West Village Walks

I was 21-years-old when I had my first taste of what it was like to live in New York…

… And it was eight years ago (exactly, actually) is when my obsession began.

It was the summer of my junior year — in 2007, I’m old — and my parents’ navy blue Tahoe was illegally parked along Third Avenue (lugging my shit up the stairs took more than a few trips, naturally).

My dad was dropping me off at my new, temporary home — a concrete-laden dorm of NYU located in the East Village. The building was the ugliest, most amazing concrete palace I’d ever laid eyes on, and it was where I’d live for the next few months.

That summer flew by in a flash. Too fast, actually — what happened in the span of three months easily bled into what seemed like years with deceptive ease, and it was almost like I’d walked through a revolving door at 22 and came out the other side 10 years older (and, admittedly, only a little bit wiser). I’ve said it before, but living here is a lot like dog years — whether it’s for the summer or for two-plus years.

The summer of 2007 is when I first learned what it’s like to be young, carefree and seemingly invisible in New York City. I was working in a PR internship for a small (as in four employees, small) movie publicity firm.

My commute was over an hour each way and on three separate subway trains, but I didn’t care. I didn’t know any better! I loved every aspect of it.

I spent all day cold-call pitching over the phone (yes, we used phones to speak words back then!), writing briefs and running errands. I even got to facilitate a few press screenings (advanced showings of the films my company represented) when the owners of the company were certain that I wasn’t a total psycho. I think that was the highlight of my entire undergraduate career — my first taste of being picked up in black town car, whizzing through Times Square across 47th street is something I’ll never forget.

My then-boss, Barbara — one of the company owners — is a woman who may never know just how much she impacted my life. She lived in a beautiful home overlooking Central Park (next to Renee Zellweger, if I remember correctly), and she was one of the first people to show me that creating your own career path in New York City was possible… If you were willing to work for it. Someday that’ll be us, right?

I still think about her every year on Thanksgiving when I’m watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on TV…

Outside of that internship (and the people I’d spent my summer with, of course), my favorite aspect of “living” in New York City was going for long, solo walks on the weekends.

I got into the habit of this every Sunday — partially so I could eat multiple bagels without anyone judging me.

One of my most pointed memories is walking through the West Village. I loved the way the streets actually smelled fresh (versus a hot mix of steaming garbage, which is generally what downtown smells like in the summer), and I actually remember spending an hour sitting one day watching the tourists snake in line around the block for a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery — as evidenced below from an old picture I dug up in my Facebook archive. (Laughably, I didn’t consider myself a tourist back then.)

Fast-forward: Sometime last week, I unknowingly found myself smack in the middle of a serious bout of deja vu, making that same walk — though this time a bit less leisured and a bit more hurried.

Both then and now, walks through the West Village brought about a sense of city wonderment that I couldn’t seem to get enough of. The only difference, though, is that I back then I wasn’t guilt-ridden about “wasting away” my afternoons that way. I still thought I had all the afternoons in the world.

Amid my deja vu, I had to laugh — as this is a very “New York” thing to happen.

“This bitch,” I thought — and right on the coat-tails of my sharing the news that I’m moving away from the city in just three short weeks.

I paused for a minute (and only for a minute, as I was on my way to meet Lydia for these photos), and I realized how few afternoons I have to “waste away” in New York.

It’s sad, on the one hand, but on the other, I’ve accepted that the golden rhythm of being young, carefree and seemingly invisible in New York City will eventually dissolve (in most cases) over time. Sometimes, you just have to release your grip on a good thing in order to open up the possibility for even greater things.

… That’s a lot for a Monday morning, but I felt like story-telling. Coffee?

///

Now, a note about today’s ensemble.

Both then and now, one thing I always have in my closet (or suitcase, depending) is a pair of ankle-strap sandals. You’ll be seeing a lot of these over the next few weeks, especially since I am consolidating my closet before the move.

While Schutz are my favorite (they’re the perfect intersection of style, comfort and affordability), here’s two identical pairs for under $100 — one with a mid-height heel and one with a lower heel, which is perfect for those summer weddings.

You know me, and walkability is key for me when it comes to footwear…

*In this post:

Beige blazer: Topshop (via Nordstrom, comes in three colors)
Dress: Bench via Zappos (also in tank form)
Necklace: BaubleBar fish-hook choker (comes in five colors)
Nude sandals: c/o Schutz (more Schutz here; similar pair under $100)
Quilted clutch: c/o Very Bradley (love the wallet version too)

*Click to shop: Ankle-strap sandals | Vera Bradley’s new collection
Schutz shoes | BaubleBar necklaces | this post (below):

///

Lydia Hudgens Photography