Guest Blog: The End of an Internship by Paige McKenna

So here I am on my last day as a Fun Foodie NYC intern, spending it quite appropriately. When I first researched and applied to this internship it promised fun and food, and well, I'm sitting here holding my stomach from being so extremely full after eating what was without a doubt the best burger I have ever eaten in my life. And no, that is not an exaggeration. I would eat another right now if you placed one in front of me. Umami Burger recently opened [its first NYC location] on Sixth Ave. and I quickly learned it is the heaven of burger joints. From the start, the menu overwhelmed me because I did not see one thing that I wouldn't like. So, I let the chef choose for me. I was served the Original Umami Burger along with fries and an orange Fanta to wash it down. My first bite pretty much sent me into a delicious trance, and every bite after that was mouthwatering satisfaction. This, however, was not even how my last day began. Before I was introduced to Umami, I met up with Adrienne who waited, like a trooper and a Cronut-crazed New Yorker, for three and a half hours to pick us up two Cronuts. So we sat and enjoyed a cocunut filled Cronut, as we killed time until Umami opened. While the pastry was a treat for my morning breakfast and definitely one of the best pastries I've had, I cannot say that I would wait in line for three hours at 6am. That burger on the other hand...that I would wait in line for.

Now that I've got your mouth watering and you are probably craving either a big juicy burger or a sweet treat, I'll reflect on what definitely has been a fun summer interning for Adrienne and Fun Foodie NYC Tours. Growing up in New Jersey and living right next to the train station, I have spent my life commuting into the city. I love it here. As a rising senior in college, it was time for me to start thinking about entering the big scary real world. Towards the end of May I was doing my usual research on fun things that were going on in the city and keeping up with any job opportunities. This is when I came across Fun Foodie NYC Tours. I read the description of the type of intern they were looking to hire: someone who was creative, hardworking, interested in New York and the foodie culture, and interested in marketing and hospitality. Being an English major at a small liberal arts school, I will be honest and tell you that I have no idea what I want to do after college. The internship for Fun Foodie NYC, however, immediately grabbed my attention. So i researched the company, emailed Adrienne, and shortly after met with her over coffee for a quick interview, and surprise! I got the job!

I was very excited to begin working and to help Adrienne lift her company off the ground and promote it to the New York area. I knew I made the right decision pursuing Fun Foodie NYC after my first day on the job: a complimentary food tour through the Upper West Side. I got the history of the area, as well as a milkshake, macaroons, Mexican food, a shrimp roll, and more. Yeah, you could say I was hooked. Over the next couple of months I worked with Adrienne two to three days a week whether it was promoting the tours on Facebook and Twitter, completing any intern busy work, or planning routes and researching different areas for future tours. As a Fun Foodie intern I gained skills in organization, research (and filtering the bad and the good of what I found), and after spending the majority of my time on a laptop and tablet I can confidently say that I do feel more technologically inclined. Along with these skills that will help me in school and in future jobs, I grew so much in the city of New York. I became more familiar with the different areas and neighborhoods. I have almost mastered the subway system (still kicking myself for the amount of money I've wasted all these years on being lazy and taking cabs). I've found a few new favorite restaurants that I can't wait to show off to my friends, and I basically have continued to love New York more and more everyday. If there is one thing this summer has helped me learn about myself, it is that I definitely will be living in New York City at one point in my life, and after interning for Fun Foodie NYC, I will continue to deliciously eat my way through the city as well.

Not to get all sappy, but I am so thankful for this opportunity. I had a summer internship that was unique and fun, and I learned so much about this type of business, New York, and most importantly myself. Working with Adrienne has been a privilege, and I'm so excited for her future interns as I head back to school. She promised fun and food and that is what I got. Since you're reading this, and I am still on duty, I have to promote the tours just one more time. Take one!!! They are fun, informative, incredibly tasty, and the tour guide is beyond great. At the very least, treat yourself to a bite of heaven and go get yourself an Umami burger. Seriously. Best. Burger. Ever.

Paige McKenna is going into her senior year as an English Major/Writing Minor at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. She interned for Fun Foodie NYC Tours from June through Mid-August and was a great help with marketing the tours. Please use the contact form if you'd like to be in touch with Paige. We wish her the best of luck for her senior year and expect to hear great things from her where ever it is her path may lead her!