennaro festival in Little Italy so my friends and I decided to join in the celebrations. San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) is the Patron saint of Naples, Italy and in Italy, this is a one day religious holiday commemorating the Saint and is celebrated by numerous Catholics and Italians in Southern Italy. Having been to Italy recently, I was enamored by the familiar, yet somewhat distinct, sites and smells as we entered Mulberry St (the center of Little Italy). One of my friends who was born, raised and lives in Italy now also accompanied us and didn’t fail to constantly inform us, “This is not how we do it in Italia.” But the parade was beautiful and magical almost, with a cacophony of sounds – from Italian opera singers, to a float representing the different costumes of different regions in Italy to the procession of the statue of San Gennaro. I understood my friend’s sentiments however, because the feast and parade in Little Italy, New York, is the result of decades of migration and adaptation, as Italian immigrants put their own unique twist on festivals from their home land.
Sunday was spent shopping in Union Square, eating around Washington Square park and studying in Bobst library!
Source: New York University

HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU SPEND?

In all, I think I spent $100 this weekend – which is a lot, but that’s because of the sneaky shopping spree on Sunday. (Had to get good, memory foam walking shoes). I spent $64 on shoes. $10 eating my weight in two slices of pizza (breakfast and lunch together), two vanilla cream cannolis and soda at the San Gennaro festival. $15 at Ramen Takumi (my favorite Ramen spot in Greenwich Village). $5 on Taro Milk Bubble Tea from Kung Fu Tea near Washington Square park. $6 on a chocolate tart from Five Stuy Cafe, in Stuyvesant Town, East Village. Other than that, I had already done my grocery for the week, so I cooked lunch on Friday and dinner on Saturday and Sunday at home.

WERE YOU HAPPY WITH HOW YOUR WEEKEND TURNED OUT? WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU DID?

I was very happy with my weekend. I need to have a good balance of work and play, otherwise I fail to adult properly. So I would say it was a splendid weekend. I went out, explored the city, went to something that I hadn’t been to before, gave myself downtime and also got some work done. I do wish that I got in some exercise outside over the weekend since the weather had been good.

Source: Heard County

ANY FUN PLANS FOR NEXT WEEKEND?

Fun plans for next weekend…. let’s see… my friends want to go apple picking somewhere upstate on Saturday! So I hope that pans out because that would be fun! I also want to explore the parks on FDR drive (so that’s east downtown) on Sunday. And my friend is hosting her 25th birthday party on Friday night, so it’s gun get lit!

YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BEST SPOT ON THE WEEKENDS?

I would suggest Wicked Willie’s in Greenwich Village as a cool bar/club. It has a sports bar attached to it and also has live music on certain days of the week with really cool local artists. The music gets popping late at night and they have good DJs rotating in shifts.
I would also recommend Think Coffee (over other coffee shops that we always go to). Think Coffee uses sustainable coffee beans and gives back to the community where their coffee is sourced from and might I add – it’s the best coffee I have had in the U.S. period. (Whenever I drink their coffee I feel like I am in some quaint European cafe). Their Spanish Latte is a must drink!
And a fun activity to do in New York would be to check out all the parks near the piers!
Follow Mehreen on Instagram at @globalesque for amazing travel photos!
Check out The Weekend Edition every week to read all about the weekends of young millennials in the area! If you would like to be featured, email edition@anotherlongweekend.com