The last two weeks I had in New York were an incredible flurry that made me finally, truly, irrevocably fall in love with the city. What I love is that you can do anything, be anyone, at anytime and anyplace, and nothing and no one will stop you. For me, not only was this exhilarating, but incredibly freeing.
Although I didn't find a full time career option before it was time for me to come home for the holidays, I know this isn't the end of my time in New York. I recently met for the first time with Greta Eagan, a woman whose client I work for. Greta runs her own eco-fashion business called FASHIONmeGREEN and works as a consultant on independent projects related to this topic. One of her projects is TantesHaus, for which I am a contributing weekly writer. As we sat in the 4 o'clock light the Crosby Street Hotel, sipping on verbena mint infusions amongst plush jewel tone seating and hushed lighting and floor to cieling windows- she told me two things that really stuck with me. The first was this- New York will always be here. It will always be here, waiting for you to come back. It won't leave.
Although this may seem like she was pointing out the obvious, it somehow comforted me. When I decided to leave New York (just a few days before my departure date), I was excited to see my family for the holidays but disappointed to be leaving a place so soon, right as I was starting to get the rhythm of it, as I was starting to build upon connections, as I was starting to make new friends and reconnect with old ones. Greta reminded me that none of this is lost, New York will still be there for me.
The second thing that Greta told me was related to my career. When I was discussing with her about my thoughts and opinions and options (over another glass of fresh mint infusion tea), she looked at me for a minute, then asked, "What did you like to do when you were 8?" Nobody had asked me this before, and I didn't really remember very well. She told me to ask my parents, grandparents, friends and family and see if there was a common theme to their responses. She said that oftentimes, how we are in the world as children- things and activities and ways of being we are naturally drawn to- are indicators of our true passions and interests. Come to think of it, I don't think she is too off base here. It has been some of the most simple and clear-cut career advice I've ever received. So, to all you people who know me very well- what did I like to do when I was 8?
And just so you all know- I wore the coat that was passed down to me from Nana- the 'rich bitch' coat as we lovingly call it. Tea length, princess seams, double breasted, huge fur collar and cuffs in all of its glory- was worn to afternoon tea with Greta, to a bus ride on the Greyhound, and to an early dinner with friends. All with jeans and a tee shirt and boots I could pound some pavement in. Because if I wore it to the opera, or wore it with a dress, or wore it with some little velvet heels, it would be too easy. Because in New York, you can dress like rockstar if the mood strikes you!
Although I didn't find a full time career option before it was time for me to come home for the holidays, I know this isn't the end of my time in New York. I recently met for the first time with Greta Eagan, a woman whose client I work for. Greta runs her own eco-fashion business called FASHIONmeGREEN and works as a consultant on independent projects related to this topic. One of her projects is TantesHaus, for which I am a contributing weekly writer. As we sat in the 4 o'clock light the Crosby Street Hotel, sipping on verbena mint infusions amongst plush jewel tone seating and hushed lighting and floor to cieling windows- she told me two things that really stuck with me. The first was this- New York will always be here. It will always be here, waiting for you to come back. It won't leave.
Although this may seem like she was pointing out the obvious, it somehow comforted me. When I decided to leave New York (just a few days before my departure date), I was excited to see my family for the holidays but disappointed to be leaving a place so soon, right as I was starting to get the rhythm of it, as I was starting to build upon connections, as I was starting to make new friends and reconnect with old ones. Greta reminded me that none of this is lost, New York will still be there for me.
The second thing that Greta told me was related to my career. When I was discussing with her about my thoughts and opinions and options (over another glass of fresh mint infusion tea), she looked at me for a minute, then asked, "What did you like to do when you were 8?" Nobody had asked me this before, and I didn't really remember very well. She told me to ask my parents, grandparents, friends and family and see if there was a common theme to their responses. She said that oftentimes, how we are in the world as children- things and activities and ways of being we are naturally drawn to- are indicators of our true passions and interests. Come to think of it, I don't think she is too off base here. It has been some of the most simple and clear-cut career advice I've ever received. So, to all you people who know me very well- what did I like to do when I was 8?
And just so you all know- I wore the coat that was passed down to me from Nana- the 'rich bitch' coat as we lovingly call it. Tea length, princess seams, double breasted, huge fur collar and cuffs in all of its glory- was worn to afternoon tea with Greta, to a bus ride on the Greyhound, and to an early dinner with friends. All with jeans and a tee shirt and boots I could pound some pavement in. Because if I wore it to the opera, or wore it with a dress, or wore it with some little velvet heels, it would be too easy. Because in New York, you can dress like rockstar if the mood strikes you!
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