Sorry, We're Open





There's some advice that you hear all the time. But no one really seems to listen to it. Like in every beauty article I read, I mean those ones written by 70 year old women who look like they're 45, giving their best beauty advice, they always say that wearing sunscreen everyday is their number one secret. I've read it atleast six times. It seems totally valid, and fairly simple and yet not everyone is wearing sunscreen every day. Recently I bought a super natural, good-for-your-skin-sunscreen...I think it's time I start using this kind of advice to my advantage. And let's be honest, I'm the farthest thing from tan...might as well embrace the pale and work towards a gorgeous middle aged face.

The other one people without a doubt always say they regret is not traveling when they were young. They find a great job, get tied down, one thing leads to another, get married, and boom...there's suddenly no time for whimsical month long adventures and no chance to drop everything and just move somewhere crazy.  This one is always in the back of my head.

After five years of any number of roommates, dorms, and rented rooms...I simply cannot wait to have a place of my own. I think about decorating an apartment and having dinner parties at least once a day. I'm so ready.  And yet there it is, the fact that I'm only 23 and while the daunting 25 makes me feel as if I'm quickly getting older by the second, I'm really a child in the scheme of things.  A child who has some skills that could really be put to use in just about any part of the world. You can cook, photograph, or farm anywhere. So, what's the rush? I have to remind myself quite often that this is my time. It's all about me. It's my time to explore, to make spur of the moment decisions (mostly because when you're 23 and tied to very little, why not?), to move to a big city, to work my butt off for a really minimal salary or apprentice for people simply so I can learn and soak up all their skills and knowledge.  Twenty three is the perfect time for this, and forty three usually isn't. This is what I need to remember. Because in twenty years I want to say I took the risks and landed on my feet (because let's be honest, it's not always glamorous...but we usually do land on our feet), I learned from the best and made a name for myself.  Maybe I wasn't rolling in the big bucks, but that comes with time and hard work, from learning from as many people as possible and turning it into my own skill, and feeling damn lucky that I am able to take these chances at this point in the game.




** All pictures from a pre-graduation trip to the city; Unbeatable baked goods (get the Kabocha Canotto!!) at Sullivan Street Bakery, Mexican Street Corn at Cafe Habana, and Greek yoghurt treats at Chobani Soho- the perfect spot for a healthy snack**

4 comments:

  1. Congratulations on graduating, Ilana. And yet, I know that's an awkward thing to say. I remember leaving college and being like "why congrats?, I am clueless and confused about what to do next. I've accomplished a degree, sure, but now what?" Maybe you feel similarly, maybe you don't but I'm confident that whether you decide to break out or settle in, you're going to do great.

    Go get 'em.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You so perfectly expressed so many of the things that are always on the back-burner of my mind - the one where I worry about things. I'm also 23 (and from Boston! cool stuff)and I'm so torn between working my butt of so I can move to the country to build my dream house and start a little farm ASAP or taking 6 months and half my savings to just gallivant about the world. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with your next few years!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes! how amazing would it be to settle down on a precious little farm and grow tons of produce, someday. someday it will happen. gallivanting around the world?! would anything be more incredible? Probably not. DO IT!! by the way, I've been a big fan of your blog.

      Delete
  3. When my fiance and I first moved in together we hosted dinner parties at least once a month and would trade off hosting with our friends! We'd have someones house to go to once a week and it was the best time spent!

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...