My Love Affair with NYC

My love affair with NYC started at an early age! I Grew up in a town of 15,000 people some 3000 miles from NYC, so this love affair seems surprising to most people.

But, I have always loved fashion, and dreamed of someday being a designer. I used to play with my fashion plates for hours at a time, creating the most exquisite designs (or so I thought).  I learned to sew with the help of my grandmother, and went to college for Business as well as Clothing, Textiles, and Design. The main problem was—I wasn’t a very good sewer and… I wasn’t that artistic. So, my dreams took new form when I completed an internship at Fred Meyer within the Buying Department. It was the perfect balance of creativity and analytics, and I knew it would keep me challenged. Instead of going to NYC after college, I moved to Portland, OR, which was still 50x the amount of people I was used to.

The first time I actually traveled to the Big Apple, I was there for Toy Fair—at the time I was buying Boys’ toys. I was SO sick—but as soon as we landed and checked into our hotel, I had to experience the city. We were lucky enough to get a great rate at the W Hotel in Times Square, so it was the perfect jumping-off-point for my first trip! During that visit I got to attend some wonderful dinners, a launch party, and a broadway show!

Over the years, I have gone to NYC for varying markets or to meet with vendors. In my last job we traveled into the city to buy artwork from design houses, collaborate with vendors, and complete trend research.

If you haven’t been there, you may wonder why I feel this way about it. There is this wonderful vibe and rush that I love! I love the personalities of the neighborhoods—the ability to find character, solitude, or anything you’re looking for. The variety of eateries is amazing, but the miles you walk makes you feel perfectly okay about over-indulging! I love that it is such a melting pot for tourists and transplants. I adore all of the languages you hear at any location! I love knowing that business decisions that affect the whole country (and the whole world) are happening on every street.

Not only do I love the fashion in NYC—I love the lack of fashion. Only there can people get away with this stuff! I love sitting in Bryant Park or on the Subway people-watching, wondering about their story.

NYC embodies the American Dream! It’s evidence that people born anywhere can work hard, and end up accomplishing their dreams.

Now—to plan an upcoming trip.