Holy cow! To think that it’s been three months since I’ve moved to New York City! What!
To be honest, I still can’t believe that I’m living in the city of my dreams but let’s take a little rewind.
August 2014. I had just graduated college in May and went traveling all over Europe and came back to the United States (another blog on why you need to travel solo soon!). My youngest sister was heading to college in up state New York and on the way to dropping her off, our family decided to stop in New York City to visit for the first time as adults. It was the first time that I saw such a vibrant and electric city with so much energy (much like my personality)! My parents got on Good Morning America even though they could care less to see celebrities! Shawn Mendes was performing and I had no idea who he was at the time, or why so many little girls were screaming his name! He walked past my brother and I and we just laughed and took it all in.
That night, we had visited Times Square, and that was when it really hit me, that I enjoy fast paced energy with tons of people! I’ve always been a people person! My parents said that when I was a toddler, we’d be at the mall and I’d be running up to strangers to give them hugs. (Looking back from my parents perspective that’s pretty terrifying lol!) My dad saw what he calls “Times Square Baby” (a really creepy man in a baby costume) and it’s an ongoing joke with him and I to this day!
We went to Ithaca and set my sister up at her college and returned home. Since then, I couldn’t get New York out of my mind, but what I had to focus on was getting a job. I got a job in Boulder, Colorado working an Inside Sales Engineer! It was there that I met some of the greatest people and learned so much about business and people dynamics. During that time, I really realized more of my personality strengths and weaknesses. I love color! I love prints! I love beauty! I love nature and the colors that they present throughout the year! I love intricate architecture! I love art! I love music! I love emotions! I love spontaneity! I love deep meaningful conversations with people! That was when I realized, I was like Ariel and I wanted something more!
September 2017. I decided that I wanted to go visit New York City again and went to New York by myself to attend New York Fashion Week (NYFW). I was staying in Midtown at 45th and Lexington Ave. It was late at night when I arrived so I showered and went to bed. I woke up the next morning, looked out of my hotel window, from the ninth floor to see so many people down below and thought “this is insane! I love it!” I daydreamed a little bit about living here and then realized I had a show to go to. I logged in to this app and asked who was going to the fashion show that I was supposed to attend! Two ladies respond asking if we can meet up one of them is Neelab. I get to the show venue and stand in line. Neelab meets me and as we wait in line we talk and laugh about literally EVERYTHING! I still cannot believe it, but we hit it off almost immediately, as though we’ve been friends for many years! She’s wearing this gorgeous maroon dress and she has such a contagious smile and laugh that as we are discussing our lives and journeys I thought “there is something special about her!” We head into the show and afterwards, we grab pizza at Chelsea Market before heading to the next show! For the rest of Fashion Week, we hang out, and we realize “oh my gosh we literally have to be friends outside of this!” (yes that is our lingo!) Not to mention, anytime the two of us are together something crazy goes down and boy do we have STORIES! But that will have to be for another blog post! (Maybe a video) The rest of the year, we keep in touch send each other advice, discuss our blogs etc.
As I’m flying back to Denver from New York City, I become emotional because I felt like I was leaving home to come visit my family in Denver.
When I realized that wasn’t the case, I began crying (Vanessa really? Why were you so emotional? lol). I was so upset at my reality and that’s when I knew I had to move to New York City!
Since going back to work, all that was on my mind was New York, New York City, New York. I swear it was like an annoying tick or something. That was all that I could think, act, say, do, talk about (sorry to all the people I annoyed lol). I thought, maybe I am crazy, and so I read my Bible and prayed (the only thing that keeps me level headed). Every time I would think New York, I’d be like “God, there it is again. If I am not supposed to be there, make the thought go away.” The thoughts kept coming, and kept coming more frequently. Almost like a major headache. There were signs GALORE that I was supposed to be here. From me meeting people, from random texts, to dreams, etc. Finally, I said ok fine! And I became proactive at my search for making the move.
May 2018. I decided to take a trip to NYC again and do all non-touristy things to see if I actually wanted to live here. I also went to look for potential neighborhoods to live in. This lady drove me all around Brooklyn and showed me different apartments (HMU if you’re trying to move to NYC cause she’s amazing), places to eat, etc.I walked around midtown with my resumes in hand and got kicked out of buildings for trying to come in without a badge or an appointment (embarrassing and being proactive like they taught you in school is not recommended here lol). I cried a lot during this trip. I got turned down by jobs and dudes who couldn’t speak. I got asked out by a French man riding his bike the wrong way through New York traffic (SMH) as my phone was dying and I was trying to get an UBER to where I was staying. I showed up late to interviews cause I was lost. I went to the wrong location for interviews because I was lost. I got yelled at by a doorman. I got called an “idiot” by a doorman. Some guy bites me at this brunch place. Some other guy tries to get me to go to his apartment. I lost my phone and got to maneuver through the city the old school way (with a MAP! I KNOW RIGHT!). I cried for 2 hours while lost in some coffee shop in Brooklyn without a phone or money and tried to hide in the bathroom so people could not see me crying. I hung out with Neelab again. I somehow made new connections. I hung out with friends that already lived here, got encouraged by friends here and the same thing happened as I flew home. I felt like I was leaving NY to visit my family.
