Bye, Uptown

appreciate the moment before it’s gone.

I turned in my keys on Wednesday night and officially resigned my title of ‘uptown girl.’ It has been an interesting two years, rife with change, but one thing I know is that I’m leaving with nothing but gratitude for all that has transpired here, the people who were a part of this chapter and the lovely neighborhood I got to call home. Plus, leaving all of it behind the other night reminded me that regrets aren’t worth it, or holding on to any negativity. So let it go and live… 

If you had told me a few years ago I would be writing this post, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. I was so against moving to Uptown (because it’s what everyone did after college and if you didn’t know by now, I don’t like doing what everyone else is doing lol). But, the location made sense and when my friends and I found a second floor apartment in a Victorian house built before the 1900s, it just felt right. Plus it was prime for commuting to my last year of college classes and to my internship, which was downtown at the time. The house was located on a beautiful residential street, lined with historic houses and wide front porches, across the street from a famous mansion.

There are a lot of things I will miss about this time and place but nothing compares to the feeling of change and starting over. Change makes me feel alive. Plus, I would be lying if I said I’ve had the best time while living here, because this apartment has seen probably almost every emotion I’m capable of.

But, it has definitely been a time of learning and growth. As one of my yoga teachers said, everything is a teacher. The hard moments often teach us the most valuable lessons, and I definitely fought hard while living here. Fought to follow my heart, fought to pursue my passions, fought to set the groundwork for what I wanted the rest of my life to look like, but also fought to get out of bed, to get motivated, to get work done. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Instead of dwelling on the negativity, I thought I’d make a list of what I’ll miss the most, as a reminder that life is made up of all the little moments when we experience joy, and the small pleasures that bring a smile to our face and may just get us through a hard day. I’m moving on with a lot of hope that my future will be lighter, and I know I’ll be excitedly riding the winds of change for a while…

what I will miss about uptown

the lakes

making my way around the grand rounds on my bike during sunset

Rinata

chill movie nights

my friends living with me or near by

walking to the co-op

enjoying a hot, fresh espresso in the morning sunshine

the beautiful parties and dinners I threw with friends and family

my queen size bed

Joe: the furry, majestic Golden Retriever that frequents Isles Bun in the morning

my inspiring sunroom office

watching the real housewives with my roommates

6 am yoga sculpt

americanos and vegan scones from isles bun

tomato toast in the sweltering summer heat and no AC

seeing my cute old landlord gary walking around the neighborhood with a popsicle

snow days and fresh cookies

my gallery wall with treasures from my travels

did I mention my queen size bed?

walking to the bars with friends

hammer & sickle happy hour

pizza luce delivery late at night

old fashioned light switches and a doorbell that sounded like an old time phone ringing

hijacking our landlord’s porch while they were out of town

reflective walks around lake of the isles

having an H&M within walking distance