The Here & Now | Journal #6
Reflections on the joy of NYC, driving with the windows down, handwritten notes & more.
Hello & Happy Friday!
I learned a big lesson this week about how two things can be true at the same time. Joy and pain can co-exist. You can have a heart-wrenching conversation in the morning, and yet, you can spend the night belly-laughing with a friend. You can experience heartbreak, and yet, you can come home to the nicest handwritten note and hug from someone else who cares about you. It doesn’t mean that life is any less hard or sad, but it does mean that the sadness can co-exist with goodness and happiness.
This is the reason why I felt called to start this journal series in the first place. In our own ways, we all experience this duality of happy and sad as we go about our lives. Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day and every week.
To highlight the good, I spent last weekend road-tripping around the East Coast with a friend who I’ve been lucky enough to know for 18 years. We spent a couple days in NYC, a day in Boston, and a day in Connecticut. We jam-packed as much as possible into our short weekend together, but it was a wonderful mix of exploring, chatting, crying, laughing, walking, and quality time. A perfect weekend.
With that being said, here are 10 things that brought me joy this week…
Dinner with friends in cities where none of us live. Dinner With Friends is one of my favorite songs by Kacey Musgraves, and it starts off with the lyrics “Dinner with friends in cities where none of us live” as she highlights the simple joys of her life. This is without a doubt one of the joys of my life as well. While in NYC, I got to have dinner with two of my closest lifelong friends. None of us live in NYC, but we all happened to serendipitously be there at the same time. We had such a nice night reminiscing about the past and scheming about the future. No matter where in the world we end up, how lucky are we to have each other!
Having the biggest kale salad I have ever seen in my entire life. If you know me, you know that I could easily win a kale salad eating contest. However, I was served the BIGGEST salad I have ever seen at Spring Cafe Aspen in Greenwich Village. When the server came out with the bowl, my friends and I could not stop laughing at how massive this was. Highly recommend the restaurant, but you could easily share this salad with your whole table.
The energy of New York City! This was only my third time visiting NYC, but I am already eagerly planning my next trip back. The energy of the city is truly unmatched, and I now understand why everyone buzzes about it. The people watching, the parks, the honking, the early mornings, the late night ice cream runs, the Subway— it is magical. I will be back…
Watching the penguins play at The New England Aquarium. My friend and I spent at least 30 minutes watching the penguins play at the aquarium in Boston. They had little inner tubes that some of the penguins were lounging in, and there was a screen where you could identify the penguins by name and read about their backstories. We also got to see a sea turtle, Pacific Octopus, mini jellyfish, baby seahorses and more.
Receiving meaningful handwritten notes. In my opinion, handwritten notes are the best gift to give and to receive. I love writing notes for others, but it is equally special when I am gifted a note. I received a few notes this week from family and friends, and it meant so much to me. Let this be a reminder that showing a loved one that you are thinking of them through words is so kind. No money required!
Driving through the countryside with the windows down. My friend who I was visiting lives in Connecticut, and we spent a morning driving around the hills and through the farms listening to Sabrina Carpenter and admiring the cows. This is definitely a hot take, but having the windows down and smelling the fresh grass and manure made me weirdly happy and connected to the Earth.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Ok, I am sorry for hating on this show before watching it. I am now addicted. I watched the entire first season in 2 days, and I am making my way through the second season now. Let me know if you watch this show, I’d love to debrief all the drama.
Tomatoes are back in season. While in NYC, I popped into all my favorite health food markets like Bonberi Mart, Butterfield Market, and Pop Up Grocer. I admired all the produce displays, and this is how I realized that tomatoes are finally back in season! As soon as I got home to San Francisco, I bought ingredients to make a tomato/cucumber/red onion/basil/mint salad with balsamic glaze and Maldon salt. So yummy!
Stumbling upon an estate sale and finding hidden gems. On an afternoon walk this week, I noticed a new store on Polk Street that I typically walk right past. I turned around and went in the store, and discovered they were having a 50% off sale. I found an antique Gorham silver and mother of pearl butter knife, a set of ceramic Japanese tea cups, and a bundle of wild sage— all for $20. It’s been so fun gathering an assortment of kitchenware and building my collection over time.
Starting the SF Public Library summer reading challenge. Growing up, I always did the summer reading challenges at the library. I remember filling out my challenge card as a kid and turning it in for a prize like a Domino’s pizza or free ice cream cone from Dairy Queen. I was so excited to see that the SF Public Library is doing a summer reading challenge for adults! Obviously I had to participate, and I roped my roommate into doing it with me. We hung up the reading challenge cards on our wall and I’m excited to spend the summer reading as many books as possible.
Until next week… keep finding the good! It is always there if you look for it.