Hey, blog buddies! The first part of my July vlog is here… and it captures a pretty big shift! I don’t know about you, but change is feeling pretty good right now. After locking down for the pandemic for months in our cramped apartment, we knew it was time to take the leap and find a new place to call home.
In my June vlog I’d mentioned that we unexpectedly found a place that felt ideal and we got approved for it. I signed the lease and we rented it without actually going to see it in person (major yikes, in my 15 years of living in NYC I never thought I would do that… but, #pandemictimes).
Well, the mysterious abode is finally revealed! This vlog features our very first official visit to the new place after it became ours, an empty apartment tour, some soothing rooftop views of Brooklyn, and a tribute to our old apartment.
Check out the vlog here:
2020 has had a lot of twists and turns, but for us, this one was pretty epic. I hadn’t imagined we’d have the chance to move to a new place this summer after a winter and spring that inspired so many hopeless, “stuck” feelings.
But I also credit the pandemic and quarantining in our old place by allowing us to take the leap. When you spend that much time inside an apartment that’s not right for you… something has to give!
Our last apartment was our first official home together and we made a lot of memories there. E actually moved in with me in 2018. And honestly, we’d been unofficially living together for years before that. ๐คซ But we’ve always had roommates and less-than-ideal living situations. This one is finally ours.
Thanks for watching! Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell if you like content about creative living and everyday magic. I’m trying to hit 100 subscribers by 2021! ๐
Look for part 2 coming soon.
Here’s to the future and making it brighter.
P.S. Need some tips on finding an apartment in NYC? Check out the post I wrote after seeking out apartments in various neighborhoods for over a decade:
How To Find An Apartment In NYC: A Serial Mover’s Whimsical Guide
Important!ย
You canโt make a post about moving to/within New York City without mentioningย gentrification. The ever-increasing influx of new residents has caused real estate inflation, problematic development, and over-policing.
It’s our job to do something to counter the negative impacts our presence might be having. If youโre financially secure and living in the city, especially in neighborhoods where gentrification is causing marginalized communities to be displaced, make sure youโre giving back in some way. You can do this by doing things likeโฆ
ย Supporting local small businesses instead of large chainsย (groceries, clothing and home goods stores, etc). Walk around your neighborhood to find these places and make a point of patronizing them.
ย Donating time, money, and resources to local organizations, both neighborhood-specific and citywide. Here are a few I give to:
Bushwick Ayuda Mutuaย is a network of Bushwick neighbors supporting neighbors.ย Update 2020:ย This is the organization that fed over 2K Bushwick residents during the COVID-19 crisis and continues to do great work.
Clean Bushwick Initiativeย is committed to cleaning up parks and streets as well as connecting the community through environmental awareness, education, art, and fun.
Bushwick City Farmsย provides free food, access to space and education programs for community members. They operate by a โgive what you can, take what you needโ philosophy.
Brooklyn Bail Fundย supports those impacted by a discriminatory justice system that targets BIPOC and low-income communities. They also created theย Immigrant Freedom Fund.
Girls Write Nowย is a writing and mentoring organization for NYC girls and gender non-conforming youth.
Materials For The Artsย collect arts and crafts supplies for NYC educators to utilize in their classrooms and programs.
EV Loves NYCย delivers free food to those who need it most in NYC.
There are many moreย here.
ย Participating in street clean-ups and grassroots neighborhood projectsย without making it aboutย yourย involvement. There are so many of these, including projects initiated by some of the organizes listed above. Google projects in your neighborhood, pay attention to local signage and local social media content.
A recent project co-founded by my friend Fei isย Plants For The People Brooklyn. They provide free plant clippings, gardening tools, and information about growing plants to community members. They also participate in street cleanups.
ย Be a good neighbor.ย People will always want to live in this city. Itโs magical, challenging, and inspiring. The memories you can make here are unreal. But yes, your presence will impact people. After all, itโs home to many, even though itโs treated as a playground by some people passing through.
Whichever neighborhood you pick, commit to being a good neighbor. Consider giving back in a tangible way. Many neighborhoods have blogs dedicated to them so you can keep tabs on local politics and happenings.
And itโs not said enough, but just be friendlyโฆย andย know when to mind your business. Thatโs the magic formula for living in NYC.
