I've been wanting to write this update all week. From the moment I stepped out onto Orchard Street and into the City on Monday morning after we flew back from Arizona; with the city smells of Chinese food and piles of trash accepting us back with open arms. We woke up on Monday after spending a week in the desert and honestly, I missed this. I missed it all.
Thankful in Arizona
I am thankful for all these things. My brother + sisters; my mother and father(s)—this Arizona sun and these Arizona homes and people and their stories that make them what they are.
These things are wonderful, and wonderful things mean nothing without gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving!
"The New Nomads"
I found this incredible book the other day while out on a lunch break at Dig Inn on 28th: The New Nomads—Gestalten books.
Woke up this morning on the Lower East Side...
I woke up this morning in our first apartment on the Lower East Side. Packing and unpacking last night in a frenzy, I made an effort to prepare my lemons, and set my coffee and mug out in preparation for my morning routine. Already, there’s a lift in my spirit in this place—and I can’t tell if it’s the apartment itself, or the fact that I get to write about moving forward with this experience again.
One magical weekend...
First, the news is true! We finally get to leave Wooster Street! The new tenants signed the papers on Friday. We'll be out of here completely come Wednesday of this week. :) A celebration is in order!
Halloween 2015, Leaving Wooster Style
This past weekend was an eventful one—with Halloween parties and best friends in town from Panama...friends' birthday and new puppy celebrations too! We've been quite busy having a good time and we wouldn't have it any other way!
Excess.
Ah, what a word. I've been contemplating it a lot lately. Even the sound of it—when broken up into syllables, and given a bit of snake-tongue at the end ("ex"-"cesssssss")—I suddenly picture the image of a water glass being filled to the brim, and then spilling out and onto the countertops... and then pouring pouring pouring off onto the floor like a mini waterfall. Spills...of something off balance. Spills of too much.
Living with potency
Everything about this project—from the writing to the selling; from the making friends with strangers to the letting go of beloved possessions, to the current result of living in a furniture-less loft with nothing but a blow-up mattress and a turtle...Everything about Leaving Wooster is carried out with a purpose to live with more potency. Because we've made ourselves "lighter", less cramped, and more focused on the life we want to pursue in the right now—not in the five years from now or the ten years from now. The right now.
How to sell your stuff with 5 great tips
When we made the decision to sell everything, we had no idea where to start, we just knew that we wanted to sell, and we wanted to sell fast.
After being pleasantly surprised by how well we did selling all of our belongings to become minimalist, I decided to write this, knowing that what we learned from this experience may be extremely helpful to others. Whether you're looking to sell a single item, or everything you own, keep on reading!
5 inspiring readings to help you pursue a minimalist lifestyle
Throughout the extent of our journey thus far, the #1 question we've received has been: "how were you able let go of all that stuff?" — well, the right encouragement helps!
Pleasure purchasing: Part 2
Where yesterday's ideas end and where today's ideas begin is right here: on the feeling of newness, but also with a balance of gratitude. We need both, people.
Pleasure purchasing: Part 1
Purchase pleasure:
The unexplained feeling of bliss, joy and satisfaction one gets following a purchase. It can last anything from a few hours to a few weeks depending on the size, worth or usefulness of the item acquired. Buyer's remorse can sometimes follow or replace purchase pleasure. It is often a reason for shopping addiction.
Minimalistic living and Zero-waste
I started thinking about how from the moment we are born we start collecting things—we become owners of things. Take baby Omri, for example, he's already the proud owner of his very own stroller, multiple blankets, a crib, and more baby clothes than you have care to count, amongst many other things. All this stuff we collect. Obviously, a baby doesn't have much choice—but when we get to that maturity level where we do have a choice, it's interesting that we never stop to consider: how does this really fit in my life? (both physically and metaphysically). SHOULD this really fit into my life?
Phantom furniture + Silver lining
The loft has yet to find its next owner... and though we wish it were otherwise, there is a silver lining in everything—as long as you care enough to acknowledge it.
Orpaz flies the coop!
Last night we bid see you later to Aviv's youngest brother, who is off on his own adventure to pursue opportunities in Hawaii...YES you read that right! And he's off to the Big Island, to be exact! We celebrated with an Indian food feast at our favorite place in the East Village—Haveli Banjara—which was delicious as always!
Ode to NYC
Sometimes there are moments where you tap yourself out of the City's metronome—keeping most of us on beat—and you realize again what it was that brought you here. Everyone has their own reason.
The EcoCapsule Dream
Aviv and I have another dream —
that sometime after we Leave Wooster and eventually make our way out of New York City, we'll be able to explore the world—and live anywhere. Literally, anywhere. Starting with various places around the United States.
Two lucky sisters!
There are parts to this experience that feel like the stars aligned exactly at the right time for us. Where in one moment, we think we have a knot in the plan, and the next moment the world answers back with a solve...
Excited to donate $1,669.60!
And our final packing round begins with the last sale we made this week—one full of jewelry, our 2 remaining tables, Halloween masks, +. We have our three most important "home" decorations ready to accompany us, and yes, you guessed it! That money in the subject line is the 10% of our project that will be going to an NYC charity to help support the struggle against homelessness.
Thing #3: African Mahogany Woman
1973: The year my mother and her family moved from Senegal, Africa to the United States. She was 14 years old at the time, and spoke no English; she carried this statuette, and many other objects from their life in Africa with her.