There’s some days where living in NYC is nowhere near as glamorous as it seems to those of you who don’t live here. I fight off the tourists as I walk to work, crowd on the subways with what sometimes feels like half the city and pay per month for the gym what some of you pay for the year. There’s some days that I wonder why the hell I am crazy enough to live here.
And then I do things like go with Ashley to listen to a talk by one of my favorite designers, and I realize why I live here. Just $25 and a short walk from work, and I got to hear Tory Burch, one of my favorite designers speak. If you’re not familiar with Ms. TB (and no, I don’t just like her because we have the same initials), most of her clothes are really bright, preppy and classic. And I wore her shoes to her talk. Is that like wearing a band’s shirt to their show? Meghan’s fiancee thought so.
(Okay, so I don’t have much by her. But I still <3 her.)
She talked about how she got started seven years ago and how she went from running her business out of her apartment with one other woman to how she now runs a business with 800 employees and 45 stores. I was really impressed with how humble she seemed–and not even in an affected, I-know-I-should-pretend-to-act-humble-way. The (slightly awkward) moderator asked her when she knew that her business was going to make it.
“I still don’t know if it’s going to make it,” she said. She seemed to be really, really hard on herself. It was also interesting hearing how important the Internet is to Tory Burch personally and as a company. Two months after they launched their first store, they launched e-commerce on their website, and social media’s always been important to them, and Tory does most of her own tweeting, except for maybe some of the promotional stuff. For example, she tweeted last year “Is it me or is everyone grossed out by having to go barefoot through airport security? Should I design a line of travel socks?” She got such a great response that she did design a travel sock. I thought this was such a cool idea and asked for them for Christmas…until I realized I was basically asking for a $45 pair of socks. Oops.
I walked home down Fifth Ave and smiled at the parade prep (I am SO EXCITED for St. Patrick’s Day), and came home and made a chicken patty with some spinach and whole wheat pasta.
Oh, and decided to go to Vegas with Ashley in three weeks!!
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I would have loved to hear hear talk! I do love (yet own nothing) her stuff, but mostly I love hearing successful women speak about their business.
Sounds like a great night in NYC.. the kind that make putting up with someone smoking in your train car while a stranger brushes up against you for 20 minutes worth living here.
@Jess @ Fit Chick in the City: Agreed. The talk wasn't the most interesting ever, but just hearing her speak was inspiring. Another interesting point she brought up that I didn't mention was that she doesn't look at her phone once she gets home--something we all could take lessons in :)
And...smoking in your train car? Has that really happened to you? :-/
That is a great point! I need to close the laptop and put down my phone at night!
Yes, I've had someone smoke in my train car more than once.
Hey lady it's Smash from Tumblr/Twitter. <3 Yes, NYC seems so glamorous but I couldn't image being in the crowded subway [never been to one EVER though...] or walking home carrying groceries. CRAZY different from Dallas, TX.
Very cool you got to see Tory Burch. I love how down-to-earth she seems. Plus she has classic, American style. Love her!
@[SMASH]: The day-to-day definitely isn't glamorous, but overall it's still worth it (to me) to have the kind of job I do and the kind of experiences and opportunities that I have all so close by. With that said, I plan on living in this area forever, but probably not the city forever.
And yes, TB was awesome :)
I might have walked right past you last night. I saw the group of people on line to get in next to Delmonico's but I didn't know what it was for. Sounds like an awesome event!
I know what you mean about NYC. Somedays I want to scream because of all the people, but other days I feel like its worth it when I'm having one of those "only can happen here" moments.