Adventure – Eat – Drink – Love: Together
If I (or Music As Language) has been essential for you, I’m going to ask for a huge favor. We are in need of support and help to keep things going. Here’s how you can make sure that we are there for future generations of artists, musicians, students, and families.
Tiny island…tons of people…tiny spaces. What did we really “need”? And, what could we improve to make the best use of the space? We decided that saving money on rent would be worth the upfront investment. We’ve spent quite a bit of money on our space-saving ideas. But, we will make the money back in rent/real estate saving within two years!
This week, we’re breaking down our top 5 “Socially Distant” spots you can enjoy this summer. I’m betting that there are plenty of places you’ve never been within a few hundred miles of your home! Check it out and let me know if there are others I’ve missed! I love to learn about new hidden spots!
Lastly, this week was the last Manhattanhenge of 2020. It happens four times a year, twice for sunrise and twice for sunsets, where the sun is perfectly centered between the buildings for a glorious view of the city and the moment in time. The clouds put a little bit of a damper on our view of our first Manhattanhenge, but we still saw a pretty amazing sight!
I’ve been here a week, and what I’ve learned is that New Yorkers are a resilient bunch. While the rest of the country was whining about not being able to go get ice cream, this city lost almost all “normal” services and opportunities. They witnessed the horrors of neighbors and friends disappearing to never return. Small businesses shut down in droves… 20% of workers became unemployed… nearly 32,000 have died so far. […]
Who, except a couple of crazy people, would sell three cars, liquidate a business, downsize their entire life, and sell a house in the middle of a pandemic and economic collapse? No one. I’ve decided that we are absolutely out of our minds. But, that’s exactly what we’ve done.
I probably would’ve spent this week broken with those thoughts to process by themselves. However, 2020 is pushing all of us to face more than we ever thought imaginable. The brutal death with such raw footage of George Floyd aired for all of us. The flood of emotions hit us like a tsunami.
Noah and I have been preparing since October to move from sunny California to the Empire State. We had arranged everything with our work, we had told our family and friends, we had found an apartment and signed a lease. We were three weeks away from our big move when quarantine struck Santa Clara County.
As the world slowly starts to reopen and we socially distance outside of the home, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past eight weeks. There have been plenty of ups and downs in the world around us, in our relationship, in our relationship with our cats, and with our ever growing wanderlust.
Are you celebrating? I think that finding reasons to throw a party (no matter how small) is especially important in times of high stress and crisis. I’ve noticed that on the days I create a “special occasion” in our house, both of our spirits are lifted. If you have children, it’s even MORE important to create a bit of normalcy in celebratory ways. And, if you’re alone, find a reason to bust out the champagne and special chocolates! YOU are worth it!
I can only picture going back into the world being a little bit like Groundhog’s Day. I think that when the time comes, it will be difficult for me to not see my shadow and run right back into my cave.
The light at the end of this tunnel shines brightly. Don’t think this is end. The earth is using this time; it’s healing itself. People around the world are coming together to show compassion and love for their fellow man. Animals are taking over their natural habitats and enjoying their time for freedom. And, we will too. This too shall pass.