As of yesterday it has officially been 2 years since I’ve moved to New York. In the beginning it was really difficult. Ben and I moved to the city with no money and very little job security. It was risky, but since I wasn’t working and had no apartment in Boston, it was the only viable option. While I don’t recommend doing this, sometimes it helps to throw yourself in the water. You’ll learn to swim, and I promise eating ramen is better than living with your parents. Anyways, Ben and I had only been together for about 6 months at this point. But we were zero to one-hundred. So again, I can’t exactly endorse my own decisions– but my instincts about our relationship were right!! I’d recommend saving 2 months rent and knowing your partner for a minimum of a year, but yolo.
In the last year I watched about 15 seasons of Survivor, but I promise my social life is thriving. I’ve met new people this year and strengthened existing friendships. My weekends are booked with brunch, and I have at least two happy hours a week. I may go out to bars on weekends drastically less than when I lived in Boston, but I’m far from lonely. In two weeks i’m doing a high tea for my birthday and was surprised how quickly my guest list filled up! I’m doing my best to take full advantage of my surroundings. In the last year I’ve seen 3 Broadway shows (4 since moving to the city) + I have plans to see Waitress with Ben on my birthday in 2 weeks!
I’ve spent 1.5 of these 2 years working at Petrossian, and i’m really happy there. I had the opportunity to design a “Romantic Night In” basket for Valentine’s Day, which made me realize my interest in product development. The occasional champagne tastings and salmon samplings don’t hurt either. Fashion seemed like my obvious career path for so many years, but I absolutely love the fine-food space. Eventually I’d love to work for myself, but this is honestly the best job I could imagine. It’s indescribable how much better your life becomes when you find a job you enjoy. Don’t limit yourself to what you’ve always done, otherwise you’ll prevent yourself from discovering new interests. Ask me anything about caviar!!
We’ve signed our lease for another year in our Astoria apartment. Next year we’re going to have to upgrade, but we keep making it better. When we moved in we basically exclusively had free furniture, and we’ve come a LONG way. Now I can proudly say that none of our furnishing came from the trash! Yay us. Next year we’re going to upgrade to a bigger apartment. Perhaps then the dining room table won’t double as my second closet.
Overall it’s been another exciting year in the city that never sleeps– though I usually get at least 8 hours. I’m looking forward to another year of adventure in my favorite city, with my favorite person. If you’re considering moving to New York, I can’t recommend it enough. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have, just put them in the comment section below 🙂
