A little Getaway from NYC

I've been in New York long enough to know that occasionally I need to leave. I used to be able to hop on a bus and end up at my sister's house in New Jersey in just forty minutes. Spending a night or the weekend there was restoring. Her kids make me laugh and she makes sensational dinner spreads. It was a beautiful respite from the hustle and bustle here.

Now, I know that I still need those weekends away even though my sister lives very far from here, so I have to make them happen for myself. Last week, in the woods of the Catskills with friends I experienced my first tiny home. The drive up was idyllic, it smelled like the country and grass. Even though the house was tiny, it contained the space required to take a deep breath.

We hit four swimming holes, jumped off rocks, hiked to waterfalls and ate hot dogs for dinner every night. We discussed important things like what it means to roast a marshmallow to perfection, and the best front flip techniques. Our entire crew was comprised of photographers and filmmakers so our only rule was that you had to pull over if someone wanted to get a shot; it is camera club rule number one.

It was only a two day trip, but upon returning I felt like I had been gone for a month. Looking around on the drive back I was surprised that no significant changes had happened to the city, shouldn't it look different by now? All of the New Yorkers were going about business as usual, as if nothing special had happened.

That's when I realized it's never the city that changes, only me.

Video by Brian Chu.

// Thanks to Getaway for hosting us, see more at Werehaus.

From the Sketchbook 02

Pages from my sketchbook this week.

Plants on pink

Feeling ethereal.

5 years in New York

It's been five years, I still remember the exact place I was standing the moment I decided to move here. I pass by that spot from time-to-time, almost always on accident, but I like to pause and take a moment to remember what it felt like that day. It was miserably hot, I remember feeling a sweaty armpit graze me on the subway, and I thought, "this is what it is like to be a New Yorker, and I want that."

New York is the place where I truly grew up. I learned to stand on my own, make mistakes, more mistakes, and also celebrate small successes. It is the place where I learned to say no, but also to say yes even when it doesn't fit in my best laid plans. 

It is a hard place to live. The weather is rarely ideal, it smells bad, there is traffic (both underground and above), it's too crowded, it's expensive, but I would still rather be here than anywhere else.

I was attracted to New York since my very first visit. I always knew I would move here; its magnetic force pulled me in. Ask anyone who lives here, and those who have merely visited, what it is about New York. Almost anyone will say, "I felt an energy there." All of the forces that make it tough to live here, make the people here that much better. New Yorkers have grit, and I like that.

This isn't the type of place that comforts you when things get tough. It trains you to roll with the punches; don't make too many plans, as they will surely get derailed. But, I think, the longer you stay the better you get at it, the less you take it personally when things go wrong. Once you accept the tough stuff as part of the deal, the good things are that much sweeter. 

So, here I am five years in, those years were the worst and best of my life so far. And now that I am finally starting to understand this place. Starting to understand that in order for it to give something to you, you have to give something to it. And I am ready for another five years, when I can finally call myself a New Yorker.

// photo from my first trip to NYC over 15 years ago, taken atop the World Trade Center in 2000.

Campfire

Brian and I made a cinemagraph of Thomas stoking the fire while camping last weekend.

The True Cost

I just watched a documentary called The True Cost (on Netflix!) last week and it was heartbreaking. I already have conflicted feelings with the fashion industry, especially in the United States, and this film confirmed all of my suspicions. It touches on a lot of important subjects like the environmental impact on both ends from production to landfills, the social side about how the people that make your clothes are treated and lastly to a larger picture of consumption in America. This year I have purchased very few pieces of clothing, most of them vintage / thrifted and a few things from Everlane. 

My current list of retailers doing it differently is quite small:

• Everlane
• Cuyana
• Elizabeth Suzann

I am hoping to see more of these ethically minded companies pop up over the next few years. In the meantime, I will keep combing my favorite thrift stores.

Camping with dudes

Last weekend I went camping in New Jersey with Brian and Thomas. See an epic video of our trip by Brian, below.

We went, we filmed, we conquered.

From the Sketchbook 01

New things from the sketchbook. August 2016.