This may seem like a lot to got through in 4 days, but in the midst of what may have seemed like a horrible trip, God was teaching me that I was in my comfort zone back in CO. That little trip taught me that in the frustrating times, there is still beauty that surrounds and you have to search for it. As I was lost in Brooklyn, I found the prettiest park and the cutest little vintage shop that a gorgeous purple velvet chair and beautiful rugs. As I got kicked out of buildings in NYC, I ended up getting the # and website for people to call to give my resume to. There were people that stepped in after I was bit and harassed. There was a sweet man on the subway who told me the correct way to go and drew out a map for me to get where I was going. Someone had FOUND MY PHONE and agreed to meet me. The coffee shop stayed open after hours solely for me to be safe to meet the guy that had found my phone. The French man and I texted for a while and had some great chats. I met this stunning of a man UBER driver and we had the most intimately intellectual conversation. I offered to pay the man who had my phone or at least get him a coffee or something and he refused to take anything. You see, it’s the juxtaposition drew me in. It drew me in to the city that never sleeps. The city that people claim is filled with rudeness and lewdness is also sweet and pure. I had been wanting to get out of my comfort zone because comfort keeps you stagnant. In the midst of the bad, I realized there was so much more good. This time, God’s a millionth sign to me was clearer than day “Vanessa, I need you here to grow.”
I came to Denver and the next few months, I was on a rigorous search for apartments and jobs just trying to get this NY thing to work. Finally, I went to my work and asked them if I could be a permanently remote employee. They had turned it down because they were not quite ready to let my new position be remote. BUT, they did say that I could work remote for a month. “DONE!” I thought, but told them I needed to rest on it. I contacted maybe 20 people as potential roommates, asked them tons of important questions and finally found some that clicked.
August 6, 2018. My dad and I drove to the airport. My dad was flying to San Francisco the same day. I said goodbye to him at security and I was on my way. I was scared and nervous but to be honest I knew that God had called me here and that this place was where I was supposed to be!My flight was delayed due to rain in the city and so we landed in North Carolina or something (can’t remember). Then the plane ran out of gas so we landed in Albany, got gas, and finally arrived in NYC. As I’m in the taxi, I’m looking around thinking “holy cow I’m here what!” And realizing that this is my new neighborhood. I show up to my apartment and one of my roommates welcomes me and helps me carry my two gigantic suitcases up the stairs. (If you’re reading this, thank you!) Flying on Southwest is the best because I was able to carry most of the things I needed immediately in the two suitcases that fly free! I had also shipped a few boxes that would come later in the week. That night, I blew up my mattress put on a sheet and pillow, (thanks again roomie!) lied down with a sigh of relief and taking it all in, “OK, this is my new place!”
A few months before I had met up with one of my now blogger friends and she had started a group of influencers and bloggers and so the very next day I went to my first event in New York City at Winky Luxe. From there on, I immersed myself in events because if there is one thing that I do know about myself, it’s that when I don’t have friends, community or a social life, I’ll keep dwelling on the past instead of embracing the now and the future. I made it my first priority was to find a church or two (Hope Hill and Hillsong) and get involved with fashion events as much as I possibly could!
3-4 nights a week, I’ve been attending events solo and meeting some amazing people along the way! Most of these events were networking events for people within the fashion industry. From these events, I’ve met people, connected with them, and those connections have turned into little gigs that I would work on here and there, from photography, to helping assist with events, to running social media for brands, and to most recently, working as an assistant for a coat designer! On Thursday I start a new job with a fashion company that encourages color, glitter, neon and people! I still can’t believe it!
What’s crazy is that if you would have told me two years ago that I’d be living in New York City and working in fashion I would’ve totally laughed at you! Guys the things I would dream about as a little girl are starting to become my LIFE!
If there is any dream you have and you want to make it a reality, surround yourself with people who encourage you to do so.
XOXO
Vanessa S.
Photos By @rfoos who also has a full on creative business here!