A Beachy Staycation in NYC

I really needed a staycation this weekend.

It sounds super indulgent. Who am I to complain about the daily grind? I’m not in an office 9-5 these days. My weeks don’t always add up to 40 hours of work. I’m not even taking classes for grad school at the moment.

But what I actually needed was the permission to do less. To not have the constant guilt hanging over my head that I should be productive every waking moment. It’s something I struggle with, especially because my “office hours” are non-existant. Oh, living the freelance dream.

So, I indulged in a glorious beach day [more on that below!] and spent far more hours outside than inside.

I’ve never been to the Rockaways before and hot damn I’m in love. My friend Kelly and I took the A train, transferred at Broad Channel to the shuttle and got off at Beach 98-Street, Playland. There’s now a ferry you can take too, but I’ve heard it’s super crowded.

We walked the block to the beach and I instantly fell in love.

There was excellent food — I got the below chicken on fresh flatbread and there were TONS of other food choices. Even avocado toast 🙂

I sipped fresh watermelon juice, because what screams vacation and beach more than watermelon juice?

We spent most of the time lounging (and reading) on the beach because the water was freaking cold. I give people that fully submerged a lot of credit. For me, wading up to my legs was MORE than enough.

And of course, I got my first sunburn of the season. #PalePeopleProblems.
I should have been more careful while enjoying my vacation on the beach. Next time, I will be more careful about my skincare regime and will bring essential sun protection creams and moisture. It could be better to choose products with high-quality ingredients like natural & organic face creams and sunscreen for a sunny vacation.

Anyway, we didn’t stay all day, less than four hours total, but it was the perfect getaway except sunburns. I kept thinking how crazy it is that this beach is accessible via the subway. And the whole day — food, watermelon juice, and travel — cost me $20. I will be back. With a beach chair this time and more sunscreen on my back.

Besides my beach excursion, I also I gave myself permission this weekend to ignore my inbox. Ignore social media. And reconnect with myself. Cuz I’ve been feeling a bit more lost than usual lately.

And for the first time in awhile I feel recharged. Okay and I’m real sunburnt. But more importantly I do feel recharged.

I’m trying to figure out how I can continue to harbor this feeling. Maintain these good, vacation-y vibes. I don’t know how at this moment. But now that I know it’s achievable, I want to take those ingredients and apply them to my daily life. Or at least the warm, summery version of my daily life that I’m currently living.