Well, i finally have a computer and turns out my facebook feed has just become a never-ending catalog of ice bucket challenges, wedding posts, or recent engagements. All good things i guess, but the redundancy ultimately led me here.
The summer has drawn to a close, and with it my time in New York City. With school starting tomorrow I think it's as good a time as ever to talk bout my experience there. Truth be told I went back and forth with my love when it comes to the city, but in the end I felt it was an incredible experience. I loved my internship. really, I absolutely loved every minute of it. I worked with the nicest people, who taught me so much. I immediately felt like I was part of the team. I felt valued. With the high expectations, I set out to be the best intern as I could. I already feel more equipped to produce better work. As much as I would have loved to stay at Martha, I knew I needed this next year of school. This final year feels pregnant with possibility. I'm genuinely excited to start school again. I feel like my tastes have been refined, and my technical skills improved. With that I'm ready to tackle a BFA project and possibly create some stellar pieces of work.
When people ask me how new york was I always start with "pretty good" and then end up talking about my apartment getting broken into, how hard-drives failed, or how I had to deal with some really paralyzing anxiety attacks. But to be honest, all this was not indicative of my actual summer. So, I feel the following list is absolutely necessary (and unnecessarily long).
THINGS I'LL MISS ABOUT NEW YORK The Pace.
I get the sense that collectively we're all anxious to move things forward. to be innovative and successful. Ambition is ubiquitous, and nothing thrills me more.This I would find myself walking as if I was in a hurry because I was just keeping the pace of the collective commuters, and then find myself 15 minutes early to work.
Crossing the street.
Uhm hi. hello. can we just all adopt a new york attitude when it comes to crossing the street? If there are no cars coming, cross. if there are still cars coming, stay put. I hate waiting for that stupid taunting signal if unnecessary. New York understands that. New York gets me.
The Highline.
which, according to wikipedia, is technically a park? It was so close to my work, that I found myself walking it often. *bonus points if you also knew it was branded by Pentagram*
Lunch at Bicotti's.
More specifically their watermelon lemonade, which we could only acquire every couple of days because IT'S THAT FRESH. oh, and their olive bread. but really that lemonade might actually contain highly addictive substances, because i still find myself craving it on a daily basis. The withdrawals are rough I tell ya.
Muji!
The absolute minimalism and beauty of every product is just a dream. A company that values form, and beauty. I love Japanese stuff, guys. and so will you once you experience muji. Also, if you have a thing for beautiful office supplies, you have a thing for muji.
Museums
Most museums close around 5, so if you work a full time job, you can't really get to them until the weekend. Which honestly felt like punishment for being an adult, right? So museums became my favorite after church activity. I really can't tell you how exciting it was for this art nerd to be surrounded by influential and thought-provoking art no at every corner. I'm a big fan of the MoMA, and the Met, but the Guggenheim was on point this summer with it's italian futurist exhibit. also by virtue of being the Guggenheim in general with it's jaw-dropping architecture and junk *a moment of respect for frank lloyd wright plx&thx*
The Subway
yes. I'm very much going to miss the subway. Because there really is no better avenue for people watching. There are absolutely no shortage of weirdos and freaks in New York. those are my favorite kinds of people. You see the odd and the fabulous and everything in between. I also miss having a 45 minute commute where 2/3s of it is underground with no service which meant time to read. READ GUYS. which brings me to my next item...
Reading!
So when we were touring studios in March we were advised by one particularly successful designer to read a book a week. I thought he was crazy. I thought, surely no modern and relevant person actually has time for it. But guys. WE TOTALLY DO. well almost. I was reading a new book about every 1.5-2 weeks I was there. It's just the most obvious choice when on that subway ride to work. It was marvelous. I felt so informed. It's something that I'm definitely going to try and continue. It brought me so much more inspiration and happiness. go books! (i regret to inform you that it did not help my grammar problems. #sorrynotsorry #butactuallytremendouslysorry)
Neighborhood Noises
There was a cat that lived nearby our apartment which was either in heat or being murdered every night, and for some twisted reason knowing that cat was there felt like one of the sounds of home. Also I'll actually miss the weekly hispanic jams that would play all through the night once the weekend hit.
Dominican Ice
I'm not sure if that is just a name my roommates and i just started using, or actually what it is called... But at any rate it's divine. Picture the love child of gelato and shaved ice. Now picture that in a dixie cup for only a dollar. Coconut. Yum. Plz. Dominican Ice 4EVA.
Brooklyn Side Skyline
My favorite view of the city was from Dumbo park. I spent a few really awesome times, with some equally awesome humans looking at Manhattan from Brooklyn. And I gotta tell ya, it just doesn't get old.
Harlem Sundays
For the first month of my time there, I was going to church in Harlem. Guys. Harlem is my favorite place on Sundays. I wish I had the ability to absolutely and unequivocally rock the ensembles that the beautiful black women would break out every sunday. Seriously I wanted them to adopt me. They were so kind and beautiful. Walking the few blocks from the subway to the church meant walking through the kindest of folks all wishing you a happy sunday and finishing with a good ole "God Bless You." So many happy feels.
Convenient Whole Foods Locations
there is nothing quite as wonderful as a good ole stop at Whole Foods to get a big ole salad. Guys. seriously though, Thank the heavens above that Columbus Circle had a whole foods. Just a quick jump off the A train and there ya have it, the most glorious after work nom noms. Now if i want a whole foods salad, I gotta get all the way to Salt Lake. ugh. first world probleeeeems.
Navigating
I won't lie, there is something pretty comforting when you start to recognize different areas in town. Like, oh I know this! This is Chelsea! Oh look i'm in Greenwich now, oh hay, now I'm in the Financial District! It felt like I was just starting to orient myself a little better, which made me feel just a little bit more at home. Despite the fact that Google Maps and Embark NYC were my best friends for the most part.
Walking Everywhere
It's kind of awesome how much New Yorkers walk. For instance, my office was .8 miles from the nearest subway station, so everyday I was walking at least 1.5 miles just to get to and from work. and for the most part it was incredible pleasant. It's gotten to a point where at any given time, if the destination was a mile away we were going to walk and there was no question about it.
Church
There was something about the wards I attended in New York that just made me feel so much more at home than I had ever really felt anywhere else. There are a lot of hard questions you deal with being a Mormon, there are a lot of internal battles you face to assert and reaffirm your faith. A lot of the time we don't talk about them because we worry people will assume that it is representative of weak faith. I felt like the wards I attended in New York were full of people who were as comfortable as I am asking the hard questions, and approaching them from a place of tact and understanding. And for that I am so incredibly grateful.
In the end, this has been one of the best experiences I've had. It was so much different than I had ever expected, but it taught me how to be an adult. How to be a valuable employee. How to be a friend. Living in New York was honestly one of the hardest times for me emotionally. But the strength I have gained, and the excitement I have going into the future is so poignant I feel as if its almost tangible.
I have a feeling this next year will only strength, pull, and test me more. And to that I say:
Bring it on.
