chapter 14: moving diaries
stressful but could've been worse
Building a home is a slowwww process. But last Saturday, we had our first party! The apartment is open for business.
The new space is feeling really good, and it’s been fun (if overwhelming) starting to build and nest in a new home. In many ways, this feels like my first real “adult” home. The past year in NYC felt more like college, living with Ally in a place that sometimes felt more like a luxury dorm than an apartment building (complete with frat bros).
More than that, things felt transient. It was hard to put down roots; I knew I would leave once the lease was up. Even my bedroom wall was temporary!
But still: I painted the walls, bought plants, and trekked across Manhattan to retrieve Facebook Marketplace finds. Even if it had a concrete end date, it felt good to make the apartment my own.
This kind of nesting feels more intentional. We’re not just puzzling together mismatched furniture and trying to find a few chairs that sort of match. The mindset is more: here we are - let’s make the most of this space. So we bought a couch! And a TV! And a small army of outdoor furniture from Wayfair!
It feels good to put intention behind everything, which has (admittedly) made me neurotic about even the most inconsequential additions to our home. My subconscious is set on not doing the adult equivalent of going to the “dorm essentials” aisle of Target to get all of our stuff. So, instead, I’m putting way too much thought into topics like what shower curtain we should have, and what our plates say about us.
Things are coming together. And compared to how crazy moving can be, this move has been relatively innocuous. But it’s the only thing that’s been on my mind for the past month, so I don’t have anything else to say.
So for now, here’s one more pic:
Madz recs
Obsessed with our outdoor egg chairs (pictured above). Perfect for reading!!
The new Little Mermaid movie, which was *so* good and made me cry? The soundtrack is also so good. Definitely worth a watch even if you aren’t a Disney adult.
Cutie throwback pic that reminded me I haven’t been to the beach yet this summer… a crime
Working at an office actually does not suck as bad as expected… feeling much more engaged + connected!
A heavy endorsement for audiobooks. I’m reading my newest book for book club, She Who Became the Sun, via audiobook and it is incredible. I was worried I would get distracted, but it’s so immersive!
The BEST pancake I’ve ever had
say it with me: strawberry! sourdough! pancake!!! The rediscovery of salmon. IYKYK
The undisputed beverage of the summer is matcha lemonade. The sweetness of lemonade with a little grassiness from the matcha - chef’s kiss. They should have them anywhere they sell matcha, but the ones from Starbucks are very good.
A 3-pack of personal trainer sessions at our new gym (!) Would highly recommend it for guidance on form and the general structure of workouts (obligatory gym pic)
And to cap it off, the perfect green bean recipe. Just sear fresh green beans on medium-high heat and grate in lemon zest, garlic, and ginger. Salt to taste!! They are eat-cold-out-of-the-fridge good.
Until next time!
Madz